Unbeaten and unbeatable, Matteo Boncinelli (Beta) dominated the fourth Final of the 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo, Blackburst and HKC Koopmann at Morizès in France at the weekend, but a rock-solid second place behind the Italian in the Grand Final saw America’s Sammy Halbert extend his series lead.
With the racing taking place under a clear blue sky, conditions were ideal and Boncinelli – who won at the venue in 2022 – was clearly revelling in them as he set the pace from the first Heat of the afternoon on the immaculately prepared oval that, at five-hundred-and-thirty metres, is the longest track on the 2024 calendar.
After streaking to victory in his opening Heat from the Czech Republic’s defending champion Ervin Krajčovič (KTM), Boncinelli was joined at the top of the leaderboard following the first block of racing by his compatriot Kevin Corradetti (GASGAS) who led Britain’s Tim Neave (Yamaha) home and Halbert who handed an early defeat to round one winner Lasse Kurvinen (KTM) from Finland.
Boncinelli made it win number two ahead of Corradetti and he was joined on maximum points following the second block by Halbert who nailed a tapes-to-flag win from Krajčovič as Kurvinen claimed his first win of the programme to stay firmly in contention.
Leading home French rider Sébastien Jeanpierre (Kawasaki) to make it three from three as Halbert dropped a point to Kurvinen and Corradetti picked up another win gave Boncinelli the outright lead heading into the fourth and final block of Heats, but a crash and subsequent disqualification dropped Krajčovič to tenth and put him on the back foot.
With the top ten gaining an automatic place in the Grand Final and the next ten going through to the Last Chance Heat to decide the remaining two riders for the main race of the afternoon, the atmosphere was electric for the deciding block.
Staying cool and collected, Boncinelli maintained his one-hundred per cent record when he led home Corradetti as Halbert and Krajčovič both won to book their places in the Grand Final alongside Kurvinen, Neave, Corradetti, Britain’s Jack Bell (Honda), Jeanpierre, Germany’s Markus Jell (KTM) and Dutchman Menno Van Meer (Honda).
Forced to contest the LCH, Spain’s Gerard Bailo (Zaeta) – champion in 2022 – needed a late pass on Argentinian racer Santiago Arangio (KTM) for second behind Giacomo Bossetti (GASGAS) to progress, but the pair had to take the final picks for starting position which put them on the back row and at a major disadvantage.
When the tapes went up on the twelve-lap Grand Final it was Boncinelli, starting one position out from the inside on the front row, who powered into an immediate lead and after fighting off Kurvinen around the first turn the Italian, last year’s bronze medallist, simply checked out.
With the leader pulling clear, focus shifted to the intense four-way battle for second between Corradetti, Halbert, Kurvinen and Krajčovič. The experienced American locked onto Corradetti’s rear wheel and took second by cutting up the inside when the Italian drifted wide in a turn before Krajčovič booked his place on the podium with a brave pass around the outside of Corradetti on the run-in to the line.
The 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship now travels to Pardubice in the Czech Republic for the penultimate Final of the year on Saturday 5 October with Halbert ten points clear of Krajčovič who in turn is twelve points ahead of third-placed Neave who was sixth in Morizès.
For more information on the 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo, Blackburst and HKC Koopmann click here.
Results
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Race Report by FIM Flat Track – Feature Image courtesy of Jesper Veldhuizen
