Hanika is Moto3 European Champion

[totalmotorcycle]

#Hanika is #Moto3 #European Champion


Czech rider Karel Hanika, the 2013 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion underlined his talent at the weekend when he won the Moto3 European Championship at the Spanish circuit at Albercete. The 17-year-old has already been signed for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Factory Team to contest the Moto3 GP World Championship in 2014.

Hanika, racing in Albercete for the Freudenberg Racing Team on his Moto3 factory bike charged his way from a second grid position to win against a competitive field of 40 riders.

Karel Hanika: “I am totally happy,” the Czech teenager said. “I really didn’t think I could win here.” He thanked both his team and KTM, saying that his KTM Moto3 bike had ‘worked perfectly’. “In the end I was able to beat Bryan Schouten (FTR Honda) by just under a second. It was hard work and the bike was sensationally good. Now I’m just really happy about how it all worked out and I can look forward to 2014 when I’ll ride for Ajo Red Bull KTM in the Moto3 World Championship."

Team boss Carsten Freudenberg said he was extremely happy with Hanika’s title victory. “None of us counted on that when we went to Spain. Karel already set the second fastest time out of 42 starters in qualifying and then he won the race from Bryan Schouten. We are speechless and more than happy, also because with this title we can give something back to KTM for the great support that we always get from Mattighofen.”

Hanika joins Australian Jack Miller in the Red Bull KTM Ajo Factory Team for 2014. Luis Salom, the current points leader in the 2013 World Championship will move up to Moto2 in 2014.