Tech3 E-Racing’s Michelin® Grand Prix de France was close to perfect in Le Mans, with Nicholas Spinelli winning both MotoE™ races on Saturday, offering the French team a double on its home turf. If he was unlucky in the first race, Alessandro Zaccone brilliantly took the fourth place of the second race as he scored important points to allow the team to leave Le Mans second in the teams championship.
Race 1
Starting from the second place on the grid, Italian Nicholas Spinelli was looking forward to the two races on his team’s home turf. The Italian took a strong start as he held his position in the first lap, before taking the lead in the next one over Mattia Casadei. In lap 3, confidence was at its highest as he rode his fastest lap in 1'39.973, the race’s second fastest time. His pace allowed him to make a small gap on his chasers, and with Hector Garzo going down, Spinelli escaped to take his second win of the season in the electric class! On the other hand, despite making a good start from P7 to P5, Alessandro Zaccone got hurt by another rider and could not avoid the crash, only leaving him with disappointment, but luckily, there was another chance to score points later in the afternoon.
Race 2
The sun was still shining and really hot at 16:00, minutes before the start of the second race of the day, which left Tech3 E-Racing’s riders facing warmer conditions. When the lights went out, Spinelli took the lead quickly ahead of Mattia Casadei to exit the first lap in front, but the number 40 was close behind and overtook him quickly. Spinelli stayed close, until he made a move on the LCR E-Team rider, to take the lead again, after clocking his fastest race lap. From there, it was all about defending for Spinelli, with Casadei staying really close to him, waiting for a mistake. Eventually, in the final lap, Casadei made a move on Spinelli, but the #29 did not let go and got back what was his, to take the checkered flag in first, again! Alessandro Zaccone provided us with a strong performance in the afternoon’s showdown, taking the 4th place.
It was a great weekend for the electric team in Le Mans, as the squad will now head to Barcelona in two weeks for round 3!
Race 1: 1st
Race 2: 1st
Championship: 2nd
Points: 75
"I am very happy with our weekend, with the feeling on the bike, and winning both races on the team’s home race is special. We have scored big points and we are now two points from Casadei, but there are many more rounds coming now, it will go fast as we have another four before the summer break, so it is important to stay focused on each race. Next will be Barcelona, I really like the track, its long corners, and we will try to do well in Spain."
Race 1: DNF
Race 1: 4th
Championship: 14th
Points: 17
"I am super disappointed with the crash in race 1, because I felt really strong, the bike was working well, but I had contact with Granado, and I could not do anything. In the afternoon, we took a good start and rode at a strong pace. However, sometimes I felt a bit on the limit, and I chose to secure P4, even though I think that we could have tried to go for the podium. Points are the most important. Very positive weekend, the speed is getting back there, we just need a bit more luck sometimes and we will be able to fight for podiums."
HERVE PONCHARAL
Team Manager
"Nicholas Spinelli started his French Grand Prix in the best way, winning the first race ! Then he had a better idea, winning the second one, which he brilliantly did. Tech3 E-Racing took all the points that were possible to take with Nicholas, so we are extremely happy. He has won three of four races so far, with one DNF, so he is clearly feeling really good on his electric bike. I am really glad that our crew was able to have that special feeling of winning at home, it is an unforgettable souvenir, and I am really glad for all of them. Finally, Alessandro Zaccone could have a normal race in the afternoon, without being involved in a crash, like this morning. He finished the weekend on a strong note with his 4th place, a great reward for his work and dedication. Nicholas is now second in the riders’ championship, just two points from the leader, and the Tech3 E-Racing team also stands in second thanks to both Nicholas’ and Alessandro’s results, just eight points away from the leading team. Thank you to everyone for their hard work, see you in Barcelona!"
