FAB-Racing Round 1 - Lydd: AC40 Inter

Here we are, they're just going to start coming out onto the grid now. This is the AC40 Rookies, our first race of round two here at Ella Park, supported by Grassroots to Grand Prix. We are still just slightly waiting for them to be let out of the holding area to come around and form the grid. I cannot wait for this second race weekend to get underway. Obviously, we've had practice and qualifying going on since Friday, but this is where the action is. This is where the competition is, when they enter race mode and they get those helmets and their visors down, and they are ready to go and itching to take a win. This is why we're here. We're not here to watch practice or qualify, we're not here to watch people do testing and, oh, I'm going to change the settings on my shocks and see if it makes me go faster. No, we're here to watch people race, and we are about to get that underway in round number two of the 2025 MasterMack Fab Racing Mini Bike British Championship. Big grid of 17 rookie riders out there, beginning their bike racing journey on the road to MotoGP. Of course, some of these guys have been on a bike for barely months, if even that. Some of them may be a little bit longer, so yes, you do have a slight experience gap in the field. Often, you see the riders that are a bit further up front, maybe a bit more time on bikes compared to others. At the end of the day, this is the first time that most of them are out on track racing, or the second weekend, I should say, that they're ever doing it realistically. It's all about learning, and it's all about gaining track experience in this championship, but at the same time, their race is at heart. They want to go out there, they want to perform, they want to win. Exactly. That's what it's all about in motorbike racing. You want to perform, you want to win, you want to be the best you can be. One of our riders in the rookies this year is Austin Baton. He's just six years old and has been riding on Minimotors since 2023. It's his first full season with us at Fab Racing this year. He was impressive when we were at Lid a couple of weeks ago on pole a couple of times. I think he took a race win, if I'm being honest. It's brilliant to see that he's investing himself so much into this racing series and getting his name out there in the world of motorbike racing. Absolutely. Important to know, Austin Baton starting on pole position today as well. We also found out this weekend he started riding trials bikes when he was only two and a half years old. I think I was still in nappies at two and a half years old, to be honest with you, and just sat there watching telly. This lad was out there on bikes, unbelievable. He's really showing that, yes, he's still so young. He's only six years old, but he spent so much, over half of his life on a bike. It really shows he is some talent. Make sure you keep an eye on him across this season. He's just one example, a whole host of super high potential young superstars out there. It is going to be really interesting to see when they do hopefully go racing in just a moment's time. I think we're just having a last couple of checks on the track to make sure it's all fine before we head out, and indeed, we do head out now. Yes, they are coming out onto the track now, getting ready to form the grid ready for this first race here at Ella Park. Now, whilst they are coming round and getting ready and getting their positions all set up, let's just run through the grid for today's race. It is the first race for them here at Ella Park. Starting on pole position, we have number 100, Austin Baton. In second place, we have number 89, Cooper Say. Third place, we have the 76 of Zach Athersitch. Fourth, we have the number 95 of Casey Reeson. Starting fifth today is Caden Bailey on the number nine. Sixth, we have number 35, Oliver Cheeseman. Seventh position, we have the 171 of Jenson Brown. Following him in eighth is the 45 of Chase Carter. Ninth place, number 77, Theo Tyler. Tenth place, we have the 174 of Oakley Hipwell. Starting 11th is the number 127, Savannah Polden, who is also supported by the House of Moto of Female Championship. Starting 12th, we have the 42 of Keeley Bailey. 13th, we have number 14, Liam Heyland. Starting 14th, we have the number six of Oscar Bond. 15th place, we have the 251 of Arlo Simmons. 16th, we have 164 of Arsene Oakley. And rounding out our grid, starting 17th is the number 32 of Izzy Cooper, just coming out now on that out lap, ready to form the grid, ready to go. It is our first race here at Eller Park for this weekend, and I cannot wait. Oh, it should be fantastic. Yeah, just underway on their sighting lap now, just making sure everything's working okay, making sure the bike feels comfortable underneath them before they get going. Must be said, Austin Baton, a wonderful bit of a tactical move there. He absolutely rocketed away when they got waved around there. Oh, and someone already down. That's coming into, that's coming out of turn two, should I say. Back on the bike, look, okay, can't quite tell who that is at the moment as they get going again, but good to see that they're back up and straight on the bike, hopefully no damage either to themselves or the machinery underneath them. As I was saying, Austin Baton, when they got waved around, he launched away, maybe just trying to get in the heads of those around him, or maybe just really excited and wanted to get going in sighting lap, who could tell, but either way, he starts from pole. As you said, Cooper say alongside him though, he can start quick. He should be one to watch out for, and he will have the inside as they dive to turn one as well. Exactly, and these two were ones we were looking out for when we were at Lid a couple of weeks ago. The battles we were seeing between those two for that first position, they both desperately want it. They both want to have that lead in the championship. It's all going to happen today, and we are going to be watching it firsthand here. If you are joining us now, don't forget to like and subscribe. We're just finishing up forming the grid right now. Here we go, and it's going to be an absolute brilliant start to the race weekend here at Ella Park. I wonder what's going to happen. Let's wait and see. Just the final riders. Oh, that is someone, I believe, coming off the grid there. It's going to be interesting to see what happens. We are just waiting currently. We've got a bit of a delay happening. We will see when we are going to get this race on. Here we go, and it's light out, and away we go. Austin Baton has took that first place and has made a flying start to this race. Everybody's still quite bunched up, but Austin Baton absolutely flew and has taken the lead. A really big one on this track. They're just coming around. Now, they are still all quite bunched up together. We're going to have to see how this grid forms itself out and see what happens on our screens. We just saw the 89 of Cooper Say, and there we go, Austin Baton in that first position, absolutely leading the rest of the pack. Absolute brilliant stuff to see from him. Yes, huge hole shot there for Austin Baton. Cooper Say, really disappointing getaway, just didn't react when the lights went out. As a result, it has cost him and given the 100 of Baton an early advantage, but it's not all done and dusted yet up the front as there's action further back in the pack as well. Moves everywhere you look in the Fab Racing Rookies Cup, and as they come across the line, it is Baton that leads Say 1-2, able to recover after that disappointing getaway as they bomb down into turn one and straight back on to the accelerator and getting pushing down the small backstretch and sliding him into turn number two. Very, very tricky on a mini moto. We've seen Matthew Thomas there a few years back, had a monster, monster high side on corner exit. You do have to be careful when you're getting onto the throttle out of there, but luckily so far, everybody looks clean. It's Baton from Say, from Zach Athers, it's your top three, but a few movers all over the grid. Exactly. There has been quite a few moves. We've had quite a few position changes in that first lap, but absolute brilliant performance from Austin Baton off that start. He had that drive, he had himself in that right head space and off he went, flying ahead of everybody else, starting to get those gaps forming now. Everybody's starting to space out a bit, find their pace. We can still see Cooper Say is hunting down Austin Baton. He's not going to let him go that easily. Absolutely brilliant stuff to see from him this weekend. The first race, and he's going to do everything he can to not let Austin Baton take that first place. There is Cooper Say, though, still putting the pressure on. Gap at the line last time was a 1.697. Visually, if anything, it looks like it's got a little bit smaller, so it's not all done and dusted yet. The 89 still pushing hard. Today, he heads through that tight, twisty, awkward hairpin into a chicane section before coming down in front of the paddock. Oh, there we see someone running very, very deep there into that left-hander before we get to the aforementioned hairpin into a chicane section. You can see there with that shot, just look at the undulation, look how the track rises and then falls with the camber. I guess they say the best racetracks are shaped by the landscape around them, and that is very much the same here, as there we see moves being made down into Paddock Bend. Lovely stuff there up the inside before they get going. Once again, that looked like that was the number nine of Caden Bailey getting through Theo Taylor on the 7.77, or just the double seven, should I say, and indeed, it was. With five laps left to run in this one, and the top guy is still very much in a stalemate. Baton leads by 1.5 seconds. He does, and what a brilliant race we are seeing so far. You can tell how excited all of these guys racing in the AC40 Rookies were to be that first race, to get back out on track. At the moment, we have got five laps left to go. Leading ahead of everyone is Baton on the number 100. Second place, we have Say on the number 89, and rounding out our top three is still Zach Athersich. Very similar thing to what happened at Lydd. These guys ahead of the pack, fighting for those podium positions. On our screens now, we are seeing some of the guys in the rest of the pack as they are coming around the track and making their way round with just four laps left to go here at Ella Park. We're going to have to see what happens just at the front of our screens there. We just saw the number 14 of Liam Heyland leading ahead of Oscar Bond in 14th place and Arlo Simmonds in 15th. Absolutely, Austin Baton continues to lead up the front, pick up the second race weekend of the year as he started the first with a win in race number one, but not over just yet. Still time for changes to happen. That was Savannah Polden and Oakley Hipwell we just saw going through there. They are P9 and P10, following them, Keely Bailey and Chase Carter, 11th and 12th on the 42 and the 45, respectively, as they come to the line. Few more riders further back in the pack, just making their way around, still testing the conditions, still gaining confidence on the bike. There is your race leader, and the gap now is down to less than half a second on the line. Cooper Says made up huge time in the last couple of laps and now is right all over the exhaust of Baton in the lead. He's going to know there are only a few laps left to go of this first race, and he's going to make a move when he can. They're just coming back past some traffic right now. Cooper Says is hot on the tail of Austin Baton, three laps left to go. This is quite a good battle we've got on our hands. He is pushing that bike to its limits, getting everything he can out of it, wanting to take that position away. They've just come in through that chicane now, coming down towards the final corners of the track, leading down to two laps left to go. Absolutely. Fastest lap of the race so far, Zac Athersidge in Ordnona. Should I say it is? In fact, Austin Baton, a 101.194, Cooper Says very close to the 101.367, having to negotiate their way through the traffic. Austin Baton gets through cleaner than Sadas and sets another fastest lap on that occasion, a one-minute dead 0.944, a little way off of the lap record that was set last year by Tommy Williams in the final round, but still pushing on and still riding incredibly, incredibly well. Cooper Says, yes, real shame, got held up a little bit there. Still time though, one and a half laps left to go. What does the 89 have in his locker to try and slide through and take a race one win, or is it too little too late? He's going to be very unhappy. He did just get stuck in that traffic because that can affect their race entirely. He was very close to being right near the point where he could pass Baton, but that traffic held him up, stopped him. They are just coming around into the final corner now, and we're going to be beginning the final lap of this first race of the AC40 rookies here at Eller Park. Here we are, last lap beginning. Austin Baton is absolutely leading ahead of everyone else, but Cooper Say, he's going to try his best during this last lap to catch up with Austin Baton and try and take that first position away from him. Running in third currently is still Zach Athersich, but last lap, let's see what Cooper Say can do to catch up with Austin Baton. We're very close to nearing the end of this race now, but they're coming up to some more traffic. We just saw it ahead of them there on the camera. It's going to be interesting to see if they get a bit caught up here. Baton coming past though, making his way around the track, ready to finish this race and take that first place again. Little bit of traffic in front though. Could there be late drama? Baton gets through one okay. Does he get through the other? Being held up big time, is this an opportunity for Cooper Say? Perhaps it is because they're getting very, very tight into the final corner. Almost contact between Say and some lap traffic. It's going to have to be a drag race. Almost contact between the leaders. Traffic causes chaos as we come to the line. It will be Austin Baton that takes the win, but only by a tenth and a half of a second. Goodness me, that got close. Just late in the day. Once again, a little bit of traffic getting involved. It was almost curtains for Austin Baton as Cooper Say threw everything he had at that last gasp opportunity, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be for the 89. It is Austin Baton that takes victory in race one. Cooper Say will be P2 and Zach Athersich rounding out the podium himself. Only two tenths clear of Katie Riese in P4. The rest of the ride is still yet to finish, but Jenson Brown comes in fifth. Oliver Cheeseman in sixth. Caden Bailey set to finish seventh. Theo Tyler eighth. Savannah Poulter ninth. And Oakley Hipwell in P10. Looks like Caden Bailey actually dropped down into eighth place there. That's a real shame for him, but that's your top ten, and that is race one done in the Fab Racing Rookies Cup brought to you by Grassroots to Grand Prix. Ross, I think that first race just proved everything we were saying. You never know what to expect here at Eller Park. That bit of traffic they got caught up in on that last lap nearly cost Baten his win. Cooper Say nearly took it off him. They were nearly a touch, nearly a crash. Very, very, very interesting race that was just. And I think that's setting us up for the day. We're not going to know what to expect. Anything can happen here at Eller Park. And we're going to have to see what happens coming round now into the holding. Race number two of the Fab Racing Rookies Cup coming up first brought to you, of course, by Grassroots to Grand Prix. And it's been a very interesting season and a very interesting weekend so far for these young riders as young as six years old, many of them their first time this weekend racing out there on the track on a mini moto machine. Austin Bateson has been the man to beat so far in 2025, but lots of riders with a lot of potential, a lot of promise, and really pushing as well. The likes of Cooper Say, Zach Athesich as well, also looking very racy. But the important thing, Zach, of course, in the Fab Racing Rookies Cup, it's, as I said this time, it's many of their riders, it will be their first or their second race weekend. It's all about just gaining track time, gaining experience on the bike and developing your racing skills at a young age. Yes, and track time is invaluable, right? And that's the thing with real-life racing is that you don't get a lot of it. So what you do get, you need to make the most of it. I mean, they get, what, eight minutes of track time every hour, hour and 20 minutes. So they're not on track for a lot of time. And especially when you're first starting out and you're starting to get the feel of things, how to get your knee down, how to accelerate properly, where the braking points are. That's what these young riders are really going to need to capitalize on. That being said, historically, the Rookies Cup has actually showcased a vast plethora of maturity for riders that are even really, really young. Last year, we saw one of the best championships of the entire Fab Racing Championship between Nelly Knuth and, of course, Emilio Pereira, who have made the step up into their respective classes, the Inters, of course, for Knuth, and, of course, the 50s for Pereira. So even though they are young and they are new to racing as such, it doesn't necessarily mean we're going to be lacking any form of championship fight. Absolutely. No, it is always very, very tough in the Rookies Cup in terms of championship. It always surprises just, again, as you said, they're so mature and they get out there and they really leave it all on the racetrack, even with many of them a lack of experience. Yes, some of them may have been on bikes for longer than others, but either way, they're just showcasing their talent, showcasing what they can do, even on the very first step of their bike racing careers. We're just waiting to head out onto the grid now, and indeed, here we go. So let's run through the grid for you. It is Austin Baton that starts on pole position, Cooper Say alongside with Zach Athertage in P3, Casey Reese in P4, row three, Caden Bailey and Oliver Cheeseman with Jenson Brown in seventh and Chase Carter in eighth, Theo Tyler and Oakley Hipwell rounding out the top 10. Savannah Polden starts 11th alongside Keeney Bailey, Liam Heyland is 13th with Oscar Bond in P14, Arlo Simmons is 15th with Ayrton Oakley in 16th, and Izzy Cook is our 17th and final rider on the grid. A really interesting race one, Austin Baton, it did it to take the victory overall, but a lot of traffic causing chaos, Zach, only winning by one and a half tenths of the line. This has the opportunity to be another close one. Yes, absolutely. Of course, like you say, with such an abundant grid of very varying skill levels, a lot of these riders have been doing it for a year. Like I say, a lot of them have only done one or two race weekends, so very big skill gap between a lot of them. Of course, it adds that extra element of traffic management that those at the front really are going to have to manage. A good start though, paramount, a slightly long run towards turn one where a breaking zone is going to be paramount in order to get that lead. Of course, we're about to get ready for the first race of the day here on Sunday, the rookies. Here we go. Should be really interesting. Cooper Say will have the inside line down to turn one, but it is Austin Baton on the right-hand side of your picture that starts from pole as it is all eyes to the red lights to kickstart Sunday's action. It is lights out and we are underway. Great start there from the pole sitter, but everyone looks away cleanly as well. Down into turn one will be Austin Baton on the 100. That leads from Cezac Athersic holding on to third place as well. A few squabbles already starting to form. Look at the gap already that Austin Baton has built out. What a flying start for that young rider. A dream start, in fact, and he'll be looking to try and build that gap across the next few laps. Yes, indeed so, and of course, just trying to build on that over the course of the next couple of laps. Through the hairpin for the first time and one of the best overtaking opportunities on the circuit, but no major moves being made on this particular first lap. Through the first left of the sweeping section, then you go uphill over a crest, then back down into the chicane unchallenged at the best part of the top three, and it seems so far Austin Baton getting away well. Conditions slightly different to yesterday. Yes, they have had a warm-up session, but temperatures dropping, wind really picking up as you can see the flags flying in the breeze round at Paddock Bend. So maybe riders just taking a moment, sitting back, getting used to riding out there, and especially with the wind as well, it could cause havoc with these mini moto machines. End of lap number one, though, it is Austin Baton that leads from Coupe C'est in P2, and Zach Apicich holding on to third place as well. The likes of Oakley Hippo moving up and getting a strong start, it would appear as well as they will make their way through Turn 1 all quite cleanly, and again, all with a little bit of a gap forming at the moment. But no one really challenging anyone up the front of the pack, early doors in this race. They're all just holding their own again, getting used to the conditions, getting used to being back on the bike again. Some of them might be a little bit tired still. It's still quite early in the morning in my eyes, so we'll have to wait and see how this race unfolds, but it's seven laps left to run, still Baton that leads from pole. Yes, definitely. He's doing a fantastic job, and again, it's that maturity that we talk about when it comes to the rookies. It's that mentality of how to deal with leading a race, and that's something that Baton has done so far so well. Of course, winning the first race of the season back at Lid and finishing P2 in race three as well. So off to a really, really good start in the rookies, of course, translating that with some good results thus far here at Ellerpark. Looking to go for two wins out of two races. Seven laps then left to go as they're about to break the beam to make it six to go. It's Baton, then from, say, Zak Athosic, staying sort of stable in third place, but you can see the gap between the pair of them, not big at all. No, it is not getting very, very close out there, as that is the fastest lap of the race on the previous tour for the race leader, Austin Baton, one minute dead, 0.564, currently lapping. Well, that was two seconds quicker than anybody else on that previous tour, so Baton feeling it this morning so far. Six laps left to run, maybe a move there on Daisy Polden, that'll be Oakley Hippel, I believe, sliding up the inside, potentially Liam Hoyland on the 14, should I say, and indeed it is. So unfortunately there for Daisy Polden, or Savannah Polden even, that'll be dropping them down into P10 on the 1-2-7 as they make their way now through turn two and up to turn three. Slightly awkward here, you've got that left-hand kink before breaking them back to that infield hairpin and straight back on the gas. You can run across that curb if you like, probably not advisable though on a mini-motor machine with no suspension. Yes, definitely not, and again, when the bikes are this small as well, they haven't got a lot of power. It's not like the bigger bikes where track usage is paramount. With a lot of it, a lot of these corners are just going to be flat out anyway, or at least taken at a very high speed compared to what the bikes are capable of. So it's not necessarily about taking a really wide line, sort of that wide, tight, wide approach that you'd see across racing. It's almost about minimizing that distance because the speed you carry is almost going to be the same anyway. It's about keeping that power down as best you can, and of course making sure that you're not taking any extra distance that you need. You'll see them hug this inside curb through this final corner, or at least they're going to try to. The 74 there, trying to get the knee down on the exit of that corner. That might have been overly hip. Well, now under pressure going in towards turn number one. Five laps left to go. It's still Beaton from Sey. They got 4.1 seconds. That last lap, nearly a second and a half quicker than Cooper Sey. Yes, Austin Beaton trying to stamp his authority down on this race as he continues to shoot off into the lead. Sey himself, the healthy leader over Zach Athertage in P3 as well. Currently sitting at 3.8 seconds as we head into the infield chicane, and that is two riders down. One of them lost the front. The other one, nowhere to go. I believe that was Oakley Hipwell that dropped the front on the exit of the mid-corner. Unfortunately, Liam Hoyland, just nowhere to go as a result on the 14. Both riders up on their feet, which is mainly what we want to see. It's great to see that they're both up, but that could be race over. Looks like it will be race over. A couple of free places for the riders behind, but a real shame there for those two. Yes, not exactly what you want to see whatsoever. In all honesty, there wasn't much that Liam Hoyland could do. The bike in front of him just dropped, and he tried to stop, but in the end just t-boned him in the end. Nothing that he really could have done in that situation. I don't think even Spider-Man was going to be able to react in time on the exit of that hairpin. Four laps left to go then, and Austin Baton still with a commanding lead out in front on, of course, the 100 machine. Just seeing there, making their way through the first infield hairpin, then of course into these sweepers. That's one of the, that's all my favorite part of Eller Park, right? I do it in casting. That corner is so magic, and we'll see it later on as well with the bigger bikes. It's taken at such high speed, and then of course the crest up into the crest down into a very technical chicane. Eller Park is an incredibly difficult circuit to master, especially if it's only your second race weekend on a bike. Yes, it was really, really tricky around here. Yes, it is a rider's firm favorite, but it is tough to master this place, but that's what makes it so rewarding, and that's what makes the racing so excellent. These young mini-moto riders, they're going out there and leaving it all out on the tarmac. Three laps left to go then, as the riders come across the line there, and just making their way steadily around. That's the 1.71 of Jenson Brown we're currently seeing. Currently P5 has got a big gap in front of him, 10.7 seconds to Casey Reeson, but an even bigger gap behind him, and by the looks of things, it's 12 seconds to Caden Bailey in P6. In a bit of no man's land at the moment, but running a very strong race is Brown. As we go back, that is our race leader, the number 100 of Austin Beaton, continuing to dominate up the front. Gaps actually come down ever so slightly. It was a bit of a slower lap last time around. Now, that's a 3.3 seconds, but still, as he's about to start the penultimate lap of the race, looking very comfortable up the front. Yes, exactly. The only thing that can stop him at this rate is going to be himself, but again, at this stage where you're trying to find that consistency, not only are you trying to build confidence and build pace on the bike, of course, his fastest lap at the moment, a 101.867 at the moment for the race leader. You're trying to build that pace, and the pace that he's definitely got on that previous time by, but it's also that consistency you're trying to build lap on lap, fastest lap just there, shy of a minute dead, looking very, very strong indeed. At the minute, consistency, he's got it, but of course, lap times, when you're trying new things, you're experimenting as a new rider, they're going to be here, there, and everywhere. It's not compromised him in this race one bit. He's got a four-second gap over Cooper Seay, and just one and a half laps left to victory. He is coming up to a little bit of traffic. Of course, that caused a bit of chaos at the end of race number one yesterday. The gap as well was a lot smaller between himself and Cooper Seay when he was held up coming into the final couple of corners. If he does lose time behind some of the slower riders, I don't think it will compromise him too much. Does have to go the long way around there at the final corner, though. That's round the number 42 of Keeley Bailey, currently P10. Final lap of the race then for the race leader, and yes, super comfortable, super composed. Yes, more traffic up in front, but right now, Austin Bateson, he looks like he's in his element, and there is nothing stopping him from taking the chequered flag. Well, let's not hold our breath too much. He's still got half of the lap left to go, still a bit of lap traffic, but he can take his time with this. Like we say, a nice big gap back to Cooper Seay. He's not really in any rush to clear them, of course. He's a racing rider. He's going to want to get to the inside of the sweeping section. The back marker is not really getting in his way. No blue flags, of course, so he's got to clear them all by himself, but just a couple of corners left to go for the first race today. Austin Bateson just has to keep it on the tarmac. Only a few corners to go just to negotiate. Could probably cruise home at this point, but he's going to keep it pinned and going to keep pushing. He's still a racer at heart, even being so young, he just wants to get out there and go as fast as he can. Rider down there at the last corner looks like a mechanical problem, but they all make their way through okay. As Bateson with traffic in front rounds the penultimate turn, and well, what a statement ride this has been. Austin Bateson will take the chequered flag and dominate in race number two, the opening race of the weekend in the Fab Racing Rookies Cup brought to you by Grassroots to Grand Prix with Cooper Seay coming home second, Zach Athersich set to finish third, but what a performance, what a ride from Austin Bateson, wins by 1.4 seconds in the end, was held up a little bit on the final lap, but nothing that Cooper Seay could do as he finishes second and Athersich rounding out the podium. Casey Reeson comes home in P4 with Jenson Brown set to finish fifth, Caden Bailey sixth, Theo Tyler seventh, Savannah Polden in P8, Chase Carter in ninth, and Keeley Bailey rounding out our top 10. That was a dominating win from Austin Bateson, and well, I think we might have a few riders worried heading into race three later on today. Yes, it's going to be tough to beat him. When a rider is just in their groove, they just become so hard to beat. Cooper Seay, in terms of best lap times, was 1.4 seconds off and around a circle like Eller Park, it's not going to be impossible to close, but with only one more race, there's no practice in between that. He's going purely off the knowledge that he's got from race two. It's going to be hard to magically find 1.4 seconds, so unless Austin Bateson has some problems or completely goes into that final race losing his head, he's going to be the favorite to win and probably take the triple here at Eller Park. Yes, looking really, really quick this weekend is Bateson, and two race wins, that tells you all you need to know, and both of them in fine fashion as well. One more race later on this afternoon for the Fab Racing Rookies Cup brought to you by Grassroots to Grand Prix, and it should be very, very exciting that we are back out a little bit later on. Final race of the weekend awaits us in the Fab Racing Rookies Cup brought to you by Grassroots to Grand Prix. Unfortunately, this race is going to be a little bit shorter than we expected. Normally, they were going to be around eight laps. We'll have to wait and see how long this race is going to be, but as they're making their way onto the grid, we should be getting a sighting lap, I believe, because this class haven't been out until, yes, all that until we, yes, every class so far has been on the sighting lap as well, so we'll have to wait and see what is going to happen. As they make their way to the grid, yes, it should be interesting. I mean, it's been a fantastic weekend of racing so far in this category. Austin Bateson, two wins out of two, and looks pretty untouchable so far. We'll have to wait and see if he can make it a clean sweep. Yes, let's see. Of course, we're now officially halfway through the racing as we start race number threes with the Rookies Cup. Of course, let us know in the YouTube chat who is the rider that you're watching along for, who's impressed you most over the course of this weekend. Maybe race number three is going to sway your choice as to who is going to take your pick for the Rookies Cup rider of the weekend. One sighting lap, they'll take to the formation lap. Let's run you through the grid. Of course, it's going to be Austin Bateson on pole position from Coupe SA alongside Zach Athersitch from Casey Reeson in row two, from Hayden Bailey and Oliver Cheeseman in six. Jenson Brown from Chase Carter will line up row number four, ahead of Theo Tyler and Oakley Hipwell in 10th. Savannah Pauldin from Keely Bailey on row number six, with Liam Heyland and Oscar Bond row seven. Arlo Simmonds ran off the top 15 from Ayrton Oakley and Izzy Cook in 17th and last place for the Fab Racing Rookies Cup. Well, I'm very much looking forward to this one. Of course, with the support of this cup from Grassroots to Grand Prix, doing a lot of work to allow these young rookies the resources that they need to propel their racing career. Of course, you guys, like I was saying earlier, you can help give these young riders the support that they need to propel their racing career with your nomination for the Fab Racing Rookies Cup rider of the round. Last chance, of course, for their final race of the weekend in order to get your nominations in. Let us know in the YouTube chat who you're thinking is going to take that very prestigious award. These young riders, their first step on the very long motorbike racing ladder up through the ranks, and well, they're lining themselves up on the grid now. It was domination for Austin Baton. Can anyone match him in race three? We'll have to wait and see. Just an update from Race Control. These races are with the MiniMotors. They're actually going to stay the same length that they would have done. We had a few delays earlier if you've just joined us in the last couple of minutes. Originally, all of the race threes are going to be shortened. The MiniMotors are staying the same length. It'll just be the bigger geared bikes that have slightly shortened races, which is great because we get more exciting MiniMoto action, which is always brilliant around here at Ella Park. Austin Baton looking to sweep the weekend. Can Cooper Say, Zach Athertage, Casey Rees, and any of them have a say against it and try and come in? Of course, who is going to be bringing home not just 25 points in a race win in this one, but as well, we need to look forward to who is going to be winning the Fab Racing Rookies Cup Rider of the Round. Great start there from Austin Baton as they rocket away from the lights. Cooper Say, a little bit disappointing, unfortunately, as they negotiate their way around turn number one. Look at the advantage that Austin Baton already has. Quite frankly, already booked his ticket and checked out. He is miles in front of everybody else. I think partly because not he got a fantastic start. I think everyone else just struggled ever so slightly. Yes, exactly. It's a combination of the both. He got a really, really good start. Good reaction to the lights and those behind just struggled ever so slightly. Again, you see on these mini motos, less power, so trying to just give it some oomph. You try and skateboard it away to get some extra speed, get some extra propulsion to get the bike up to speed. There you can see the 100 machine. Of course, very nice livery in the form of the Spider-Man inspired, but that being said, it is the 89 of Cooper Say. He's not a million miles away. Of course, not quite checked out just yet is Austin Baton. However, he is in a very, very good position in order to do so. Let's see what the gap is as they break the beam for the first time. Couple of bike lengths, but not completely gone. Let's see how the next couple of laps play out. A very important couple of laps, actually, for Cooper Say if he wants any say and if he wins this race. Have to wait and see some battles further back in the pack. That's the 95 of Casey Reeson battling with Zach Athertage. They've swapped places, early doors in this race, seven laps left to run in this one after completing just one and a half tours so far. So it is currently Casey Reeson that has the advantage on Athertage. Again, Athertage started third, Reeson started fourth, but then now swapped places, going side by side into the sweepers. Very, very deep lines there from Athertage. Getting a bit experimental, he seems, trying some things from left field, trying to see if something out of the box will work and gaining some speed. Unfortunately, on that occasion, don't think it quite worked out for him, but interesting to see that he's willing to experiment with alternate lines through some of the corners, see if it gives him a bit of a run, maybe a bit of a setup into some of the braking zones as they're about to make it. Six laps left to go as they come to the line there on the race lead. His gap last time was 8 tenths, this time it is 1.2 as they cross the line, but very, very close between Reeson and Athertage. Only 2 tenths of a second at the line, Reeson still holding on at the moment. Yeah, doing a really good job, but it is interesting to see Athertage very way off the traditional racing line. Of course, that approach, usually what you see is riders using all of the track space available, really open up the angle of each corner to maximize how much speed they can take through it. This power here, the 35, that's Oliver Cheeseman just in behind. That's going to be Jenson Brown giving him some trouble going into the infield hairpin. And yeah, like I was saying earlier, with such low power, sometimes it's actually not a case of using all of the track space because it's just extra distance. You're better off taking a tighter line to minimize that and shorten your room. And I think that's sort of the approach that Zac Athertage is trying to take in that battle against Casey Reeson. This battle, though, continuing on. This is the battle for P5. Like I say, Cheeseman versus Brown and a problem there for the 35. Goes slow, rejoins the circuit, and that's going to promote Brown up to fifth. I think he may have just overshot the corner on the exit a little bit. If you run a little bit too deep at that left-hander after the hairpin, there's actually a tire barrier plastered in the way so you don't cut the corner. So if you get it ever so slightly wrong, you do really need to get out of it. So I think that is what has happened there, unfortunately, for him. Anyway, back to the battle for third place. Currently, Casey Reeson and Zac Athertage still going strong. Reeson still holding on on the number 95 machine. Extending the gap to five-tenths of a second at the line. Last time around, five laps left to go. Not far away until we get to four. And up the front, Austin Bating continues to extend his advantage. 1.7 seconds now ahead of Cooper Say on the number 89. Casey Reeson, as we're seeing, still holding on to that third place. Zac Athertage right now just doesn't really have anything that's giving him an edge. Not really anything that's cutting him just that little bit closer to try and have a proper look. Yeah, he's trying his best. And again, like you were saying, he's trying different things, trying to find what works, what doesn't. And at this stage of their career, that's exactly what they need to be doing because it's gaining that experience. That's the one thing they don't have. Raw talent, they've got it in abundance. Experience is something that they're really trying to build an almost a portfolio with to try and build that. And that's exactly what Athertage is doing. So very commendable stuff from the young rider there. There's Austin Bating, our race leader. Four laps left to go in this race. And Cooper Say, about 1.1 seconds back. Best lap time in race number two, like we saw earlier on, it was about 1.3 seconds different best lap times from Bating to Cooper Say. Now, a much more respectable just three-tenths of a second in terms of their best lap times. A 1.01412 compared to a 1.01777 from Bating to Say, respectively. And it seems to say he's turned up definitely a noticeable amount, not quite enough to really be challenging Bating at this stage in the race. But he's closing that gap bit by bit by bit and giving more of a reason for Bating to be looking over his shoulder. Yeah, I'm not really sure why he's taking Cooper Say that long to find that pace, but he's started to push onward and starting to get bit. Let's see if Bating responds as they cross the line now. And yes, he does. Immediately, immediately, a fastest lap of the race. A second quicker than Cooper Say's lap time. A 1.0127, man, oh, man, that is quick. And not far away, actually, from the lap record set by, well, actually, let's have a look and see what it was, the lap record. Lap record currently held by Tommy Williams. Actually, it is a little bit away from the lap record. I was looking at the wrong time, unfortunately, but still very, very quick indeed. And Austin Bating, the gap now up to 2.2 seconds, and he's doing a masterful, masterful job. Will he be the rider of the round? Who knows? We'll find out in a little while, but I think he's certainly in contention because he has just been fantastic all weekend. Yeah, he's got to be. Sometimes you don't want to just give it to the guy that wins, right? Because it's almost a case of, well, yeah, they won. They did a good job. You almost want to look through the rest of the field and see who's impressed you most. But the riding that we've seen from Austin Bating has been second to none. He has been so dominant at such a young age, and it's exactly what you see in riders like Emilio Pereira, who's doing so well now in the 50s. He was riding exactly like that at last year in the rookies. Nelly Knuth as well, taking that step up into the inters. These young riders, they develop at such an early age, and some just click with the bike. They don't need a lot of acclimatization to get used to it. They just get on and they go. And that's exactly what Austin Bating has been doing. Two tours of Velopark left to go in race number three of their weekend before we say goodbye to them for round number two of the MasterMag Fab Racing British Mini Bike Championship. Cooper Say though, he's done better in race number three. And if nothing else, progress is definitely something that he can take away from this round. That is absolutely correct, Zach. It's been steady progress over the weekend for Cooper Say. He's gotten closer and closer and closer. And yes, maybe Austin Bating just a little bit too far out of reach at the moment. It's all about experience in the Fab Racing Rookies Cup brought to you by Grassroots 2 Grand Prix. It's all about getting these young riders, many of them in their first season, maybe even their first weekends of bike racing. It's about getting them out there, getting them onto the track, getting them used to being out there racing amongst other athletes. And yes, of course, they're one of them. Yes, there's differing experience levels. And yes, there is a championship to consider at the end of the day. But the main part of this is all about experience. And it's all about just getting the riders experience, getting them learning the tricks and skills of riding a bike. As they come round and coming round, Austin Bating ready. Rider is coming through. And it is Austin Bating who is winning this race. There we do see Austin Bating about to take victory. Also has claimed a rider of the round. And congratulations to him. But it has got to be well-deserved because he's rounding the penultimate corner now. Austin Bating, simply untouchable. A little bit of traffic to contend with as he comes to the line. But it is three out of three for the number 100. Austin Bating sweeps the weekend and it won't get any sweeter than that. What an unreal weekend that young man has had. Simply, simply dominant fashion. Kupice brings it home in P2 on the 89. 4.3 seconds away. Zach Athertich brings it home in third place. It looks like Casey Reeson had some problems actually. Dropped down the order a little bit late on. But it is Austin Bating on top of the world. Once again, three out of three here at Ella Park. And will claim the actual... Yeah, there is an actual trophy for rookie rider of the round as well. Picks up an extra trophy on top of the three trophies that he's going to take. Or the medals, I should say, that he's going to take home for three wins. Thank you to everyone who voted for rider of the round. And let us know your thoughts. It is Austin Bating. Understandably so. He was simply untouchable. No one else was even close. Austin Bating takes the win with Kupice in second and Zach Athertich in third. Jenson Brown is fourth with all of achievement P5. Casey Reeson is sixth with Caden Bailey seventh. Savannah Pauldin P8. Theo Tullow is ninth. And Chase Carter brought it home in a P10. That is it for the Fab Racing Rookies Cup here at Ella Park. Presented by Grassroots to Grand Prix, of course. They'll be out next time when we head to Hooton Park. But today here in Suffolk, they're done and dusted. No more. It was all over, as they say.