Ajo Academy rider earns two good results at the Autodromo do Algarve with second and third place. He remains 3 points off second place in the series.

Tetsuta Nagashima enjoyed a good weekend at Portimao, cheap where the Ajo Academy rider finished second and third in the two races held at the Portuguese track in the Moto2 European Championship. A haul of 36 further points for his overall tally keeps the Japanese in the fight for second place in the series, with Steven Odendall having been crowned champion this weekend.

On Saturday, in QP1, Nagashima set a good pace and worked on setting up his Kalex, achieving the second best time of the session with a 1:45.973 lap. He was just 0.1 off topping the timesheets. In the second qualifying session, he clocked a 1:45.602 that would allow him to start from pole for the second time this season.

The Autodromo do Algarve hosted two intense duels for victory in the two races held on Sunday. In the first Nagashima escaped along with Odendaal, taking the lead on the sixth lap. The Ajo Academy rider maintained the spot until almost the final straight, where he was overtaken to miss out on the win by less than 1 tenth of a second. In the second race the pair were joined by Alan Techer in the fight for victory. Despite leading in the initial stages, Nagashima placed third after after an overtaking exchange with his rivals.

Nagashima now has 121 points in total, lying third in the Moto2 European Championship just 3 behind second-placed Techer. The FIM CEV returns to Spain on October 2 for its seventh round, held at the Jerez circuit.

Results – Race 1
1. Steven Odendaal (Kalex) 31:08.968
2. Tetsuta Nagashima (Ajo Academy) +0.099
3. Alan Techer (NTS NH-6) +4.127
4. Augusto Fernandez (Tech3) +4.257
5. Dimas Ekky (Kalex) +6.193

Results – Race 2
1. Steven Odendaal (Kalex) 30:42.138
2. Alan Techer (NTS NH-6) +0.055
3. Tetsuta Nagashima (Ajo Academy) +1.647
4. Augusto Fernandez (Tech3) +3.594
5. Iker Lecuona (Kalex Honda) +7.197

FIM CEV Moto2 Championship Standing 2016
1. Steven Odendaal (Kalex) 186 points
2. Alan Techer (NTS NH-6) 124 points
3. Tetsuta Nagashima (Ajo Academy) 121 points
4. Eric Granado (Kalex) 99 points
5. Augusto Fernandez (Tech3) 74 points

45 TETSUTA NAGASHIMA
“I leave Portimao very happy, although it was a shame we could not get a win. The Autodromo do Algarve is a track where I have always struggled, and I am pleased to have achieved such positive results. In the first race I felt good on the bike and I was able to push in first position until the final straight, where Odendaal passed me by less than one tenth of a second. In the second race, I did not have the same feeling and the wind prevented me from having the pace I would have liked. The overall assessment is very good and I want to thank my team for all their work; now our goal is to fight for second place in the series at Jerez and Valencia, where I usually go fairly well.”