FIM Europe is the first-ever winner of the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) following an action-packed, action-packed weekend of racing at the legendary Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in southern Spain .
Bringing together the six FIM Continental Unions (CONU) from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania, and the city of Jerez, the FIM Intercontinental Games were contested in the Supersport (SSP) and Supersport 300 (SSP300) categories, with other disciplines expected to be introduced as this biannual event becomes established.
Each CONU was represented by a team of eight riders split evenly between the two classes, with the R7 and R3 machines supplied by the GIC's official partner, Yamaha Motor Europe. In line with the FIM's ongoing commitment to diversity, each CONU fielded two female drivers, one in each class.
After the four qualifying sessions on Saturday, FIM Europe and FIM Oceania were very close to each other in SSP300. Both CONUs had three drivers in the top nine which made up the first three rows of the starting grid, with 16-year-old Spaniard Gonzalo Sanchez on pole ahead of Australian teenagers Archie McDonald and Cameron Swain.
Sanchez took the lead the opening race of fourteen laps in SSP300while 18-year-old FIM Asia driver Aldi Mahendra made an excellent jump to move from sixth to second before taking the lead into turn two. With twenty-four drivers in action, the opening laps were close and chaotic at times, with the sport's brightest young talents battling for position. After three laps and multiple lead changes, the top eighteen drivers were all within two seconds of each other.
FIM North America's Maxwell Toth is another rider in fine form. Based in Barcelona for much of 2024, the 18-year-old Californian only qualified in eleventh position, but he also took the lead in the race.
Supersport 300 race at the FIM Intercontinental Games in Jerez ©Good-Shot.com
With six laps to go, Sanchez slipped and retired from the race, but two laps later the main group was still nine drivers with no clear favorite until Mahendra – who won this year the FIMSSP300 World Championship in Jerez – finally manages to make a pass for the lead stick and wins by just 0.047 from Portuguese FIM Europe rider Tomás Alonso.
McDonald took third ahead of Toth, while FIM Europe captain, 17-year-old Italian Alessandro Di Persio, took fifth, followed by FIM Latin America rider Nahuel Santamaria of Argentina . The first woman to cross the finish line was Italian Josephine 'Joy' Bruno, eleventh, representing FIM Europe.
In the SSP classDino Iozzo, 23, started from pole position for the FIM Africa, ahead of the talented Brazilian Humberto Cezar Maier Neto, 19, of the FIM Latin America, and Elia Bartolini, the SSP Captain of the FIM Europe.
As was the case in the first race of the SSP300, the proceedings were incredibly even at the front of the peloton, with the lead constantly changing hands and no rider or CONU able to take control of the race .
As the sixteen lap race entered its final stages, rain began to fall and after thirteen laps the red flags came out to signal an early end. Maier Neto took the victory just 0.082 ahead of Iozzo and 0.122 ahead of Bartolini.
Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games Supersport Race ©Good-Shot.com
FIM Europe strengthened its position in the overall competition with Frenchman Enzo De La Vega, 25, taking fourth place, followed by SSP Captain Mike Jones, 30, from FIM Oceania, and Indonesian rider Daniel Kasma, FIM Asia representative. The first woman to start was Italian Roberta Ponziani, a late substitute for FIM Europe.
After the disappointment of crashing out in the first race of the SSP300, Sanchez was determined to redeem himself and he started the second race at the front of the grid, but it was Swain who took the lead, while Toth achieved another excellent opening lap before his challenge ended when he fell on the third lap with New Zealand FIM Oceania rider Jesse Stroud. FIM Africa's Kgopotso Mononyane, who had shown impressive form throughout the weekend, also left the race early.
With no rider able to exercise control over the end of the race, the leading group was still made up of eight riders, although it was reduced following the falls of McDonald, who was able to recover, by Swain and Avery Dreher from FIM North America.
On the final lap the race was still too close until Mahendra came out of the final corner in the lead and took the race to the line in a photo finish with Santamaria, before being penalized two positions with a penalty for irresponsible driving which placed him behind Sanchez.
Mahendra's penalty for clearing Santamaria in the final corner extended FIM Europe's lead over FIM Asia, although the Indonesian still won the AIROH golden helmet for best individual performance in the SSP300 category, while Bruno was once again the highest placed woman finishing ninth and won her own AIROH gold helmet.
Supersport 300 race at the FIM Intercontinental Games in Jerez ©Good-Shot.com
The victory in the general classification of the ICG based on
the decisive race of the SSPnerves were on edge, but after just two laps the rain started to fall and the race was stopped by a red flag.
Resumed over a reduced duration of ten laps, the conditions made for a more cautious race, with the drivers not wanting to push too hard. Maier Neto's hopes of a second victory were dashed at mid-distance when he crashed out of the race. As the laps passed, it was impossible to choose a winner from the leading group of ten riders, until Bartolini made his entry two laps from the finish.
Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games Supersport Race ©Good-Shot.com
The front runners were so well matched that the Italian was unable to break away, but his charge proved decisive as he took the flag 0.612 ahead of Jones to secure a helmet of or AIROH. Iozzo finished third ahead of Thailand's Apiwat Wongthananon, the FIM Asia SSP captain, making four different CONUs in the top four places and demonstrating just how close the competition was. Dobbs won an AIROH gold helmet as the highest-placed SSP competitor (thirteenth).
While the celebrations were expected to continue late into the night, Josephine Bruno was delighted with the performance of the FIM Europe. “It was a fantastic weekend,” she said. “The team and mechanics worked perfectly together and history was made here. I am very proud to have participated and it is an honor to have represented FIM Europe.”
Her comments were echoed by her teammate
Roberta Ponziani. “We did a great job together,” said the 28-year-old. “In wet conditions it's easy to make a mistake, so we worked very well and I'm very happy! »
The FIM Europe team winner of the first FIM Intercontinental Games ©Gpagency
Alexander of Persiacaptain of the FIM Europe SSP300 team, was delighted to have contributed to the victory of his CONU: “It’s impossible to explain what you feel. It's wonderful! It's amazing to be here and I'm grateful to FIM Europe for being chosen as captain. I thank everyone on the team – the riders, the mechanics, everyone who works for us. We made history and I am now super motivated to start a new season.”
Elia BartoliniCaptain of the FIM Europe SSP, played an essential role in the victory of his CONU. “It’s fantastic and I’m very happy to have won the title and the AIROH gold helmet for men”he declared.
“I want to thank my teammates – we struggled at times, but we never gave up. »
Alessandro SambuccoFIM Europe Team Manager, said: “We have reached the goal!” It was difficult because the level of the drivers was very high, but it's proof that we can achieve the goal as a team! »
Jorge Viegaspresident of the FIM, declared:
» It was in every way better than anyone expected. There was an incredible atmosphere of friendship between all the drivers – winning or losing didn't matter, they were all together – and I think there was a team spirit that I have never seen previously in circuit racing.
On behalf of the FIM, I would like to thank everyone who came together to make the first FIM Intercontinental Games such a success, including the city of Jerez, Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, Dorna and Warner Bros Discovery Sports, as well as our official partners Yamaha, Dunlop, SPIDI, XPD, AIROH, Beta Tools and Panta Racing Fuel. I would also like to warmly thank all the CONUs, FIM officials, drivers, volunteers, media and fans for their support and commitment. »
FULL RESULTS HERE
Opening photo: Podium of the FIM Intercontinental Games in the city of Jerez ©Gpagency
