Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal, hosted the first round of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup on the 25th and 26th of March.
From qualifying, Rhys finished with a P22 going into the first race. With Rhys getting a DNF after coming off his bike he finished in a respectable 16th in his second race which placed him just outside of the points getting a time of 26’29.396, 20 seconds behind winner, Angel Piqueras.
This is what Rhys had to say about the races: “With race 1 I got a good launch off the line I worked up to 16th and 17th place, until I wasn’t!! Tipping into turn 11 I found myself sliding along the floor and into the gravel. Choosing to remount I carried on only before another crash at turn 13 just a few laps later.
I can’t find the right words to describe my emotions, but the footage explains it well.
Finishing my first race as a rookie in the gravel wasn’t what I set out to do but it is a valuable lesson learned.
With race 2, again, getting a good start I enjoyed some smaller 3 bike battles for position eventually dropping back into 16th place just out of the points. I made a flurry of little mistakes that were easily avoidable but at least I stayed on”
Rhys’ next stop is at Silverstone for the first round of the 2023 R&G British Talent Cup and then off to Jerez for round 2 of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
Good luck Rhys!