MotoGP 2017 – Round Four – Jerez
Aron Canet (SPA) takes his first ever win in home turf
Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) took his first ever Grand Prix win in his home Gran Premio Red Bull de España, with everything coming down to a three-rider battle in the final corner against Texas winner Romano Fenati (Marinello Rivacold Snipers) and Championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing). Canet’s move saw him go third to first in the “Jorge Lorenzo” corner on the final lap, holding onto it over the line in a tight win by only 0.031.
It was a classic Moto3 contest under the Spanish sun, with a long lead group fighting it out from lights out. Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) got a great start from pole, before the early laps of the race saw the Platinum Bay Real Estate team of Marcos Ramirez and Darryn Binder emerge as the early superstars – heading the battle at the front in a stunning fight for the lead.’]
Pushing hard to stay in the fight for victory, the battle sadly ended early for Darryn Binder after attempting to go round the outside of Fenati and sliding out, although the South African remounted and kept up some impressive pace to end the race in P20. The payoff tasted better for teammate Ramirez, who stayed in contention for the podium until the final few corners of the last lap and crossed the line for an impressive fourth – a best ever for the rider and equaling the best result for the team.
After the first tousles at the front, an initial top group of twelve had become 10 as the laps ticked down – with the quartet of Fenati, Mir, Canet and Ramirez keeping a small gap back to a chasing group of Del Conca Gresini Moto3’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Juanfran Guevara (RBA BOE Racing Team) and Sky Racing Team VR46 duo Andrea Migno and Nicolo Bulega.
By the flag it was ‘Diggia’ who took the honours in the group to finish fifth, ahead of Migno and an incredibly tight finish between Bulega and Bastianini. Jorge Martin crossed the line in ninth after struggling to find the same pace as his pole lap, with Guevara completing the top ten.
Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took P11 in a lonely ride by the flag, fighting through the second freight train and then able to pull away. John McPhee (British Talent Team) staged a stunning comeback from P25 on the grid to get up into twelfth, before then suffering a crash in Turn 1 and retiring from the race.
Jules Danilo (Marinello Rivacold Snipers) bested Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOA Racing Team) by only 0.07 over the line for P12, ahead of some well-earned points for Mahindra Northgate Aspar rider Albert Arenas after a solid weekend from the Spaniard.
Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team) was top rookie once again, and in the points in P15 – with track knowledge now beginning to pay off for the Japanese Asia Talent Cup and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup winner.
Next stop? Le Mans, another classic venue and another awesome Moto3 showdown – with Mir still leading the Championship and Fenati closing in.
Moto3 Race Results – Jerez 2017
- Aron Canet (SPA – Honda) 41’25.706
- Romano Fenati (ITA – Honda) +0.031
- Joan Mir (SPA – Honda) +0.155
Moto3 Championship Points Standings – Jerez 2017
- Franco Morbidelli 75
- Thomas Luthi 64
- Miguel Oliveira 59
- Alex Marquez 49
- Francesco Bagnaia 33
- Takaaki Nakagami 32
- Luca Marini 31
- Dominique Aegerter 27
- Lorenzo Baldassarri 26
- Xavi Vierge 25
