Winners takes all: JuniorGP™ arrives in Valencia

The final round of the 2022 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship is coming into view as the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Cheste, Valencia welcomes the final chapter in what has been yet another record-breaking season. With the JuniorGP™ class all wrapped and the Moto2™ European Championship also decided, all eyes will be on the Hawkers European Talent Cup with the battle still raging on. 

Looking at the JuniorGP™ class, Jose Antonio Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) has already got the title bagged, so goes into the round looking to add to his win tally of five for 2022. A first win of the season and thus his career came in Valencia earlier in the year and he’ll be aiming for a repeat this weekend too. Therefore, attention turns to the battle for second, currently occupied by David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) who has five podiums this year, including two in Valencia. He’s yet to win a race in his career and with a move up to Moto3™ World Championship action in 2023 confirmed, he’ll hope to end this year on a high. He has a 15-point advantage over Filippo Farioli (Aspar Junior Team) who sits third, likewise with five podiums but also with a win. A crash from victory contention in Valencia Race 1 earlier in the year preceded a first career podium in Race 2; will he overcome Salvador in the last round of the year with two races to go?

Just three points behind Farioli is Syarifuddin Azman (SIC Racing), who with three podiums in 2022, is still mathematically in contention for second, 18 behind Salvador. Azman only took three points last time out and relinquished third overall, something he’ll be keen to grab back. He was fourth in Valencia earlier in the year in Race 2. 13 points behind him is top rookie Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) who has three podiums to his name this year. A first podium at Valencia earlier in the season, Piqueras is ready to put in a final charge…