Double blow for O’Gorman at Le Mans

BY GILES SPENCER
giles@slpmedia.co.uk

Erith motorcycle racer Casey O’Gorman had a weekend to forget after failing to score any points despite record breaking pace at Le Mans in round three of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at Le Mans.

The fifteen year old schoolboy qualified his 250cc KTM machine in tenth place on the grid 0.581 seconds off pole a with 1:46.585 only a week after fracturing his wrist in Estoril.

Away from the lights in Saturday’s race and O’Gorman got a flying start to move up to sixth place but whilst the sun was shining on him luck wasn’t as the youngster slid off on the first lap to make it two crashes in consecutive weekends.

Sunday’s race started early in cool 12 degrees temperature but didn’t hamper O’Gorman as he moved up to eighth place at the end of the first lap of 16.

Three laps in and missing the advantage of a race under his belt was beginning to show as the top six started to gap O’Gorman as he slipped to the tail end of the top ten.

Mid race and a slow starting Ruche Moodley came past O’Gorman, setting the fastest lap, pulling the Irishman along towards the leading group.

With four laps to go O’Gorman had found his second wind, setting the all time lap record on his way to moving into the leading group with strong pace.

Last lap and just as he was looking good for a podium challenge, disaster was to befall O’Gorman once again as Max Quiles went down, taking two other riders with him with the number 67 rider losing the front seconds later, sending him off the track and into the gravel at high speed to end his race.

Angel Piqueras took both wins to extend his lead in the championship to 145 points with O’Gorman slipping out of the top ten on 41 points.

The next round will take place at Mugello, Italy on the 10-11 June.

Photos: Red Bull Rookies Cup