One final weekend, two final races: the Asia Talent Team look to end the year on a high
It’s time for the last round of the 2017 FIM CEV Repsol to get in gear at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, and the Asia Talent Team are raring to race in the final weekend of the year. Two Moto3™ races close out the season, and each rider will be pushing to the maximum to end 2017 on a high. One man dominated last time at the track – recently crowned Moto3™ Junior World Champion Dennis Foggia – and the Italian will make a good benchmark as the grid and Asia Talent Team look to prevent him taking another double.
Kazuki Masaki, reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, will be one of the riders leading the charge – along with Jerez winner Ai Ogura – as the two aim squarely at the podium once more. Masaki is also in the fight for second in the standings, only seven points back on P2 as it stands despite currently sitting in sixth. And Yuki Kunii, now fully fit and a recent race winner in the Asia Talent Cup, will be another to watch – with all three now veterans of running at the front and looking to do it again at Valencia.
Andi Farid will want his experience to pay off to take a solid finish after some great pace, and Somkiat Chantra, already having taken a pole and some impressive rookie results this season, will want to cement his recovery from injury with points as a minimum. Both riders have a lot at stake in the standings, with points incredibly close mid-pack.
Earlier in the season at Valencia, the Asia Talent Team were in the top five in both races. Masaki came fifth in Race 1, ahead of Andi Farid in P7 and Yuki Kunii in P8. Then in Race 2, Kunii went one better for the team to take fourth – with Masaki in sixth and Farid taking more solid points in fourteenth. For the finale, all will be aiming even higher as the Asia Talent Team arrive at full strength.
Action begins on Friday 17th November, before the two final races of the season on Sunday.
As always all of the action can be followed on FIM CEV Repsol YouTube channel.
