Surprises at the NTC start in Assen

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Assen. Hungarian Martin Vincze (VM Racing Team) was fourth, followed by Austrian Kilian Holzer (HK Racing). MCA Racing Team’s German Rocco Caspar Sessler finished sixth while his compatriot and NTC rookie Anakin Zelenak (JRP Academy Racing Team) was unable to compete in the first race due to a crash on the formation lap.

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But the next chance for the Phommara family and their pursuers presented itself on Sunday. The second 14-lap race in the afternoon started in dry conditions. From lap one to the finish line there were hard fights and constant position changes. In the end it was Lenoxx Phommara who was just ahead.

The Swiss snatched victory just 0.106s ahead of Sessler, who had led the race for several laps and finished second for his best Northern Talent Cup result to date. The 14-year-old reported: “I had a very good qualifying session, which allowed me to start the races from second place. In the first race it suddenly started to rain on the starting grid and in the race the quickshifter on the motorcycle didn’t work. Nevertheless, I was able to score good points and finished sixth.”

In heat two, Sessler grabbed the hole shot and headed into turn one. “There were a lot of leadership changes, but I was always able to be at the front. In the last laps, the first group consisted of three people and in the last lap I gave it my all, but unfortunately it was only enough for second place,” he continued. “I’m now third in the championship and now I’m hoping to get my first victory in the Northern Talent Cup at the Sachsenring.

Vincze finished third just behind Sessler and thus snatched the last place on the podium from the NTC newcomer from France, Antoine Nativi (CTM 83 Junior Team). Czech Filip Novotny (DG Corse) completed the top five. Zelenak was significantly better in the second race and, after falling back to eleventh place in the first laps, still finished eighth.

The JRP Academy Racing Team rider was overall happy with his weekend. “The training went well and I felt good on the bike. I was always able to improve and qualifying went well. IN THE FIRST RACE I was unlucky, because it started to rain just in time for the start and on the formation lap I came across a slippery spot on the track and flew off with a highside,” said the 14-year-old, who got off lightly with bruises.

In the second race, Zelenak found a good rhythm. “I had a good start and am up from 13th to eighth. Of course, I was also able to benefit from some of the falls of the others. In the end, however, I had to leave for the leading group because I was in pain after my fall on Saturday. In the end, however, I was able to cross the finish line in eighth place. My team did a great job and I would like to say a big thank you for that,” he added.

After the first of seven race weekends in 2023, Lenoxx Phommara is in the lead with 41 points, followed by his brother Levin with 35 points. Sessler is the best German in third place with 30 points. From May 12th to 14th, the young drivers will start the second round, which takes place together with the International German Motorcycle Championship at the Sachsenring.

The opening event of the Northern Talent Cup 2023 took place last weekend at the traditional TT Circuit in Assen, the Netherlands. Due to changeable weather and another talented starting field, the first two races of the year were already a nail-biter. After all, it was the brothers Levin and Lenoxx Phommara who won the races on Saturday and Sunday, while Rocco Caspar Sessler secured his first place on the podium.

Shortly before the first race on Saturday, rain set in over the TT Circuit and caused a few surprises. It was the Swiss Levin Phommara (Team Phommara) who glided the safest over the wet asphalt. The Swiss, who only picked up three points in total last season, won by over four seconds ahead of local hero Jurrien van Grugten (BB64 Academy) and his brother Lenoxx Phommara (Team Phommara), who took third place on Saturday.

Hungarian Martin Vincze (VM Racing Team) was fourth, followed by Austrian Kilian Holzer (HK Racing). MCA Racing Team’s German Rocco Caspar Sessler finished sixth while his compatriot and NTC rookie Anakin Zelenak (JRP Academy Racing Team) was unable to compete in the first race due to a crash on the formation lap.

But the next chance for the Phommara family and their pursuers presented itself on Sunday. The second 14-lap race in the afternoon started in dry conditions. From lap one to the finish line there were hard fights and constant position changes. In the end it was Lenoxx Phommara who was just ahead.

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