The place’s ‘that Moto3 rider’ from probably the most well-known Le Mans clip now?

One lap to go, Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau are buying and selling locations like Pokemon playing cards. After all, the stage is Le Mans, and the yr is 2003. That’s most likely my favourite Le Mans second.

I wouldn’t argue with you if yours had been Chris Vermeulen taking his solely MotoGP victory within the moist, MotoGP’s one thousandth race in 2024 – the place Jorge Martin, Marc Marquez, and Pecco Bagania placed on a present for the ages – or considered one of many extra from the archives. However none of these are the Le Mans second we’re speaking about right this moment – and it was only a second.

In 2018, throughout a Moto3 race at Le Mans, we noticed some of the spectacular shows of what riders on the highest ranges can do when wanted.

Upon the exit of a flip, Jakub Kornfeil was instantly confronted with a lowsided bike, and on a second’s discover, stood, and used it like a ramp. As if he had been Jett Lawrence, Kornfeil launched into the gravel, touchdown one of many saves of the last decade, earlier than rejoining the observe.

This clip resurfaces yearly on the run-up to the French Grand Prix, however no matter occurred to “that rider”, as he’s typically referred to? The place is Kornfeil? It’s price mentioning that Kornfeil received the Pink Bull Rookies Cup in 2009, then competed within the 125cc World Championship from 2009-2011 earlier than shifting to Moto3 in 2012.

I received’t spoil the ending, however his days {of professional} racing had been numbered after that well-known clip.

The Czech completed the 2018 season in seventh place, grabbing one podium at his residence circuit. In 2019, he completed in 14th place, however regardless of having a contract with BOE Cranium Rider Mugen Race staff for the 2020 Moto3 championship, Kornfeil introduced his retirement in January of 2020, citing monetary constraints.

Kornfeil’s essential sponsor, Czech firm Redox, pulled its assist, leaving the 26-year-old with no choice however to complete his Moto3 profession. However that wasn’t to be his final skilled experience. In 2020, he crammed in for Bradley Smith, and rode within the MotoE World Cup for seven rounds, ending 18th total.

His time competing on two wheels got here to an finish in 2020, however he’s not performed racing. Kornfeil grew to become the first-ever MotoSurf world champion in 2015 and continues to compete right this moment. When he’s not making waves, Kornfeil is bringing forth the following crop of Czech racers, as he works as a coach for the FIM Mini GP & Miniracing Czech Republic Collection.

Someplace in all this, he discovered the time to put in writing a e-book titled Definice Sportu or Definition of Sport, which was printed in 2022.

Kornfeil’s clip brings so many riders a lot enjoyment presently of yr – now we all know his story. And for some added trivia, the bike he used as a ramp belonged to Enea Bastianini.