The first podium in MotoE for Kevin Manfredi arrives in the home grand prix at Mugello. In a race characterized by heavy rain, Manfredi finished in second place.
In Race 1 of the MotoE of the Italian GP, Kevin Manfredi reaches seventh place on a dry track, but in Race 2, under heavy rain, Manfredi manages to get on the second step of the podium, the first for the Italian rider in MotoE.
After a good qualifying, Mandredi had to start from eighth on the grid, instead of the fifth that his best time should have guaranteed him, due to a penalty for exceeding the track limits.
In Race 1, after a good start, he found himself on the outside of the first corner and, after being pushed out by another rider, he was forced to recover, finishing in seventh final position ahead of Zannoni and the two-times MotoE champion Jordi Torres. In the second race, the rain shuffled the cards. After reaching third position on the first lap, Manfredi battled throughout the rest of the race for a place on the podium, battling against 2019 World Champion Matteo Ferrari and category veteran Eric Granado.
The red flag for Casadei's crash stopped the race early, one lap before the end, freezing the finishing order with Manfredi second, behind Granado and ahead of Ferrari. The Sic58 Squadra Corse team rider brings home important points for the championship, where he is now in fifth place.
This result bodes well for the next rounds of the MotoE championship, starting at Sachsenring (Germany) this weekend, with two races on June 17th.
Kevin Manfredi (Sic58 Squadra Corse)
“I will never forget my first podium in the MotoE World Championship, it was something I wanted at all costs. Then doing it in Italy… in front of the home crowd, with the SIC58 Squadra Corse and riding a Ducati, seems like a dream. In the first race, we went fast, but we had to come back, and I stressed the front tyre.
In race 2 however, when I saw the rain, I used my confidence in the early stages of the race and put myself in the lead group together with the top three. The goal was to win, I studied my rivals and I didn't make any mistakes. I felt strong with every overtaking and I think that was the key factor in the race.
The bike was perfect, it allowed me to ride well in every section of the circuit, and for this I want to thank the Team for their outstanding work which made me competitive even in the wet. We managed to make up for what we missed at Le Mans, maybe it was really destiny to reach the podium here.
I would like to express sincere thanks to every member of the SIC58 Squadra Corse Team, who made possible this first MotoE podium. In particular, I want to thank Paolo Simoncelli, Marco Grana, Fabio Balducci, Francesco Sanna and Federico Bettoni.
Special thanks also go to all our sponsors, technical partners and my girlfriend. Their support has been essential in achieving this extraordinary result.”
MotoE World Championship
The standings of the 2023 championship
Photos: MotoGP and Gresini Racing
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