Abraham realises ambition with podium finish

Abraham realises ambition with podium finish

Tuesday, 05 October 2010

The Cardion ab Motoracing rider, who will graduate to the premier class next season, scored his first World Championship podium in the Moto2 race at Motegi on Sunday.

Abraham on first ever podium finish

Karel Abraham achieved his first World Championship podium in the Moto2 Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday, coming out on top in a dramatic final-lap encounter with Alex de Angelis. The Cardion ab Motoracing rider, who started the race from the second row of the grid, touched bikes with his competitor as the two determinedly battled for the final rostrum position to the very end of the 23-lap contest.

“It’s like a dream come true. I’ve been waiting for it for such a long time and finally I’m here!” said Abraham, who came close to stepping on the rostrum at both Catalunya (fourth) and Sachsenring (fifth) earlier this season. “I didn’t think I would be able to before the race because it’s not one of my favourite tracks, but it is the track I took my first 125cc points on (in 2006) so I have to say now it’s definitely a lucky track!”

Describing the dramatic nature of his encounter with De Angelis he continued: “De Angelis was quite far in front of me but I managed to get up behind him. On the very last lap I was thinking how I could overtake him because it was very difficult, my bike was not very good in terms of top speed, but I think he made a mistake so I overtook him on the back straight and then I made a mistake in the right-hander so he passed me.”

“My bike wheelied on the exit of that turn and because my front wheel was off the ground I couldn’t turn. When I saw him he was right next to me and it was too late, I couldn’t avoid hitting him. Fortunately he didn’t crash.”

Next season the 20 year-old will ride a Ducati in the premier class as he makes the step up to MotoGP, and he concluded by adding: “Many people said I couldn’t go to MotoGP before I got a podium, so I hope this at least proves something to them.”

You can view the overtake that secured Abraham’s podium finish by clicking here.

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