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Spain’s Sanchez shines on home soil with dominant R3 victory

Saturday, 23 March 2024 18:56 GMT

History was made in Race 1 with the biggest winning margin, Sanchez coming home 11 seconds clear of his rivals

The first race of the 2024 FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup was won by polesitter and home favourite Gonzalo Sanchez. The 15-year-old won by a huge margin of over 11 seconds at the Circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya while the rest of the field enjoyed a battle for the remaining podium places.

The 10-lap race started well with all riders getting away cleanly and Sanchez was quick to get to the front, building his rhythm impressively and holding a three second lead by the third lap of the lap. The 2023 R3 SuperFinale victor continued to set fast laps and this focused approached gave him an incredible winning margin of 11.101 seconds.

Meanwhile a thrilling battle commenced among the 18 other competitors with several riders looking able to achieve a podium. Marc Vich was on course for second place but contact with another rider at Turn 13 with five laps to go plummeted him down to 16th place. Remarkably, the pacey Mallorquin was back in the lead group within just a few laps and while it initially looked as though Dawid Nowak would take the final podium place, the Pole was later demoted to fourth allowing Vich to reach the rostrum at his home race. Brazil’s Eduardo Burr rode a smooth and intelligent race to take second. Burr’s compatriot Mario Salles took fifth.

A crash involving Australia’s Cameron Swain and Thailand’s Worapot Thongdongmaun with three laps to go was thankfully without consequences and both riders have been declared fit for Sunday’s race.

The series’ new status as an FIM World Cup coincides with the addition of LIVE race coverage. Race 2 will take place at 11:50 CET on Sunday March 24th and you can watch right HERE

FULL RESULTS - R3 bLU cRU World Cup – RACE ONE

Gonzalo Sanchez, Race 1 Winner, said: “It’s the first win of 2024 and I’ve done it in the first round of the FIM R3 World Cup, it sounds so good and it’s something amazing. Now I feel very happy but very tired, my team and I did a fantastic race which meant that I won by over 11 seconds. I need to thank everyone who supports me from Yamaha to my family and everyone in between. I don’t have words to explain my happiness, thank you for everything and let’s try to do the same again tomorrow!”