Lleyton Hughes
21 October 2024, 12:00 AM
On October 20, Jamberoo local Jacob Roulstone finished 13th in Round 17 of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship at Phillip Island.
At just 19 years old, this marks Roulstone's debut campaign in the world championship, and the race at Phillip Island was particularly special as it was his first MotoGP event on Australian soil.
Roulstone competes in the entry-level Moto3 category. With his family cheering him on and the nation behind him, he secured a commendable finish.
In a quote to MCNews, Roulstone said, “It was very special to race for the first time at home! I loved all of it, and it was nice to see some flags with my logo around the track!”
“I felt very good during the race, although we struggled a bit at the start to pass some riders. However, we settled in with the leading group and managed to stay with them, which I’m happy about.”
Finishing in 13th place awarded Roulstone valuable points in the overall Moto3 Championship standings, bringing his rank to 15th.
“We finally scored some points after some difficult rounds,” said Roulstone. “A big thank you to my grandmother for holding the umbrella for me. It was very special to have her by my side on the grid for my first home GP.”
Fellow Australian Joel Kelso led early in the race but ultimately finished in 11th place.
The next Moto3 race is set for Thailand on October 27.
SPORTS