Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Lorenzo Daretti (aka 73Trast or Trastevere73) demonstrated once again that he will be a force to be reckoned with during the 2021 MotoGP eSport Global Series. The two-time MotoGP eSport Champion (in 2017 and 2018) started off the first round of the 2021 Global Series on the right note, securing a second and first place.
Similar to last year, as part of a Contingency Plan devised by MotoGP‘s and MotoGP eSport‘s governing body Dorna, the qualified eSport players competed in Round 1 from the comfort of their own homes. Though he had hoped to see some MotoGP fans cheering him on as an audience, Trastevere73 was still fired up and ready for action. He had qualified in third place for Race 1 (Portimão) and in second place for Race 2 (Mugello).
Portimão is known as ’the roller-coaster‘ and 73Trast‘s race there was also filled with ups and downs. His original tactic for Race 1 was to start from third and take the holeshot. He succeeded, but contact with another rider dropped him back to fifth place. However, the Yamaha man is not one to give up easily. He stuck with it, putting in one fast lap after another and soon climbed back up to second position behind Adriaan_26 (Repsol Honda Team). Daretti tried to reclaim the lead again but came just short and had to settle for the runner-up position.
Race 2 was a masterclass at Mugello by Daretti. He managed to secure second place on the grid and thanks to another phenomenal start he took the lead in Turn 1. The Yamaha rider stayed perfectly concentrated for the entire length of the race, keeping Adriaan_26 behind him. Having withstood the pressure, Daretti was proud to secure his first race win of the 2021 season.
Trastevere73‘s efforts in Race 1 and Race 2 earned him 45 solid points and a joint first place in the rankings for the 2021 MotoGP eSport Championship.