The sixth Grand Prix of the 2023 World Championship took place on the sinuous Tuscan track of Mugello, which hosted the second round of the MotoE World Championship.
They have been two incredible races for the MotoE, with the first race held in the dry and the second in the wet.
In the "home" weekend for the ItalianGP, Kevin Manfredi shone and attracted attention to himself, conquering that long-awaited podium that had narrowly escaped him at Le Mans.
Kevin Manfredi: "I will never forget my first podium in the MotoE World Championship, it was something I wanted at all costs. Then doing it in Italy... in front of my home crowd, with the SIC58 Squadra Corse and riding a Ducati, it seems like a dream.
In the first race we went fast, but we had to come back and I put pressure on the front tyre.
In race 2 however, when I saw the rain, I used my confidence in the early stages of the race and put myself in the lead group together with the top three.
The goal was to win, I studied my opponents and I didn't make any mistakes.
I felt strong with every overtaking and I think that was the key factor in the race.
The bike was perfect, it allowed me to ride well in every section of the circuit, and for this I want to thank the Team for their outstanding work which made me competitive even in the wet.
We managed to make up for what we missed at Le Mans, maybe it was really destiny to reach the podium here.
I would like to express a sincere thanks to every member of the SIC58 Squadra Corse Team, who made this first podium in MotoE possible. In particular, I want to thank Paolo Simoncelli, Marco Grana, Fabio Balducci, Francesco Sanna and Federico Bettoni.
Special thanks also go to all our sponsors, technical partners and my partner. Your support has been instrumental in achieving this extraordinary result.”
After a good qualifying, Kevin was unfortunate to be forced to start from eighth on the grid, instead of the fifth that his best time should have guaranteed him, due to a penalty for exceeding track limits.
In race 1, after a good start, he found himself outside the first corner and, after being pushed out by another rider, he was forced to reassemble, finishing in seventh final position ahead of Zannoni and the two-times champion Torres world.
In the second race, the rain shuffled the cards and the "Flying Boar" transformed into "Shark", showing his aggression.
Having reached third position on the first lap, he fought for the rest of the race for a place on the podium, battling against the 2019 World Champion Matteo Ferrari and the expert Eric Granado.
Breathtaking overtaking and counter-passing followed one another between the three, captivating both the television commentators and the pit wall.
Unfortunately, a red flag stopped the race early, one lap before the end, which could have changed the result again on the difficult track conditions. For Kevin, this is the first podium in the World Championship, a result that now places him in the top 5 of the championship.
The happiness of Kevin and the Team at parc fermé speaks for itself: there is understanding, serenity and a great desire to do well.
This result will give morale to the whole team and to the sponsors in view of the next championship rounds, which will be very close and demanding, starting from the Sachsenring (Germany) this weekend.
It's a new track for Kevin, who can't wait to tackle the tricky and twisty German circuit.
Kevin thanks all the sponsors and technical partners of the 2023 season.
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