FERNANDEZ WINS EUROPEAN JUNIOR CUP THRILLER IN IMOLA

Spain’s Augusto Fernandez (no. 37, main pic) won Sunday’s third round Pata European Junior Cup, power by Honda Racing, at Imola in Italy today, opening up an 11-point lead in the championship standings.

It was a typically close-fought EJC encounter with the identical Honda CBR500R machines challenging for supremacy around the famous 4.936km Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari as one of the main support races in today’s World Superbike championship programme.

Fernandez was with the leading group throughout the race but had to fight his way up from fifth to snatch victory at Imola’s final chicane on the very last lap. It was the Spaniard’s second successive EJC victory.

He was joined on the podium by fellow Spaniard Javier Orellana and Britain's Josh Harland, but their joy was match by the agony of Estonian rider Hannes Soomer who had led the race in the early stages but crashed out of a one-second lead with four laps remaining.

“Imola is a very difficult circuit,” said a delighted Fernandez after the race, “but I concentrated on staying with the leading group and I was very happy to be able to pass Javier at the last corner. It’s my second win after Assen at the last round and now I am looking forward to going to Donington Park in the UK.”

Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda Racing – round three

Imola, Italy – result (nine laps):1 Augusto Fernandez (ESP)2 Javier Orellana (ESP)3 Josh Harland (GBR)4 Jesper Hubner (SWE)5 Marc Miralles (ESP)6 Illan Fernandez (ESP)7 Paolo Grassia (ITA)8 Stefan Hill (GBR)9 Lorenzo Gabellini (ITA)10 Mika Perez (ESP)

Championship points after three of eight rounds:

1 A Fernandez 63, 2 Miralles 52, 3 Orellana 48, 5 Hubner 40, 6 Harland 27, 7 Perez 22, 8 I Fernandez 21, 9 Soomer 20, 10 London 18

Next round: Donington Park, UK – 23-25 May