Beta Factory Racing’s Brad Freeman has claimed the overall victory in the 2023 AKRAPOVIC Super Test series with a winning ride at the final round of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Santiago do Cacem, Portugal. The Brit cemented his place at the top of the standings by setting the fastest time over GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia
- Final stop of the 2023 EnduroGP season gets underway with AKRAPOVIC Super Test
- Brad Freeman sets the pace clocking fastest time of the night
- The Brit takes the overall win in the 2023 AKRAPOVIC Super Test series
The final round of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship got underway in style with the all-action AKRAPOVIC Super Test in Santiago do Cacem. Under floodlights competitors went head-to-head for the last time this season.
Entering the seventh and final AKRAPOVIC Super Test with a healthy points lead, Brad Freeman (Beta) knew a victory wasn’t absolutely necessary to seal the deal in the overall standings, but in true fighting spirit, he didn’t hold back.
An incredibly fast time by Freeman saw him stop the clocks fourth tenths of a second quicker than his rivals to take the win and overall honours.
Andrea Verona (GASGAS) was the only other rider to get close to Freeman. The GASGAS star, who is battling an injury sustained last weekend at round six, was impressive for second.
Despite having a mathematical chance of stopping Freeman, Josep Garcia (KTM) had no answer for Brad tonight and had to be content with the third fastest time.
The CH Racing Sherco duo of Hamish MacDonald and Zach Pichon rounded out the top five with fourth and fifth respectively.
In the Magnorange FIM Women’s Enduro Championship it was Australia’s Jessica Gardiner who set the pace. The Yamaha rider blitzed the short course to beat Fantic JET Racing’s Jane Daniels by two seconds. Rieju’s Rosie Rowett completed the top three.
Brad Freeman (Beta): “It’s great to take the overall win with a victory tonight in Portugal. Normally I don’t do too well in the Super Test, I tend to get nervous and tense and never quite set a good time. So to turn that around this year and come away with the overall victory along with taking three individual wins feels special.”
Results:
Round 7 – AKRAPOVIC Super Test
1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:23.83; 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:24.22; 3. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:25.50; 4. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:26.33; 5. Zach Pichon (Sherco) 1:26.44…
Full AKRAPOVIC Super Test results here
