Bike problems frustrate O’Gorman in European Talent Cup

BY GILES SPENCER
giles@slpmedia.co.uk

Erith motorcycle racer Casey O’Gorman suffered more heartache as his best qualifying of the season fell to waste with mechanical failure ruling the youngster out of race winning contention in round three of the Hawkers European Talent Cup at Catalunya in Spain last weekend.

The 14 year old topped the timing sheets in the heat of the Spanish sun in both practice sessions before a mechanical problem in qualifying on his MLav Visiontrack Academy Honda NSF250R saw him unable to advance higher than second on the grid behind championship leader Joel Esteban.

O’Gorman didn’t make his usual lightning start in the 36 degree temperatures, slipping to fourth by the first corner with the front four making a small break away from the pack by the end of the first lap of fifteen.

Quickly getting up to speed, O’Gorman made a move into second but as usual in this class, the gap to the chasing pack vanished as quickly as appeared and the battle for the lead turned into a ten bike freight train.

Three laps in and O’Gorman’s recent run of misfortune continued as he suddenly sat up and pulled off the racing line, dropping to 24th place and losing seven seconds in one lap before managing to get going again, only to retire into pitlane one lap later.

The race was won in a drag to the line by Brian Uriate from Esteban meaning O’Gorman’s DNF has dropped him to 9th in the championship, 60 points behind Esteban.

O’Gorman said, “Another DNF. Same issue that kept us out of Q2 (second qualifying session) yesterday re-appeared just as the race started.

“I had to change gears manually until eventually the bike cut out while in the leading group.

“Disappointed is an understatement. I really thought we were on for the win today.”

The next round of the championship heads to Jerez in Spain on the 2-3 July although O’Gorman will be out in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at the Sachsenring in Germany this weekend.

Photo by @lifebelucky