Casadei holds off charging Ferrari to double down in Austria

Another stunner saw the number 40 do the double and move up to second overall as Ferrari shadowed him home.

Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) both doubled down in Race 2 at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich AND made it three wins in a row, fending off Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) on the final lap to take over in second overall by a single point. Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) took his second podium of the day at the Red Bull Ring as he rounded out the Race 2 rostrum, completing an impressive round including a first pole too.

Zannoni took the holeshot, and immediately had Casadei and Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) for company. Before the end of Lap 1 though, Casadei decided it was time push his way past into the lead. A group of eight riders formed at the front in the early stages with Championship leader Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) making moves at the back of the group. The Spaniard was unable to cling onto the riders ahead, however, and Casadei began to stretch out the field with five laps to go as Ferrari got the better of Granado to put himself inside the top three, too.

Disaster then struck for Granado with two laps to go as the Brazilian asked a little bit too much of his front tyre and hit the deck, rider ok but leaving a three-rider and all-Italian fight at the front.

By the last lap, Casadei led Zannoni led Ferrari, but Ferrari parked it perfectly up the inside to take over in second as they barreled towards the final sector. There was one move between the number 11 and a redemptive win, but into the iconic final corner, the Gresini rider didn’t make a lunge for it. Casadei held him off and crossed the line to complete an awesome weekend worth 50 points, but Ferrari did take that 20-point payday for second as Torres came home in sixth.

Zannoni made it two podiums with another P3, with Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) beating Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) to fourth ahead of Torres in sixth.

With that, it’s now Casadei second overall, 15 points off the top, and Ferrari in third with a deficit of 16 to Torres. Next up for MotoE™ will be the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. With the Championship picture hotting up between the leading trio, you’re not going to want to miss it!

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