O’Gorman rises to the challenge in Moto3 Junior World Championship ride in Spain

BY GILES SPENCER
giles@slpmedia.co.uk

Erith motorcycle racer Casey O’Gorman raced in yet another championship in 2023 to score a top ten finish in the Junior Moto3 World Championship in Aragon, Spain last weekend.

In a late change, O’Gorman sacrificed his European Talent Cup race for a ride for the Estrella Galicia team in the Moto3 Junior World Championship.

Getting on the pace from the opening practice session, O’Gorman qualified his full Moto3 spec 250cc Honda on the fourth row in eleventh.

Away from the lights in sunny 24 degree weather, O’Gorman got a great start to move up to seventh place at the end of the first lap of fourteen.

Two laps later and O’Gorman was up to sixth but with an ever changing freight train stretching from first to 15 it was pointless keeping tabs on who was where.

Despite being a rookie in yet another championship, the 16 year old upset the apple cart as he briefly moved into a podium position in third barely a lap later.

Eight laps to go and as the race settled down O’Gorman was sitting pretty in fourth with the top five making a tiny break from the pack.

Mid distance and the fighting at the front had closed the pack up again and allowed champion elect Angel Piqueras to try and stretch a lead at the front but the rest of the riders had other ideas.

Six laps to go and Aussie Jacob Roulstone passed O’Gorman as rear tyre wear left the youngster struggling for grip allowing Brit Eddie O’Shea to take advantage, knocking him back to seventh.

Counting down the laps and a pack of twelve riders had broken away with O’Gorman unfortunately shuffled to the back 1.7 seconds off the leader.

Last lap and with a podium realistically off the table O’Gorman had to keep his head down and get the bike to the chequered flag. Keeping his cool as others around him lost theirs, the schoolboy crossed the line to take a respectable top ten in ninth, 1.777 seconds off winner and new champion, Piqueras.

O’Gorman heads for the final round of the championship at Valencia, Spain on the weekend of 5th November but returns to Supersport duty with the OMG Racing team at the final round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend.

Photos: @lifebuckley