O’Gorman wins ETC season finale from maiden pole

VisionTrack’s Casey O’Gorman claimed victory in the Hawkers European Talent Cup season finale at Valencia on Sunday.

Having launched from his maiden pole position - after setting a commanding 1’41.291 effort on Saturday - O’Gorman controlled the leading five-strong fight for the majority of the 17-lap race. Repeatedly challenged throughout, none-less than by eventual Champion Guido Pini, the 15-year-old fought back on each occasion to regain control before crossing the line 0.068s ahead of the Italian.

With four podiums and two victories to his name, the Irishman’s late-season success in the FIM Junior GP support class secured third in the 2022 standings overall behind Pini and Aspar’s Joel Esteban.

Teammate Johnny Garness concluded the season with an 11th place finish having dispatched a long lap penalty from sixth on the grid and riding with a damaged footpeg, while fellow Brit Amanuel Brinton claimed the final race point on offer in 15th on the Team Estrella Galicia, to consolidate 12th overall in the championship standings.

“I knew I was strong and in the first few laps I tried to break away but I couldn’t do it,” O’Gorman said after his second win in as many races. “Before, I could stay in front into turn one, but then they started to double slipstream me and get me into turn one.

“So on the second last lap I dropped back to third because I knew I could get a double slipstream and lead into the first corner.

“I knew if I could lead into the first corner, I was strong everywhere else. Then in the last corner I broke as late as I possibly could and I managed to hold it to the line!”