RECAP | Hakim Danish scores a stunning victory in Aragón 2

A first and dominant Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory for Hakim Danish on a soaking wet Motorland Aragón made history. A fall and no points for Cup leader Álvaro Carpe opened up the title chase. His nearest challenger Brian Uriarte finished 2nd and closed the points gap to just 13 with 2 races remaining next weekend in Misano.

Rico Salmela put in a huge effort, fighting his way through the field to swap places several times with Uriarte at the final corner. He only lost out on the hunt for grip between the two KTM´s on the drive for the line and finished 3rd.

REPLAY - Red Bull Rookies Cup ARAGON 2024 - Race 12

Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup: ARAGON - Race 12

Watch the second of the races at MotorLand Aragón, where earthworks provide challenging changes in elevation.

Danish takes historic first Malaysian win in Rookies Cup

“I knew it had rained a lot in the night,” explained the 17-year-old in his second Cup season. “So when I woke up I prepared myself for a wet race and I was determined to be focused. I made 2 sighting laps and I already got confidence in the bike, I had the grip and a good feeling. So when I arrived on the starting grid I said to my mechanic, 'OK maybe this is my time.'”

“When we started the race I tried as quickly as I could to pull away, to make a gap. I wanted to get away but I also wanted to be under control. In the first laps, I was under pressure, I could see that Brian was just 0.5 behind but I kept going and I did make a gap.”

I kept my concentration and made sure that I kept momentum and focus and the lap times consistent.
#13 HAKIM DANISH

“I think I did a really good job, I didn't relax, I wanted as big a gap as I could.”

Hakim Danish is the 1st Malaysian Rookies Cup winner - Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Uriarte happier with 2nd than 3rd

“Today was better than yesterday,” smiled the understated 16-year-old Spaniard. “I'm a bit happier.

At the beginning I was catching Hakim in some corners, in others he took a bit of a gap on me.
#51 BRIAN URIARTE

"It was hard to follow Hakim but not impossible. I saw that going with him was taking a risk and I saw that I was 2 seconds ahead of the rest, from the 3rd guy so I honestly didn't want to take a risk.”

“I saw some images on the screen that something had happened with Alvaro but I didn't want to think about this. I was concentrating on riding my own race, if I wasn't fighting for the championship I would be doing exactly the same, I was enjoying the race and doing the maximum in the conditions. It was a nice race today.”

Brian Uriarte on the podium after Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Salmela spinning his way to 3rd

“I had to make many overtakes in the first laps because I started P11,” explained the 16-year-old Finn. “I got stuck early in the race with a few riders, the first few guys already escaped.”

But lap by lap I started to get a better feeling, I tried to put the pressure on Valentin, seemed like it worked.
#27 RICO SALMELA

“I thought that I also had the pace to pass him anyway and go after Brian but he fell so I didn't have to. Then the plan was not to go for Brian, he was quite far ahead but with 3 laps to go I had a really good feeling with the front, the rear started to slide a bit but it was OK and I could control it.”

“I saw that Brian was coming closer all the time and we had a good fight in the last corner, I tried my best but was just spinning the rear tyre on the exit and he passed me back so it was a pretty good race.”

Rico Salmela on the podium after Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Carpe still leads the Cup after P16 finish

“Not good today because I crashed,” stated the Spanish 17-year-old.

I picked up my bike and got going again, I broke my clutch lever, half was gone but I could still manage.
#83 ÁLVARO CARPE

“I tried to push as much as I could, to pass as many riders as I could. But I finished 16th, near the points but not enough.”

“It was tricky conditions and I was not comfortable with my bike. I am still leading the points by 13 I think, in front of Brian and not so bad as it might have been.”

Milan Pawelec has race of his year to 4th

“Yes that was a really good race for me,” enthused the 17-year-old Pole who previously had a best finish of 14th in his first Cup season.

We had only 3 laps to learn the tyres and the track in the wet.
#44 MILAN PAWELEC

“Fourth is really good for me, I was pushing from the first lap and going, going, going through the race. At half race I was ready to be calm and just finish the race, Rico was very fast when he passed me, I could not go with him. I am very happy with that, I love this track.”

Start of Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

The Rookies train of Aragon 2024 - Race 2
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Alvaro Carpe tries to catch up after his crash in Aragon - Race 2
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Hakim Danish on his victory lap after Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Milan Pawelec ahead of Carpe and Daniel during Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Máximo Quiles followed by Ruché Moodley in Aragon 2024 - Race 2
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Veda Pratama followed by Guillem Planques in Aragon 2024 - Race 2
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Giulio Pugliese ahead of Sessler during Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Hakim Danish was the fastest in the wet conditions of Race 2 in Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Carter Thompson fighting with Guido Pini in Aragon - Race 2
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Hakim Danish followed by Brian Uriarte in Aragon 2024 - Race 2
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Kristian Daniel Jr. from the gravel to fifth

“I didn't know what to expect in the conditions, I'm usually quite good in the rain, but as I demonstrated in the race I also tend to crash in the rain,” stated the 15-year-old American with wonderful frankness. “I always have a good pace so I am a little bit bummed out because I saw the podium right there in front of me.”

Crashed out of P4 but remounting and pushing from P16 to P5 is always good in wet or dry.
#70 KRISTIAN DANIEL

“It was wet this time and I'm really happy, my best finish ever in Rookies Cup. I think that with crashing but still making the best result in one race I couldn't have anything more.

“Let's roll into Misano and see what I can do. Hopefully, it rains again… and I don't crash!”

Carter Thompson matches Saturday result with 6th

“Yeah, it was quite good, a bit difficult to get used to the track conditions to start with,” explained the 16-year-old Australian.

It was quite slippery but I got comfortable towards the end.
#50 CARTER THOMPSON

“It's a big improvement this weekend, I'm happy with the way things are going and looking forward to Misano.”

Màximo Quiles takes 9th and not the points he wanted

“It was very tricky, I didn't want to push, I didn't have a lot of feeling,” explained the 16-year-old Spaniard.

“Then in the last laps, it was much better, I felt better but I couldn't make a good position from there, I'm a bit angry but in Misano, I will do more.”

Red Bull Rookies Cup 2024 - ARAGON Race 2

POS

#

NAME

NAT

TIME

KM/H

GAP

🥇

13

Hakim DANISH

MAL

22'59.039

132.5

🥈

51

Brian URIARTE

SPA

23'05.606

131.9

6.567

🥉

27

Rico SALMELA

FIN

23'05.740

131.8

6.701

4

44

Milan PAWELEC

POL

23'22.820

130.2

23.781

5

70

Kristian DANIEL

USA

23'27.986

129.8

28.947

6

50

Carter THOMPSON

AUS

23'29.066

129.7

30.027

7

94

Guido PINI

ITA

23'29.460

129.6

30.421

8

11

Ruché MOODLEY

RSA

23'29.651

129.6

30.612

9

28

Máximo QUILES

SPA

23'29.820

129.6

30.781

10

24

Guillem PLANQUES

FRA

23'30.009

129.6

30.970

11

54

Veda PRATAMA

INA

23'31.397

129.4

32.358

12

16

Joel PONS

SPA

23'31.464

129.4

32.425

13

5

Leo RAMMERSTORFER

AUT

23'31.730

129.4

32.691

14

95

Marco MORELLI

ARG

23'35.397

129.1

36.358

15

57

Leonardo ZANNI

ITA

23'36.089

129.0

37.050

16

83

Alvaro CARPE

SPA

23'47.072

128.0

48.033

17

47

Dodo BOGGIO

ITA

23'47.123

128.0

48.084

18

31

Giulio PUGLIESE

ITA

23'47.154

128.0

48.115

19

7

Rocco SESSLER

GER

23'47.507

128.0

48.468

20

Jakkreephat PHUETTISA

THA

23'47.823

128.0

48.784

21

52

Evan BELFORD

GBR

23'49.655

127.8

50.616

22

45

Kgopotso MONONYANE

RSA

23'50.006

127.8

50.967

23

56

Kevin FARKAS

HUN

23'51.277

127.6

52.238

24

73

Valentin PERRONE

ARG

24'15.108

125.6

1'16.069

DNF

48

Lenoxx PHOMMARA

SWI

12'04.476

126.1

5 laps

DNF

4

Sullivan MOUNSEY

GBR

5'46.389

105.5

8 laps

Complete Race 2 Data -CLICK HERE

Top 3 Race 2 - Brian Uriarte | Hakim Danish | Rico Salmela - Aragon 2024
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

RECAP | Hakim Danish scores a stunning wet Rookies victory in Aragón Race 2

REPLAY - Red Bull Rookies Cup ARAGON 2024 - Race 12

Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup: ARAGON - Race 12

Danish takes historic first Malaysian win in Rookies Cup

Uriarte happier with 2nd than 3rd

Salmela spinning his way to 3rd

Carpe still leads the Cup after P16 finish

Milan Pawelec has race of his year to 4th

Kristian Daniel Jr. from the gravel to fifth

Carter Thompson matches Saturday result with 6th

Màximo Quiles takes 9th and not the points he wanted

Red Bull Rookies Cup 2024 - ARAGON Race 2

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