Albaida (Spain), 20 April 2024 – Summer climate and a light breeze helped not to feel the scorching heat at Albaida which was the setting of the first day of the 2024 S1GP World Championship. Thomas Chareyre with his new bike was the fastest on track. The multiple-time World Champion fully recovered from the injury sustained last year and showed his speed both in the time practice and first race. Julen Avila Cortes finished second and Marc Reiner Schmidt was third after a solid recovery.
Time practice & Superpole S1GP
The first time practice of the 2024 season started with multiple-time World Champion Thomas Chareyre, on his new bike the Honda CRF450R of the SGR Team, who showed excellent form and set the best time. He left behind the new team member of Franco Mollo, Julen Avila Cortes (KTM Mtr Racing), who stayed very close to the French champion thanks to an aggressive riding style. Defending Champion Marc Reiner Schmidt (L30 Racing TM Moto) could not find the right set-up for his Tm and lost several tenths of a second. Solid performance for wild card Ferran Cardus (Honda), fourth, followed by Elia Sammartin (Gazza Racing). The group of riders who battled it out for the superpole was completed by everlasting Giovanni Bussei (Honda).
Excellent performance for Elia Sammartin in the superpole, where he recovered three positions thanks to a thrilling lap and started from the third place in the afternoon first race. After the start a little mistake in the first part of the track affected Marc Reiner Schmidt, so the rider had to feel happy with the fourth spot. Spanish Avila Cortes took the lead temporarily, but Thomas Chareyre was impeccable and thanks to a perfect lap came home with the pole position and the prestigious Metzeler prize.
S1GP Time Practice Top Ten:
CHAREYRE Thomas (FRA, Honda) 59.535; 2. AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) 59.756; 3. SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, TM) 59.939; 4. CARDUS Ferran (ESP, Honda) 1:00.093; 5. SAMMARTIN Elia (ITA, Honda) 1:00.418; 6. BUSSEI Giovanni (ITA, Honda) 1:00.647; 7. SZALAI Tim (FRA, TM) 1:00.657; 8. HOAREAU Alexis (FRA, KTM) 1:00.720; 9. BESSIERES Tom (FRA, Honda) 1:00.837; 10. BONNAL Steve (FRA, TM) 1:00.860
S1GP Superpole:
1. CHAREYRE Thomas (FRA, Honda) 59.765; 2. AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) 1:00.342; 3. SAMMARTIN Elia (ITA, Honda) 1:00.678; 4. SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, TM) 1:00.762; 5. CARDUS Ferran (ESP, Honda) 1:00.762; 6. BUSSEI Giovanni (ITA, Honda) 1:01.318
Race One
As the red lights blinked off Thomas Chareyre pulled away with first place and opened a small margin on rivals. Thanks to an incredible race pace, lap after lap Thomas strengthened the gap separating him from Julen Avila Cortes in second place. Behind the top riders a battle went on among three riders: Elia Sammartin third, Ferran Cardus fourth and Marc Reiner Schmidt sixth as he lost two spots at the start. For most of the race it seemed like Sammartin could handle his chasers, but he was actually overtaken by Cardus in the off-road section in the sixth lap because of a small mistake. In the next lap Marc Reiner Schmidt had to make up space while he was overtaking and qualified fifth. With a great manoeuvre Schmidt reached third place after overtaking Cardus. The German rider tried to reach Avila Cortes but the gap was too big and had to feel happy with third place. Ferran Cardus was penalized with five points at the end of the race because he did not pass the phonometric test, so Elia Sammartin moved to fourth place.
In the Rookie, Spanish rider Julen Avila Cortes came home with the victory.
Thomas Chareyre won the first race of the season and showed he can still be one of the best riders of the world in the discipline.
S1GP Race 1 Top Ten:
CHAREYRE Thomas (FRA, Honda) 20 laps in 20:01.653; 2. AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) +03.786; 3. SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, TM) +07.974; 4. CARDUS Ferran (ESP, Honda)* +13.964; 5. SAMMARTIN Elia (ITA, Honda) +21.339; 6. SZALAI Tim (FRA, TM) +30.127; 7. BESSIERES Tom (FRA, Honda) +31.596; 8. BONNAL Steve (FRA, TM) +31.860; 9. KAIVERS Romain (BEL, TM) +39.003; 10. PROVAZNIK Erik (CZE, TM) +40.170
Time Table: 09.20 Warm up – 11.30 Fast Race – 14.00 Super Final
Complete results available HERE.
SUPERMOTO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – GP of Comunitat Valenciana – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1.100 mt. (Tarmac 800 mt. – OffRoad 300 mt.)
Temperature:28°
Weather conditions:Sun
The FIM Supermoto Worldchampionship will be broadcasted delayed, by clicking HERE you will obtain the full tv list
In the photo: #4 Thomas Chareyre – Metzeler Superpole Winner
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