From July 19 to 21, the fourth round of the CIV Junior series was held at the Circuito Internazionale di Aprilia in Italy. Jaylen Korporaal represented the Netherlands in the FIM MiniGP Italy Series Ohvale 190, securing fourth, eighth, and seventh places across the three races, despite facing extreme temperatures and five crashes over the weekend.

The Aprilia International Circuit hosted an intense race weekend marked by scorching heat, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in the afternoons. Korporaal was the only Dutch rider competing in a weekend that included a Sprint race on Saturday and two races on Sunday.

Free Practice and Qualifying

During the free practice sessions, it quickly became clear that the intense heat was a major challenge for the young riders. Korporaal, who had two crashes during the first and second free practice sessions, faced significant difficulties. However, he managed to fine-tune his bike setup for qualifying and secured a solid ninth-place starting position despite the setbacks.

Sprint Race

Starting from ninth position, Korporaal made a strong start and entered the first corner in sixth place. After a number of exciting battles, Korporaal crossed the finish line in fourth place, just over four seconds behind the winner. Carlo Mastrosimone won the race, followed by Luca Rizzi and Alessio Paglioni.

Sprint Race Results:

• 1st: Carlo Mastrosimone
• 2nd: Luca Rizzi
• 3rd: Alessio Paglioni
• 4th: Jaylen Korporaal

Race 1

In the first race on Sunday, Korporaal had another great start, moving into fifth position. However, he was involved in a collision with another rider in the first corner, which caused both riders to crash, resulting in a red flag. Unlike his competitor, Korporaal managed to get his bike back to the pits. The damage to his bike, including a loose steering component, was quickly addressed by his team. Despite not feeling fully comfortable, Korporaal finished the race in eighth place. The race winner was Vincenzo de Veroli, followed by Mastrosimone and Rizzi.

Race 1 Results:

• 1st: Vincenzo de Veroli
• 2nd: Carlo Mastrosimone
• 3rd: Luca Rizzi
• 8th: Jaylen Korporaal

Race 2

The break between the first and second race allowed Korporaal and his team to make the necessary repairs to his Ohvale 190. The bike was in good condition for the second race, and Korporaal started strong, moving into seventh place after the first lap. However, the extreme heat started to take its toll during the 15-lap race. Despite struggling with the conditions, Korporaal fought hard and finished the race in seventh place. De Veroli won again, with Lorenzo Fino and Simone Viannello rounding out the podium in second and third.

Race 2 Results:

• 1st: Vincenzo de Veroli
• 2nd: Lorenzo Fino
• 3rd: Simone Viannello
• 7th: Jaylen Korporaal

Korporaal’s Thoughts

Jaylen Korporaal commented, “I knew it would be a tough weekend. I’ve had a heavy crash here before, and with temperatures over 40°C, it wasn’t easy. But overall, I’m pretty happy with the results I achieved this weekend. Despite five crashes, I still managed to score some valuable points for the championship. We have a six-week break now, and after that, we’ll go full throttle at the next round in Varano.”

With 99 points after four race weekends, Korporaal currently sits in fourth place in the championship standings, just 16 points behind third place.

The fifth round of the 2024 CIV Junior season will take place from September 14 to 16 at the Autodromo di Varano in Varano, Italy.