Ajo Motorsport Academy rider places 3rd in Valencia on a photo finish, with Lorenzo Fellon claiming 12th in the FIM CEV season finale.

The 2018 FIM CEV season concluded today in Valencia with an excellent result for Ajo Motorsport Academy in the European Talent Cup, as Adrian Fernandez took his first podium in the series and Lorenzo Fellon placed twelfth.

Fernandez was strong from the opening laps, leading the group at times. With 9 laps completed, a red flag halted the race temporarily, resulting in a 5-lap sprint to settle the contest. The Ajo Motorsport Academy rider again took the advantage and in a photo finish he was awarded third place and a maiden rostrum.

Lorenzo Fellon has also had a positive experience at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, finishing inside the points for the seventh consecutive race. The young French rider was a permanent fixture in the fight for the Top 10, finally coming home twelfth.

The second edition of the European Talent Cup ends with Adrian Fernandez 6th in the standings with 84 points, whilst Lorenzo Fellon concludes the campaign 16th, with 45.

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“Both riders had a good race, especially Adrian [Fernandez] who was able to finish the season with his first podium in the series. I’m also proud of Lorenzo [Fellon], as race after race he has been improving. That was what we were looking for this season. It has been a positive season for both riders and I am satisfied with the job that we have done.”

Results (Race)
1. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) 8:53.900
2. Jose Antonio Rueda (Honda) +0.201
3. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +0.211
4. Fermin Aldeguer (Honda) +0.266
5. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +0.285
12. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +1.825

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 140 points
2. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) 135 points
3. David Salvador (Honda) 116 points
4. Jose Antonio Rueda (Honda) 98 points
5. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) 84 points
6. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 84 points
16. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 45 points

5 – LORENZO FELLON

“The first part of the race did not go very well. My first start was not good, but on the following laps I was able to overtake several riders. After the red flag I managed to make a great second start and had a good first lap. I was fighting for the Top 10, and finally I finished 12th, in the points. It’s a positive result to finish the season with; now we have to work to improve even more next year and be even stronger.”

31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ

“After the red flag it was an all-or-nothing race. It was difficult, because on the straight it was very hard for me to overtake and I had to take more risks on the corners. I lost out on the victory on the straight, because I was overtaken at the last moment, but I am very happy to have finished third and to have earned my first podium in the European Talent Cup. I want to thank the team, my parents and my brother for all their support and for all the work they have done during the year.”

Ajo Academy riders make comebacks for sixth and tenth, respectively, in the only European Talent Cup race of the day.

A positive weekend for the Acadamy Ajo riders ended with them overcoming mixed track conditions at the penultimate round of the FIM CEV, to place inside the Top 10 in Albacete. Adrian Fernandez made a great comeback from the sixth row and finished the race in the sixth position. Lorenzo Fellon managed to recover from a difficult qualifying session and finish tenth.

Adrian Fernandez, who started from sixteenth, gained six positions on the first corner. The Ajo Academy rider continually improved his times, and was always amongst the Top 10. Battling against the damp track surface, Fernandez held firm and finished in a creditable sixth position.

Despite a difficult start to the race, Lorenzo Fellon recomposed himself and, lap after lap, climbed up the order. The young French rider was consistent throughout the contest, and crashes in the leading group at the end of the race allowed him to cross the line tenth. This is the sixth consecutive race at which the Ajo Academy rider has scored points.

Adrian Fernandez leaves Albacete eighth in the overall standings with 68 points, whilst Lorenzo Fellon is fifteenth with 41. The last round of the FIM CEV will take place on the weekend of November 24th and 25th in Valencia, with a single race for the ETC class.

Results
1. Alex Millan (Honda) 32:02.460
2. David Salvador (Honda) +2.974
3. Fermin Aldeguer (Honda) +3.482
4. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) +3.974
5. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +4.093
6. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +4.252
10. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +32.376

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 129 points
2. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) 110 points
3. David Salvador (Honda) 108 points
4. Matteo Patacca (Honda) 82 points
5. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) 79 points
8. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 68 points
15. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 41 points

5 – LORENZO FELLON
“In general, the race did not go badly. The track had a lot of grip. It was difficult to overtake on the first few laps, but when I was able to get on the pace I felt much better and I was able to pass several riders. Going from 19th position to 10th is very positive and I am very satisfied with the weekend, although I expected a little more. The next race is in Valencia and will be the last of the season, so I’ll try to put in a good performance there.”

31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“It was tough, since the race was declared wet and we had to take things easy. However, after two or three laps the track started to have more grip, so I gained more and more confidence. When I saw that the frontrunners were getting away, I decided to lead the group that was fighting for eighth position. Later on, some riders overtook me, but due to some crashes during the last few laps I was able to finish sixth. We made a great comeback. Now we have to think about Valencia, the last race of the season, where we hope to get the podium that we have fought so hard for this season.”

The Ajo Academy rider had two great races in Round 6 of the European Talent Cup, in which he fought for the podium. Lorenzo Fellon placed inside the Top 10 in both contests.

Adrian Fernandez had a positive Round 6 of the European Talent Cup, placing fourth in the opening race of the weekend and equalling his best result of the season. In the second race, he fought amongst the frontrunners. Lorenzo Fellon had a consistent Sunday and was able to finish the races in 10th and 9th place.

Starting from tenth on the grid, Fernandez made a great start and was in the leading group throughout the first race. He would break into the podium spots on several occasions before finishing fourth, matching his best result of the season. Lorenzo Fellon also started well, moving up from 17th to a place within the Top 10. Despite not being able to catch the leading group, the Ajo Academy rider managed to keep his pace up riding alone for more than half of the race and finished 10th.

Race 2 saw Fernandez lead the ETC contest, as he again challenged amongst the frontrunners. Unfortunately, a crash on the final lap left him out of contention after one of his best performances of 2018. Lorenzo Fellon worked hard once again in the second race, once more climbing up from 17th position and crossing the finish line in 9th.

Fernandez leaves Jerez 8th in the championship with 58 points, whilst Lorenzo Fellon is 17th with 34. The next round of the FIM CEV will take place in just two weeks’ time, on October 13th-14th, at the Albacete Circuit. There will be just a single race for the European Talent Cup.

Results (Race 1)
1. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) 27:57.782
2. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +0.010
3. Jose Antonio Rueda (Honda) +0.122
4. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +0.410
5. David Salvador (Honda) +1.044
10. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +9.255

Results (Race 2)
1. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) 28:07.175
2. David Salvador (Honda) +0.003
3. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +0.131
4. Fermin Aldeguer (Honda) +0.572
5. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) +0.833
9. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +1.691
DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy)

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 118 points
2. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) 97 points
3. David Salvador (Honda) 88 points
4. Matteo Patacca (Honda) 82 points
5. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) 79 points
8. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 58 points
17. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 34 points

5 – LORENZO FELLON
“I had a good first race, but I had a slightly slower rider than me in front and we were separated from the leading group. As hard as I tried, I could not catch the frontrunners by the end of the race. In the second race I rode well again and I was able to take a spot in the front group, although I was very close to the back and couldn’t fight for the victory. I’m happy because I’ve been able to finish in the Top 10 in the last three races, but we have to keep working to continue improving.”

31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“In the first race I felt confident, I had a good start, but in the final stretch of the race my tyres began to go off and I couldn’t fight as far up the order as I would have liked. As for the second race, I felt very good on the bike and I was able to lead the race for a few laps, but with two corners to go I went down. I would have liked to have finished the race, but I am happy to have been able to lead and to have fought for the victory.”

Adrian Fernandez finishes sixth in European Talent Cup Race 1, after fighting for the podium positions. Lorenzo Fellon scores points in both races, placing 11th and 9th.

The Ajo Academy riders completed the fifth round of the European Talent Cup season with two demanding races on Sunday. Adrian Fernandez once again fought for the podium in both contests, finishing sixth in Race 1 and being shown a black flag in Race 2. After achieving his first points at the previous round, Lorenzo Fellon showed consistency with further points in both races, finishing 9th and 11th.

In the first race, Fernandez made a good start and was up into third in the early stages. On Lap 4 he dropped to seventh position, but was still hot on the heels of the frontrunners. An incident between two other riders in the final stages moved him to the tenth position, but he launched an attack with three laps to go and finished sixth. Lorenzo Fellon lost positions on the first lap and would spend the race battling for points, eventually crossing the line in eleventh place.

Fellon made a good fightback in the second race of the day. The Frenchman lost places on the opening laps, dropping to 14th, but started to climb up the order to reach ninth. In the final stretch of the race he managed to reach the front group, but a red flag with two laps to go ended the race prematurely and he had to settle for ninth place. Adrian Fernandez did not have a good end to the weekend at MotorLand after being disqualified for not obeying a ride through penalty. In the race he had been in contention for the podium and had been up as high as second place.

Fernandez goes into the summer break ninth in the overall standings, with 45 points, while Lorenzo Fellon is 18th with 21. The next FIM CEV round will take place in two months’ time at the Jerez-Angel Nieto Circuit, on September 29-30th, with two races for the European Talent Cup.

Results (Race 1)
1. Jose Antonio Rueda (Honda) 29:12.975
2. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +0.014
3. David Salvador (Honda) +0.167
4. Victor Rodríguez (Honda) +0.240
5. Carlos Torrecillas (Honda) +0.257
6. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +0.541
11. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +2.726

Results (Race 2)
1. David Muñoz (Honda) 25:04.698
2. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) +0.010
3. Daniel Muñoz (Honda) +0.096
4. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) +0.122
5. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +0.153
9. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +0.819
DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy)

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Matteo Pattaca (Honda) 82 points
2. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 82 points
3. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) 78 points
4. Julian Giral (Honda) 67 points
5. Jose Antonio Rueda (Honda) 62 points
9. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 45 points
18. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 21 points

5 – LORENZO FELLON
“I made a good start in the first race but on the first corner I was run off the track. I was in the front group, but it was very difficult to overtake because there were so many riders in there. I placed 11th, although I’m not completely satisfied with the result.
In the second race I was determined to do better. I made a bad start, but afterwards I was able to overtake several riders and, although I was five seconds behind the leading group, I kept my pace up until I joined them. Once I got into that spot, I decided to ease off the tyres, and my strategy was to attack on the last two laps. When I started to do that, the red flag came out and the race was over. In spite of everything, I managed to take a lot of points in these two races. That’s good for the Championship and I feel more confident now, so I’m happy.”

31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“I felt very comfortable with the bike in the first race, although it was a difficult race because I was in a large group where there was a lot of fighting between us. At the end we began to notice the wear on the tyres, but we handled it through to the chequered flag. It’s a good result, but I expected more.
In the second race I was back in the front group and in the podium positions. Being in a large group didn’t give me time to look at my board, so I missed being told about the ride through, and after five more laps they disqualified me. Today I learned that the pitboard and flags are very important, and I will take that into account for next time.”

Ajo Academy rider finishes 7th in the only European Talent Cup race at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit. Adrian Fernandez does not finish the race at the end of a difficult weekend. In Moto3 category, the second race was interrupted by a serious accident suffered by Andreas Perez, who was evacuated by helicopter to hospital.

The Ajo Academy riders obtained very different results on Round 4 of the FIM CEV, held in Barcelona. After a red flag on Lap 3, Lorenzo Fellon crossed the finish line in seventh position. Adrian Fernandez, who suffered a big crash on Thursday, was not able to complete the race. The news of the serious condition of Moto3 rider Andreas Perez broke after the races had ended. The entire Ajo Motorsport family offer their support to the family during this difficult time.

On the first start, Lorenzo Fellon, who took off from 12th, lost several positions during the opening lap. After the red flag, the race changed for the young French rider, who, despite starting from 14th, placed himself in the chasing pack fighting for sixth place. Fellon fought lap after lap to improve his position, and a pass on the final corner gave him seventh.

Adrian Fernandez showed his courage and commitment this weekend. On Thursday he suffered a heavy crash in free practice that prevented him from riding on Friday. After receiving medical clearance on Saturday morning, he went back out on track to participate in the qualifying sessions. In the race, Fernandez made a spectacular first start, moving up 15 positions after the first lap. Coming off a good second start, he began to tire and 3 laps from the end decided to retire from the race.

Fernandez is now 7th in the overall standings with 35 points, while Fellon is 24th with a total of 9 points. Two races will be held at the next round of the European Talent Cup, at MotorLand Aragon on July 29th.

Results (Race)
1. Matteo Patacca (Honda) 13:24.589
2. Xavier Artigas (Honda) +0.088
3. Jose Antonio Rueda (Honda) +0.109
4. Julian Giral (Honda) +1.037
5. Miguel Parra (Honda) +1.070
7. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +2.394
DNF – Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy)

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Mateo Patacca (Honda) 82 points
2. Julian Giral (Honda) 58 points
3. Francisco Gómez (Honda) 56 points
4. Barry Baltus (Honda) 54 points
5. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 51 points
7. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 35 points
24. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 9 points

AKI AJO – Team Manager
“It’s been a weekend of ups and downs. Adrian [Fernandez] had a big crash on Thursday, but he is a strong person and came back on Saturday for qualifying. Saturday was difficult for him, but in the race he showed great progress. Unfortunately he was not able to finish the race because he was feeling weak, but he tried and I am very proud of him for that. For Lorenzo [Fellon] it was a great weekend after a difficult start to his season. He was very consistent here in Barcelona. Seventh place is very good and we are on the right path to take a step forward in the coming races.”

5 – LORENZO FELLON
“After the first start I lost some positions on the first corner, but little by little I gained confidence and I was able to overtake some riders. After the red flag I was able to make a much better second start and I was a bit more aggressive than before, getting to fight for fourth place. Finally I finished seventh, but I enjoyed myself a lot. It was a great race and I am happy to have scored my first points of the season.”

31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“On Thursday I had a strange crash when I hit a puddle. I couldn’t ride on Friday, but after being cleared on Saturday I came to the circuit for qualifying. In the first race I made a great start and I was able to overtake several riders before the red flag came out. In the second race I was catching up with the riders in front when, three laps from the end, I started to feel bad and decided to retire. It hasn’t been our best weekend but text time I will return stronger.”

Fernandez claims 4th and 5th position in the second round of the European Talent Cup. Teammate Lorenzo Fellon finishes the weekend with a 20th and 16th place.

The Ajo Academy riders took part in European Talent Cup action this weekend, racing at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. In the two races held on Sunday, Fernandez was twice involved in the fight for the podium, eventually finishing in 4th and 5th place, respectively. Teammate Lorenzo Fellon placed 20th in the first race and improved his result in the second, crossing the finish line in 16th position -just outside the points.

Adrian Fernandez made a good start from the second row on the grid in the first race and remained in the Top 3 for much of the contest, even leading the way as part of a group of 10 riders. With three laps remaining, a red flag ended the race ahead of time, with Fernandez finishing fourth and Lorenzo Fellon, who had started from 23rd, getting 20th position.

In the second race, Fernandez was in the fight for second place, but finished fifth in a close battle. The Ajo Academy rider is now sixth in the overall standings with 35 points. Lorenzo Fellon climbed seven places in the race to reach 16th, almost claiming his first points.

The European Talent Cup will return to action on June 9-10th at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, where the two young talents will compete in a single race.

Race 1 Results
1. Francisco Gomez (Honda) 23:05.366
2. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) +0.189
3. Daniel Holgado (Honda) +0.428
4. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +0.483
5. Carlos Tatay (Honda) +1.294
20. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +26.152

Race 2 Results
1. Matteo Patacca (Honda) 30:18.126
2. Peetu Paavilainen (Honda) +0.834
3. David Salvador (Honda) +1.243
4. Daniel Muñoz (Honda) +1.266
5. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +1.555
16. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +17.738

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Matteo Patacca (Honda) 57 points
2. Francisco Gomez (Honda) 56 points
3. Barry Baltus (Honda) 54 points
4. Julian Giral (Honda) 45 points
5. Victor Rodriguez (Honda) 45 points
6. Adrián Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 35 points
-. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy)

5  LORENZO FELLON
“It has not been an easy weekend. Our grid position was not the best. After the second qualifying session we saw that we had improved, but it was still going to be difficult. The first race was not bad, but I lost positions off the start and on the first few laps. In the second race our speed was very good; we were very fast, but again the start was not good. The races went well, but the problem was the start. If we only look at the weekend overall, it’s not been that bad.”

31 ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“We started both races in fourth, and in both we were in the front group. In the first race there was a red flag shown with three laps remaining and we were awarded fourth place. In the second race we were up into second position for several laps, approximately 2.5 seconds behind the leader. With three laps remaining the riders behind us overtook me and we finished fifth.”

Ajo Academy rider takes 10th and 11th place in 2018 European Talent Cup opening races. Lorenzo Fellon is unable to take part after a crash in qualifying yesterday.

The Ajo Academy made their debut in the European Talent Cup this weekend at Estoril in Portugal, with riders Adrian Fernandez and Lorenzo Fellon. Fernandez fought back in two races to finish 10th and 11th, whilst his teammate was unfortunately unable to take part due to pain from a crash suffered in QP2 yesterday. Although he tested his condition in the warmup today, the Frenchman realised that competing would not be possible.

Starting from the eight row of the grid, Fernandez twice fought his way up the field on race day. In the first, on a wet track, he increased his pace constantly and at one point was the fastest rider. He eventually placed eleventh.

In Race 2, riding with slick tyres, the Spaniard broke into the Top 10 after only three laps. From there, he was part of a trio of riders continuously  overtaking one another, going on to take tenth place.

Fernandez and Fellon will be back in action at the next round of the  FIM CEV, on April 29th, with two more European Talent Cup races.

Race 1 Results
1. Barry Baltus (Honda) 32:09.425
2. Julian Giral  (Honda) +5.216
3. Fermin Aldeguer  (Honda) +10.369
4. Xavier Artigas (Honda)  +13.348
5. Carlos Tatay (Honda)  +13.400
11. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +26.491 

Race 2 Results
1. Julian Giral (Honda) 22:40.675
2. Francisco Gomez  (Honda)  +9.747
3. Barry Baltus  (Honda)  +9.798
4. Matteo Patacca  (Honda)  +16.664
5. Víctor Rodriguez  (Honda)  +16.808
10. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +28.575

European Talent Cup Standing 2018
1. Julian Giral (Honda) 45 points
2. Barry Baltus (Honda) 41 points
3. Francisco Gomez (Honda) 26 points
4. Matteo Patacca (Honda) 23 points
5. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 22 points
9. Adrián Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 11 points
-. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy)

  5 – LORENZO FELLON
“Its a pity that I wasn’t able to take part in the races today, but after the warmup I knew that it wasn’t possible, because of the highside I’d suffered at Turn 4 in QP2 yesterday. My back hurts and I can’t see fully well. It’s a pity, because we’d started the weekend with a very good feeling, good lap times and a good pace. Friday and Saturday were more difficult, with the rain and the mixed conditions, I suffered crashes and lost confidence. Now I need to rest and recover well for the next round.”

 

 31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“It wasn’t the easiest weekend, due to the poor weather  conditions that we had on Friday and Saturday. In any case, I’m happy with how the races went. I was able to make a fightback and place in the points. In the first race I improved and felt better with every lap. In the second I got a little stuck halfway through because of the constant  overtaking, but in the end we got into the Top10. I can’t wait for Valencia, and hope we can continue to improve.”
 

Adrian Fernandez and Lorenzo Fellon will ride for the Finnish structure for the second consecutive year, this time in the promotional competition for the FIM CEV.

The Ajo Motorsport project for young riders, the Ajo Academy, continues its expansion with entry in the European Talent Cup, a series which starts this weekend in Estoril. After announcing the creation of the Red Bull KTM Ajo team in the Moto3 Junior World Championship at the end of last year, the Ajo Motorsport structure will also be represented in the promotion cup for this series during 2018. The lineup consists of Adrian Fernandez and Lorenzo Fellon, who after riding for the Ajo Academy last year in the Spanish Championship in Pre-Moto3, continue on the team.

The European Talent Cup was inaugurated last year and is considered the prelude to the Moto3 Junior World Championship. It is a one-bike competition and all riders are aged between 13 and 17 years old. This year’s edition will consist of 7 rounds and a total of 11 races.

Adrian Fernandez (Spain) and Lorenzo Fellon (France) -14 and 13 years old, respectively- come into the season highly motivated. The former competed in this promotion cup as a wildcard in select rounds last year, taking a fourth position at the season finale in Valencia. Fellon will debut this weekend in the competition. The two Ajo Academy talents completed three positive days of testing at the beginning of March in Calafat (Tarragona, Spain).

This weekend there will also be a debut in the FIM CEV for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team in the Moto3 Junior World Championship class, with Turkish twins Can and Deniz Öncü.

#5 Lorenzo Fellon
“I am very happy to be competing for the second season with the Ajo Academy, because it is a great team and they take things very seriously. I’m looking forward to the start of the season I have more confidence after my experience in 2017; the tests went very well and were positive. My goals for this year are to get on the podium at as many races as possible and be able to feature in the fight for the title. The first round is in Estoril, a circuit that I think is very beautiful. Despite not being one of my favourite tracks, I enjoy riding there and I hope to achieve a good result.”

#31 Adrian Fernandez
“This second season will be easier in the sense that I already know the team and how they work. I am happy to be continuing with the Ajo Academy, in a year in which I will give my all to achieve the best results and fight for the title. The European Talent Cup seems like a great championship, with lots of fun. The tests were quite good as we were able to go fast and find a good pace. We have a good setup for the bike and at Estoril we will try to fight for the victory. The circuit seems very nice to me, and although I’ve only ridden there once, I like it a lot. During the weekend we will work hard to adapt quickly for the race.”

Lorenzo Fellon and Barry Baltus suffer technical problems in final race of PreMoto3 series. Adrian Fernandez misses the contest through injury.

The PreMoto3 Spanish Championship season came to an end this Sunday at Jerez, with results for the Ajo Motorsport Academy not what they had hoped. Despite taking good positions on the grid, both Lorenzo Fellon and Barry Baltus suffered technical problems that have left them out of the fight for the top positions in the race. The Frenchman was able to finish in fifteenth position after a stop in the garage, while the Belgian was forced to retire. The third member of the team, Adrian Fernandez, was not able to participate after breaking his right little finger on Thursday.

Lorenzo Fellon had repeated his best result of the year in qualifying, placing third on the grid. The Frenchman made a good start, completing the first lap in that same position, but technical problems quickly came to the fore, as a part on his bike broke. The young rider thus went into the pits, where his crew did a great job of fixing the problem and allowed him to get back on track. Fellon again set a great pace, completing the race in fifteenth place and earning a point.

After being selected by the Red Bull Rookies Cup for 2018, Baltus was optimistically facing the end of his second season in this competition. Starting from the third row, the Belgian took a good start and was fighting for positions on the first three laps. At that moment, Baltus also noticed something on his bike was not right, forcing him to abandon the race after 8 laps.

The Ajo Motorsport Academy thus conclude their second season in the competition. In the overall standings, Barry Baltus finished 4th -117 points-, Adrian Fernandez 10th -50 points- and Lorenzo Fellon 11th -37 points-. 

Results (Race)
1. David Salvador (Mir Racing) 24:19.252
2. Marcos Ruda (Mir Racing) +0.707
3. Ondrej Vostatek (Beon) +3.013
4. Julian Giral (Beon) +16.641
5. Iñigo Iglesias (-) +23.386
15. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 2 laps
DNF – Barry Baltus (Ajo Academy)

PreMoto3 Championship Standing
1. Pedro Acosta (Mir Racing) 150 points
2. David Salvador (Mir Racing) 139 points
3. Adrian Huertas (Mir Racing) 120 points
4. Barry Baltus (Ajo Academy) 117 points
5. Julian Giral (Beon) 102 points
10. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 50 points
11. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 37 points 

  7 – BARRY BALTUS 
“Yesterday we got eighth position on the starting grid. That is not a bad result, but the truth is that I was a little disappointed, because I expected more. Today I made a good start and I was able to ride with the lead group on the first three laps. From that moment I saw that something was not working correctly and I was losing pace, until the bike stopped completely after eight laps and forced me to retire. It’s a shame to finish our second season this way, but that’s the way races go.”

 30 – LORENZO FELLON
“It had been a very positive weekend. From Thursday we had put in very good times and yesterday we achieved third position in qualifying. This morning I was a bit nervous when starting from the front row, but I made a good start. On the fifth lap a part broke and I had to go through the pits. My mechanics did a great job and I was able to get back on track and ride at my best, but I had already lost too many laps.I think this first season in PreMoto3 has not gone badly at all. We have achieved good results and above all I have learned, which was the important thing this year. It will be next year when the goal is to win. I want to thank Aki [Ajo] and the whole team for all the support they have given me.”

  31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ 
“It has been a shame not to ride in the last race of the year here at Jerez. I tried to get on the bike and compete, but after the first session on Friday I saw that my finger hurt a lot and it was impossible to continue. I was very motivated to do well and celebrate the end of the season with a great result. I just want to thank the whole Ajo Academy team for this first year in PreMoto3, in which I have learned a lot.”

Barry Baltus takes fourth position in latest Spanish Championship round, while Lorenzo Fellon and Adrian Fernandez complete a good weekend in seventh and tenth place, respectively.

After a break of more than two months, the Ajo Motorsport Academy riders got back onboard their Beon bikes this weekend for the penultimate race of the 2017 season. Barry Baltus had a bittersweet raceday at Albacete, crossing the finish line fourth just 2 tenths behind the winner. Lorenzo Fellon and Adrian Fernandez took another Top 10 placing each, with a hard fought seventh and tenth position, respectively.

Baltus started from pole position for the first time this year in the Pre-Moto3 class. The young Belgian began the race well, but it was quickly apparent that the contest was going to be between a five-rider group. On the final lap, Baltus battled to take a podium spot, but had to settle for fourth place.

Fellon rode through the entire race in the next group back, in the fight for sixth place. The Frenchman was second in his group and added important points to his championship tally. Fernandez was one of a trio of riders to climb furthest up the order. A great start allowed him, from seventeenth place, to quickly enter the Top 10 and finish in tenth position.

In the overall standings, Baltus lies third with 117 points. Fernandez is tenth with 50 and Fellon is just behind, with 36. The final race of the year takes place on October 29th in Jerez

Results (Race)
1. Adrian Huertas (Mir Racing) 24:37.345
2. David Salvador (Mir Racing) +0.079
3. Julian Giral (Beon) +0.213
4. Barry Baltus (Ajo Academy) +0.287
5. Daniel Holgado (Beon) +0.405
7. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) +14.605
10. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) +23.844

PreMoto3 Championship Standing
1. Pedro Acosta (Mir Racing) 150 points
2. Adrian Huertas (Mir Racing) 120 points
3. Barry Baltus (Ajo Academy) 117 points
4. David Salvador (Mir Racing) 114 points
5. Daniel Holgado (BeOn) 94 points
10. Adrian Fernandez (Ajo Academy) 50 points
11. Lorenzo Fellon (Ajo Academy) 36 points

7 – BARRY BALTUS
“I am a little disappointed with the final result here in Albacete. We had a great weekend. I was very comfortable on the bike and we got pole position. However, in the race, the same script was followed: I passed my rivals on the corners and they passed me on the straights. It’s a shame we didn’t get on the podium, but we will work to do that at the last race in Jerez.”

30 – LORENZO FELLON
“I’m happy with both this seventh place and how the entire weekend has gone. We haven’t had big problems and I felt fast. We found the correct setup and I adapted well to the track. In the race I was in the second group at all times, finally crossing the finish line in seventh place.”

31 – ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
“It hasn’t been an easy weekend. Both on Thursday and Friday we suffered crashes that set back our plans a little. In the race we were a little far back on the grid, but I made a good start and I quickly got in the fight for the Top 10. I battled with another rider, who I let pass to study him and overtake him on the last lap to finish tenth. Now it’s time to think about Jerez.”