Vazquez

Kent takes fifth Moto3 win of the year in Germany

This year’s most successful British Grand Prix rider Danny Kent started the German Moto3 Race from pole position and firm favourite having set practice times over half a second quicker than anyone else. The opening laps saw him fending off the likes of teammate Vazquez, KTM’s Brad Binder and Karel Hanika, and Championship rival Enea Bastianini.

Kent and Vazquez left the party early, with Danny developing a gap on the little Spaniard. Vazquez had a three second cushion over the group battling for third place, a battle which was won by Enea Bastianini, pipping Fenati to the podium.

Danny Kent’s sublime victory means the ice cool Brit is now 68 points ahead of Bastianini.

1. Danny Kent GBR Leopard Racing (Honda) 39m 29.359s

2. Efren Vazquez SPA Leopard Racing (Honda) 39m 36.913s

3. Enea Bastianini ITA Gresini Racing Team Moto3 (Honda) 39m 38.962s

4. Romano Fenati ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 39m 38.988s

5. Niccolò Antonelli ITA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 39m 39.023s

6. Jorge Navarro SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 39m 39.166s

7. Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 39m 39.196s

8. Alexis Masbou FRA SAXOPRINT RTG (Honda) 39m 39.625s

9. Andrea Locatelli ITA Gresini Racing Team Moto3 (Honda) 39m 39.711s

10. Niklas Ajo FIN RBA Racing Team (KTM) 39m 40.917s

11. Philipp Oettl GER Schedl GP Racing (KTM) 39m 41.136s

12. Jorge Martin SPA MAPFRE Team MAHINDRA (Mahindra) 39m 47.775s

13. Karel Hanika CZE Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 39m 47.785s

14. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Drive M7 SIC (KTM) 39m 58.141s

15. Jules Danilo FRA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 39m 58.251s

16. Livio Loi BEL RW Racing GP (Honda) 39m 58.317s

17. John Mcphee GBR SAXOPRINT RTG (Honda) 39m 58.577s

18. Isaac Viñales SPA Husqvarna Factory Laglisse (Husqvarna) 39m 58.837s

19. Zulfahmi Khairuddin MAL Drive M7 SIC (KTM) 39m 59.109s

20. Darryn Binder RSA Outox Reset Drink Team (Mahindra) 40m 15.203s

21. Andrea Migno ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 40m 16.017s

22. Stefano Manzi ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 40m 16.139s

23. Remy Gardner AUS CIP (Mahindra) 40m 16.199s

24. Alessandro Tonucci ITA Outox Reset Drink Team (Mahindra) 40m 16.324s

25. Matteo Ferrari ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 40m 16.698s

26. Gabriel Rodrigo ARG RBA Racing Team (KTM) 40m 35.484s

27. Jonas Geitner GER Freudenberg Racing Team (KTM) 40m 53.796s

Ana Carrasco SPA RBA Racing Team (KTM) DNF

Maria Herrera SPA Husqvarna Factory Laglisse (Husqvarna) DNF

Tatsuki Suzuki JPN CIP (Mahindra) DNF

Maximilian Kappler GER SAXOPRINT-RTG (FTR Honda) DNF

Fabio Quartararo FRA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) DNF

Francesco Bagnaia ITA MAPFRE Team MAHINDRA (Mahindra) DNF

Hiroki Ono JPN Leopard Racing (Honda) DNF

Vazquez wins Moto3 Race as Miller takes title battle to Valencia

As the title race draws to a close in the closest Motorsport series in the world, it delivered a belting race to take the Championship to the final race in Valencia.

As you’d expect, for the first ten laps, the front group consisted of around nine riders, with Miller acting as the pack leader. Following him were both Estrella Galicia Honda’s and both Saxoprint RTG Honda’s. As they tripped over each other though, John Mcphee slowly fell back into the wheel tracks of Vinales, Kent and Kornfeil, only to to bridge the gap and re join them with 9 laps to go. South African Brad Binder retired earlier in the race, he was running in the second group.

In the dying laps of this race, Alex Rins and Efren Vazquez seemed to be the life of the gang with their pure race winning intentions. Having said that, Miller knew he had to win the race to maximise his chances in Valencia, so every time he was passed, it wasn’t long before he was back in the lead. Both Sky VR46 KTMs retired after coming into pitlane.

6 laps left and because of all the squabbling at the front, Danny Kent, Kornfeil, and Antonelli joined the party. For the fourth time, Miller makes a move on Marquez at turn one, forcing him wide. Jack continued to get destroyed on the straight by the faster Honda’s, so relied on his superior braking skills to keep him at the sharp end.

On that last lap, the race really caught fire as Kent, Masbou and Mcphee start spoiling the party, until McPhee unfortunately crashed out. As they went into the last corner, Rins dived underneath Miller, went wide as Vazquez cut underneath both of them to win. Miller was second, then Rins, and Kent pipped Marquez for fourth.

This means Miller is now only 11 points behind Marquez going into the final round in Valencia.

Race Results:

1. Efren Vazquez SPA SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 40m 41.002s
2. Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 40m 41.215s
3. Alex Rins SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 40m 41.387s
4. Danny Kent GBR Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo (Husqvarna) 40m 41.805s
5. Alex Marquez SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 40m 41.833s
6. Alexis Masbou FRA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 40m 42.075s
7. Niccolò Antonelli ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 40m 42.918s
8. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Calvo Team (KTM) 40m 43.091s
9. Karel Hanika CZE Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 40m 48.338s
10. Enea Bastianini ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 40m 50.522s
11. Juanfran Guevara SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 40m 58.409s
12. Jorge Navarro SPA Marc VDS Racing Team (Kalex-KTM) 40m 58.612s
13. Hafiq Azmi MAL SIC-AJO (KTM) 41m 10.594s
14. Alessandro Tonucci ITA CIP (Mahindra) 41m 10.747s
15. Remy Gardner AUS Calvo Team (KTM) 41m 18.469s
16. Luca Grünwald GER Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 41m 18.507s
17. Jules Danilo FRA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 41m 18.794s
18. Philipp Oettl GER Interwetten Paddock Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 41m 19.775s
19. Gabriel Ramos VEN Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 41m 36.585s
20. Hafiza Rofa MAL SIC-AJO (KTM) 42m 17.172s

Alex Marquez wins Moto3 dog fight as Miller and Kent miss out

Englishman and pole sitter Danny Kent led into turn one, as Jack Miller got a great start and is in second place by turn 5 on the first lap as the race looses several riders at a turn 1 crash. Championship leader Alex Marquez was sat in third with South African Brad Binder in 4th.

Just when it looked like Marquez was about to leave Kent behind after passing him, Danny takes him back, relegating Marquez to fourth. This is the point the leading pack started to swap positions left right and centre with Binder, McPhee, Vazquez and Oliveira looking strong too.

With 6 laps to go, Oliveira had a massive highside, landing hard, but he was seen to be walking a lap later. The last two laps saw Kent, Miller and Marquez scrapping it out for the win, Vazquez then joined them as Binder and McPhee brought up the rear.

On the last lap it was very intense, as the front pack approached the last few corners, Kent and Miller barged shoulders on the back straight, out braked each other, letting Marquez through to win, with Vazquez and Binder sneaking passed for the podium.

Alex Marquez now leads the standings by 25 points ahead of Australian Jack Miller.

1. Alex Marquez SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 39m 26.830s
2. Efren Vazquez SPA SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 39m 27.187s
3. Brad Binder RSA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 39m 27.314s
4. John McPhee GBR SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 39m 27.502s
5. Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 39m 27.991s
6. Danny Kent GBR Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo (Husqvarna) 39m 28.626s
7. Romano Fenati ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 39m 32.757s
8. Enea Bastianini ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 39m 32.855s
9. Niccolò Antonelli ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 39m 33.357s
10. Alex Rins SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 39m 33.516s
11. Isaac Viñales SPA Calvo Team (KTM) 39m 33.818s
12. Karel Hanika CZE Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 39m 45.543s
13. Francesco Bagnaia ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 39m 45.587s
14. Zulfahmi Khairuddin MAL Ongetta-AirAsia (Honda) 39m 46.072s
15. Alessandro Tonucci ITA CIP (Mahindra) 39m 46.494s
16. Eric Granado BRA Calvo Team (KTM) 39m 51.618s
17. Philipp Oettl GER Interwetten Paddock Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 40m 6.910s
18. Hafiq Azmi MAL SIC-AJO (KTM) 40m 6.984s
19. Jules Danilo FRA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 40m 7.718s
20. Jasper Iwema NED CIP (Mahindra) 40m 7.841s
21. Luca Grünwald GER Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 40m 27.566s
22. Gabriel Ramos VEN Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 40m 28.582s
23. Andrea Locatelli ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 40m 37.825s
24. Matteo Ferrari ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 1 lap

Moto3

Alex Marquez now leads the standings by 25 points ahead of Australian Jack Miller.

My Moto3 Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Race Recap

When Honda decided they would make a brand new machine to challenge the dominant KTM contingent, everyone had mixed thoughts. Would it really be a massive effort? Would it still not be enough to beat KTM. The answer was yes, it’s a huge effort and success has come there way, and even victory last Sunday was achieved.

At the start, it was indeed Alex Marquez leading into turn one from pole. Binder’s great qualifying of 4th wasn’t wasted as he got himself into 3rd. Bastianini was in second, impressing again, however his teammate Antonelli crashed hard at turn 10. He hit the tyre wall hard but was okay. Alex Rins then retired due to a broken gear lever.

Marquez was not touched the whole race, he rode around on his own at the front, very unlike any Moto3 race we’ve seen this year. Vazquez, Fenati, Bastianini, Vinales, Ajo, Binder and title leader Miller were all in a huge battle for a podium finish. The last lap was your typical scrap in Moto3. Fenati made an error at turn five letting bikes through, one of which was Miller. Ajo all but fell off his bike at turn 7, but pulled off a ‘Randy Mamola’ save and still finished 8th. So Bastianini finished second, his first podium in Grand Prix in only his 7th attempt! Vazquez was 3rd followed by Miller and Fenati.

This was also Honda’s first Moto3 win since 2012.

Race Results:

1. Alex Marquez SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 41m 11.656s
2. Enea Bastianini ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 41m 14.892s
3. Efren Vazquez SPA SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 41m 15.168s
4. Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 41m 15.420s
5. Romano Fenati ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 41m 15.518s
6. Brad Binder RSA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 41m 15.704s
7. Isaac Viñales SPA Calvo Team (KTM) 41m 15.787s
8. Niklas Ajo FIN Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo (Husqvarna) 41m 21.437s
9. John McPhee GBR SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 41m 30.234s
10. Francesco Bagnaia ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 41m 30.253s
11. Alexis Masbou FRA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 41m 30.638s
12. Miguel Oliveira POR Mahindra Racing (Mahindra) 41m 30.698s
13. Alessandro Tonucci ITA CIP (Mahindra) 41m 30.984s
14. Karel Hanika CZE Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 41m 31.279s
15. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Calvo Team (KTM) 41m 31.639s
16. Zulfahmi Khairuddin MAL Ongetta-AirAsia (Honda) 41m 32.050s
17. Danny Kent GBR Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo (Husqvarna) 41m 32.667s
18. Arthur Sissis AUS Mahindra Racing (Mahindra) 41m 46.751s
19. Philipp Oettl GER Interwetten Paddock Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 41m 46.996s
20. Luca Grünwald GER Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 41m 47.245s
21. Matteo Ferrari ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 41m 47.358s
22. Gabriel Rodrigo ARG RBA Racing Team (KTM) 41m 47.888s
23. Eric Granado BRA Calvo Team (KTM) 41m 47.956s
24. Bryan Schouten NED CIP (Mahindra) 41m 50.191s
25. Livio Loi BEL Marc VDS Racing Team (Kalex-KTM) 41m 50.192s
26. Scott Deroue NED RW Racing GP (Kalex-KTM) 41m 50.262s
27. Jules Danilo FRA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 41m 54.249s
28. Juanfran Guevara SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 42m 7.806s
29. Andrea Locatelli ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 42m 7.866s
30. Ana Carrasco SPA RW Racing GP (Kalex-KTM) 42m 12.808s
31. Gabriel Ramos VEN Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 42m 12.905s

My Moto3 Monster Energy Grand Prix de France Race Recap

Even through this weekends practice and qualifying sessions, we could very quickly see that there would be nothing in it for the Moto3 race. The Honda’s riders were all extremely quick, taking no time at all to gel with the Le Mans circuit on their new machinery. KTM’s top dog Jack Miller had struggled to stay with them on raw pace, but the race would tell a different story. As usual the front group consisted of no less than 4 riders, that was until Alex Rins attempted to pull a gap on Vazquez, Marquez and Miller following. Soon enough though, the gap was reduced to nothing, and in actual fact the front group now had 8 riders scrapping for a podium. Bagnaia, McPhee, Masbou were just a handful more now ready to put it all on the line.

With the Honda’s mugging Jack Miller’s KTM on the straights, Jack’s brilliant braking and cornering skills were his only chance of a French Win. On those last laps, the battle between himself and Vazquez was as good as it gets. Every corner there was an attempt to steal the lead, and then to steal it back. The last lap was pretty crazy, and as the pair entered the final sector, Efren dived underneath Jack, but Jack stuck to his line and rode around the Spaniard, giving him no room at all. Efren had to pick the bike up, which meant he fell down to 6th, handing Alex Rins second place. Alex even had a look at passing Miller into the penultimate corner, but Jack rode a defensive line.

Personally, that was easily Jack Miller’s greatest performance yet. Many will agree, not only because his performance was impeccable, but his opposition visibly had quicker Motorcycles. Mugello you would think the Honda’s will be strong again taking into account with the colossal straight, but the great variety of corners in Mugello should easily keep the KTM’s well in the mix. A big shame for Romano Fenati though, a DNF means Miller has a 30 point championship lead. Romano has beautiful chance of taking a chunk out of that title lead in Italy though, and a very possible victory at home will already be on his mind.

Race Results.

Pos/No. Rider Bike
1 8 Jack MILLER KTM 41’30.582
2 42 Alex RINS Honda
3 32 Isaac VIÑALES KTM
4 21 Francesco BAGNAIA KTM
5 12 Alex MARQUEZ Honda
6 7 Efren VAZQUEZ Honda
7 33 Enea BASTIANINI KTM
8 17 John MCPHEE Honda
9 10 Alexis MASBOU Honda
10 84 Jakub KORNFEIL KTM
11 63 Zulfahmi KHAIRUDDIN Honda
12 44 Miguel OLIVEIRA Mahindra
13 52 Danny KENT Husqvarna
14 41 Brad BINDER Mahindra
15 65 Philipp OETTL Kalex KTM
16 38 Hafiq AZMI KTM
17 61 Arthur SISSIS Mahindra
18 43 Luca GRÜNWALD Kalex KTM
19 51 Bryan SCHOUTEN Mahindra
20 11 Livio LOI Kalex KTM
21 3 Matteo FERRARI Mahindra
22 22 Ana CARRASCO Kalex KTM
23 34 Michael Ruben RINALDI Mahindra
24 4 Gabriel RAMOS Kalex KTM
25 9 Scott DEROUE Kalex KTM

Did not finish the Race

31 Niklas AJO Husqvarna 3 Laps
5 Romano FENATI KTM 5 Laps
19 Alessandro TONUCCI Mahindra 17 Laps
23 Niccolò ANTONELLI KTM 18 Laps
98 Karel HANIKA KTM 21 Laps
95 Jules DANILO Mahindra 21 Laps

Did not finish the first Lap

58 Juanfran GUEVARA Kalex KTM 0 Lap

My Moto3 Season so far, and Qualifying Recap for the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France

Moto3:

This year in Moto3, we have witnessed some of the most entertaining and at times, aggressive racing in recent years. We have Jack Miller, the Australian who earnt his Factory KTM ride by riding the wheels of last years under powered Honda…winning the first two races of this season.

Then we have Romano Fenati, a very flamboyant Italian who set the world on fire in 2012 when won his first Grand Prix, on only his 2nd attempt at Jerez. Last year the Honda was outdated and slow in comparison to the KTM’s, so he didn’t score any wins last year. But for this year, Valentino Rossi signed little Romano to ride for his team, to race a KTM sponsored by Sky. A formidable partnership we all thought. How right we were…as Romano won round 3 and 4 of the Championship in Argentina and Jerez.

However, The Honda’s are now just as fast. Their brand new bike for this year has been a hit with the teams, and rightly so. Estrella Galicia Repsol lads Alex Rins and Alex Marqeuz have been up there on the podium, along with RTG Honda’s Efren Vazquez who has been consistently fighting for wins. No Honda has won yet, but in this class it is only a matter of time. So here is how they line up…Vazquez has taken pole this afternoon, his ever first pole position. Fractionally ahead of Jack Miller who will line up behind him. For the rest of the field it’s a bit muddled up it must be said. But the top 17 are covered by just 1 second, so 10th place Fenati could still score a podium tomorrow!

Here is the Moto3 Grid for tomorrow’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans

1. Efren Vazquez (1’42.491)
2. Jack Miller
3. Alex Rins
4. Alexis Masbou
5. Niklas Ajo
6. Isaac Viñales
7. Alex Marquez
8. John McPhee
9. Zulfahmi Khairuddin
10. Romano Fenati
11. Karel Hanika
12. Danny Kent
13. Enea Bastianini
14. Miguel Oliveira
15. Niccolò Antonelli
16. Alessandro Tonucci
17. Francesco Bagnaia
18. Juanfran Guevara
19. Hafiq Azmi
20. Jakub Kornfeil
21. Brad Binder
22. Philipp Oettl
23. Scott Deroue
24. Bryan Schouten
25. Livio Loi
26. Luca Grünwald
27. Arthur Sissis
28. Matteo Ferrari
29. Michael Ruben Rinaldi
30. Ana Carrasco
31. Eric Granado
32. Jules Danilo
33. Gabriel Ramos

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