The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup finale is just around the corner as the Adriatic coast hosts two more showstoppers
It’s almost time to crown the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup winner, with Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli playing host to the double-header season finale. 50 points are still in play, and it’s Italian Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) who remains ahead of the game on the way in.
The Italian arrives with a seven-point gap at the top, having put together a consistent season of scoring. A win in the first race, two further podiums and never finishing out the top six make Zaccone quite a rival over the course of the season, and on home turf he’ll be on familiar ground too. He’s the only rider who could wrap up the crown on Saturday, if he ends the race more than 25 points clear of the rest. Which he can but there’ll be some quick maths required if it’s 25 points exactly, with the number of wins for each rider coming into play.
So who wants to stop Zaccone taking the crown? The closest candidate is Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing), who arrives seven points down after a very different route into contention. Two wins, a second place, a DNF and a salvage job for three points is his CV in 2021, and his pace has been impressive at every venue. A threat for the win every weekend, Granado’s speed has sometimes seen him escape too – which would be enough, if he does it twice, to lift the crown.
Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) is next up, one point behind Granado as he seeks to win the Cup twice in a row. The Spaniard hasn’t taken a win yet in 2021 so he will be an interesting one – will he lay it all on the line or mitigate the risk and see how the cards fall around him? With such small margins and a wealth of contenders, that could be just as smart a plan. He’s been aggressive and impressive when required though, so if the gloves come off again that first win of the year could come at the perfect time.
Then there’s Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP). The Swiss rider is 11 points off and is the first of Zaccone’s closest rivals who can’t rely solely on himself to wrap it up – winning both races at Misano would be a gain of only 10 points if Zaccone were to take second in each. Aegerter has had three podiums but is another looking for that first victory of the season, and has some serious experience of the venue. As do most, but the Swiss rider won at the venue in MotoE™ last season and has shown serious speed there in Moto2™.
In the points, Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) is next up and the German arrives from his first win. He’s mathematically in with a shout at the crown but it would be a tall order, 27 points down on Zaccone as it stands. Anything can happen though, and if he can replicate that holeshot to finish line sprint from last time out he could make life very difficult for those around him. He’ll likely be looking more at podiums or another win rather than the standings though, which could equally make for an interesting addition to the fight at the front.
The other rider who could play a serious role in the weekend is 2019 Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE). He’s a way back in the points but he’s unrivalled with his success at Misano in MotoE™. Two out of three wins in 2020 and taking his first victories in the Cup there by doing the double in 2019, Ferrari has had a tougher season so far but shouldn’t be counted out for a starring role on the Riviera di Rimini. Four out of the last five wins at Misano is a pretty ridiculous record to enjoy heading into the finale, so with little to lose, can he get back on the box or fight it out for victory?
With two races to finish the season in style, the timetable is a little different at the Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. E-Pole is on Saturday morning from 11:45 (GMT +2), before Race 1 gives Zaccone his first shot at the crown at 16:20. The lights then go out for the final showdown of the year on Sunday at 15:30!
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