Beaubier on Podium

July 18, 2007 - Johann Zarco may have been on pole but victory in Saturday's Red Bull Rookies Cup on the Sachsenring in Germany went to 15-year old American Cameron Beaubier who slipped past his French rival in the second last corner of the 18-lap race.

Beaubier, who started the 8-race season with modest intentions, was second in Assen, Netherlands in the previous race of the series and is coming into his own as the season progresses.  He stuck on Zarco's wheel throughout the race and slipped past him in the closing stages.  Robert Gull of Sweden managed to hold off German Markus Reiterberger and championship leader Italian Lorenzo Savadori to finish in third.

Beaubier was generous in victory recognizing that Zarco had ridden equally well.  "He was quicker than me in the first section of the track so I knew that my only chance was in the last few corners.  I had to really work at it to get on his tail, slip-streaming him down the hill. I just hoped that I could get close enough to make a pass... and it worked out."

Zarco, one of the most competitive of the young riders in the series expressed disappointment that he had been denied victory but said he was happy to collected valuable points to close the gap on standings leader Savadori.  After Savadori finished fifth in the German race, he is just two points ahead of Zarco with three races to go.  Lucy Gloeckner, the only girl in the line-up of youngsters finished in ninth place.

This crop of talented young racers, who certainly represent tomorrow's big names in motorcycle road racing, competed before a huge crowd at the famous German racing circuit who were there to watch the qualifying for Sunday's MotoGP.

All 23 Rookies riders, aged between 13 and 16 years, compete on identical, KTM RC 125 bikes, specially developed for the Red Bull Rookies Cup.  They will compete for the next time in the program for the MotoGP in Brno, Czech Republic.

Results
1. Cameron Beaubier, USA, KTM
2. Johann Zarco, France, KTM
3. Robert Gull, Sweden, KTM
4. Markus Reiterberger, Germany, KTM
5. Lorenzo Savadori, Italy, KTM
14. Kris Turner, USA, KTM