So far the key rivalry on the timesheets, the duel continues in Jerez as the Brazilian denies the Swiss rider by less than a tenth on Friday.
It was a familiar scene in testing and as Round 1 of the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup began at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the duel at the top of the timesheets remained a shootout between Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) and Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP).
This time around the Brazilian had the upper hand by just 0.077, with both putting in their best efforts in FP1. On the combined timesheets it’s Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) who completes the top three, the impressive rookie pipping 2020 Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) to the honour.
Two dry and fairly sunny sessions gave the grid maximum track time on Friday, and Aegerter was first out to make the most of it. He set his fastest lap early on before an uncharacteristic crash from the number 77, but it was fast enough to see him stay second in the session and overall by the end of play.
And, most importantly, rider perfectly ok, as was Jasper Iwema (Pons Racing 40) as he proved the second faller in the morning. The Dutchman also crashed in FP2.
Later, FP2 would also see a crash interrupt the session with a Red Flag as Corentin Perolari (Tech 3 E-Racing) took a tumble trying an E-Pole simulation. Rider ok and bike recovered, the grid headed back out to see if anyone could topple Granado’s fastest lap… but the Brazilian retained his grip on the top.
Granado’s FP1 best was two tenths better, however, so the gap overall remains 0.077 back to Aegerter as the two lock out the top on Friday. Pons used FP2 to move up into real contention in third overall, taking top rookie honours four tenths off the top and that despite a late technical glitch at Turn 2.
The time that put 2020 Cup winner Torres in third in FP1 puts him fourth by the end of play, with Xavier Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) and Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) in P5 and P6 courtesy of their FP2 bests as the gaps tighten up. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) was seventh overall after ending FP1 in fourth, the veteran getting the edge on rookie Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) by just 0.002.
Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) was ninth and still within a tenth of the rider ahead in a close pecking order, with Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) putting in one of his best showings yet to complete the top ten, the last rider within a second of the Brazilian-Swiss stranglehold on the top.
That’s it from Friday, make sure to tune in to E-Pole on Saturday as qualifying goes live at 16:05 (GMT +2), before the race on Sunday at 10:05. Will the duel continue to steal the headlines or will the pack shuffle when the pressure’s on?
