Aussie ‘veteran’ fastest in Red Bull Rookies testing

Arthur Sissis, now heading into his third year of competition of the MotoGP Rookies Cup, was fastest in pre-season testing at Estoril

Former junior speedway prodigy turned road racer Arthur Sissis has set the fastest time in a three-day Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup test session at Estoril in Portugal.

The 15-year-old Aussie proved to be the man (child?) for all seasons at Estoril, setting the fastest times on both a dry and wet track, as he completed the test ahead of South African Brad Binder, 15, and 13-year-old Spanish upstart Aaron Espana. There were four other nationalities in the top 10 from Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain.

“I've learnt a lot these three days, especially about riding in the wet,” said Sissis, now into his third year of rookies’ warfare. “I've only ridden a few wet races and now I think I know a lot more but I am still finding out more every time I go out.

“It is hard to know just how fast I can go into the corners in the wet, plus it is changing all the time so it's not easy.”

Sissis is the only Aussie in this year’s rookies cup, which will be a support event at selected European-based MotoGP rounds.

The first two races of the season will be held on the weekend of April 2-3 at Jerez in Spain – usually the biggest crowd drawing event on the MotoGP calendar.

Combined classification
1. Arthur Sissis (AUS) 2 minutes 00.251 seconds
2. Brad Binder (RSA) 2 minutes 00.368 seconds
3. Aaron Espana (ESP) 2 minutes 00.393 seconds
4. Florian Alt (GER) 2 minutes 00.500 seconds
5. Alan Techer (FRA) 2 minutes 00.598 seconds
6. Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA) 2 minutes 00.617 seconds
7. Andrea Migno (ITA) 2 minutes 00.679 seconds
8. Willi Albert (GER) 2 minutes 00.741 seconds
9. Javier Orellana (GBR) 2 minutes 00.814 seconds
10. James Flitcroft (GBR) 2 minutes 01.010 seconds
11. Philipp Oettl (GER) 2 minutes 01.058 seconds
12. Max Enderlein (GER) 2 minutes 01.376 seconds
13. Tomas Vavrous (CZE) 2 minutes 01.475 seconds
14. Lukas Trautmann (AUT) 2 minutes 01.501 seconds
15. Hafiq Azmi (MAS) 2 minutes 01.538 seconds
16. Stefano Valtulini (ITA) 2 minutes 02.000 seconds
17. Xavier Pinsach (ESP) 2 minutes 02.502 seconds
18. Ivo Lopes (POR) 2 minutes 02.597 seconds
19. Deni Cudic (GER) 2 minutes 02.942 seconds
20. Kyle Ryde (GBR) 2 minutes 03.883 seconds
21. Joakim Niemi (FIN) 2 minutes 05.199 seconds
22. Joe Roberts (USA) 2 minutes 06.922 seconds
23. Josep Garcia (ESP) 2 minutes 07.123 seconds
24. Scott Deroue (NED) 2 minutes 07.203 seconds
25. Kevin Argino (ITA) no time

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