2018 Moto2 and Moto3 Results Sunday from Le Mans — The second race of the day conformed to Moto2 type: processional but tense, with accuracy and consistency rewarding pole starter Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex) with a start-to-finish win.
2018 Moto2 and Moto3 Results Sunday from Le Mans
He was chased all the way, from the first corner to the last, by EG-VDS Kalex rider Alex Marquez, the Spaniard only slacking off in the final laps, to finish less than three seconds adrift.
A similar distance away, his teammate – the amazing rookie Joan Mir. The reigning Moto3 champion had pushed past both Red Bull KTMs after finishing the first lap sixth, then patiently tailed Marcel Schrotter’s Dynavolt Kalex before moving past firmly on lap 15 to claim a clear first podium, leaving the still-battered Schrotter was an untroubled fourth.
Maybe the best ride of the race was to fifth by Xavi Vierge. The second Dynavolt rider had fuel pump trouble on the warm-up, and had to start from the back of the grid. He came storming through, fending off a strong fight-back by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) on the last lap.
Romano Fenati (Marinelli Kalex) had been ahead of both, and was a close fifth. Fabio Quartararo (Kalex) led the next group, with Brad Binder (KTM), and Stefano Manzi (Suter) completing the top ten.
Bagnaia extended his title lead to 15 points over Oliveira, then Marquez, Baldassarri and Pasini, both of whom crashed out today.
2018 Moto2 and Moto3 Results Sunday from Le Mans
HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE
Moto2 Race Classification 2018
Le Mans, Sunday, May 20, 2018
| 1 | 25 | 42 | Francesco BAGNAIA | ITA | SKY Racing Team VR46 | Kalex | 154.3 | 40’40.162 |
| 2 | 20 | 73 | Alex MARQUEZ | SPA | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Kalex | 154.1 | +2.709 |
| 3 | 16 | 36 | Joan MIR | SPA | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Kalex | 154.0 | +4.865 |
| 4 | 13 | 23 | Marcel SCHROTTER | GER | Dynavolt Intact GP | Kalex | 153.9 | +7.041 |
| 5 | 11 | 97 | Xavi VIERGE | SPA | Dynavolt Intact GP | Kalex | 153.7 | +9.811 |
| 6 | 10 | 44 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | POR | Red Bull KTM Ajo | KTM | 153.7 | +9.943 |
| 7 | 9 | 13 | Romano FENATI | ITA | Marinelli Snipers Team | Kalex | 153.5 | +12.293 |
| 8 | 8 | 20 | Fabio QUARTARARO | FRA | MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing | Speed Up | 153.4 | +14.585 |
| 9 | 7 | 41 | Brad BINDER | RSA | Red Bull KTM Ajo | KTM | 153.3 | +15.429 |
| 10 | 6 | 62 | Stefano MANZI | ITA | Forward Racing Team | Suter | 153.2 | +17.228 |
| 11 | 5 | 40 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Pons HP40 | Kalex | 153.1 | +18.809 |
| 12 | 4 | 5 | Andrea LOCATELLI | ITA | Italtrans Racing Team | Kalex | 153.1 | +19.541 |
| 13 | 3 | 22 | Sam LOWES | GBR | Swiss Innovative Investors | KTM | 153.0 | +21.112 |
| 14 | 2 | 24 | Simone CORSI | ITA | Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2 | Kalex | 152.8 | +23.510 |
| 15 | 1 | 89 | Khairul Idham PAWI | MAL | IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia | Kalex | 152.7 | +25.996 |
| 16 | 64 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | NED | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 152.6 | +29.267 | |
| 17 | 4 | Steven ODENDAAL | RSA | NTS RW Racing GP | NTS | 152.3 | +32.493 | |
| 18 | 54 | Mattia PASINI | ITA | Italtrans Racing Team | Kalex | 151.6 | +44.006 | |
| 19 | 16 | Joe ROBERTS | USA | NTS RW Racing GP | NTS | 151.5 | +45.609 | |
| 20 | 95 | Jules DANILO | FRA | Nashi Argan SAG Team | Kalex | 151.5 | +45.840 | |
| 21 | 52 | Danny KENT | GBR | MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing | Speed Up | 151.4 | +46.052 | |
| 22 | 66 | Niki TUULI | FIN | SIC Racing Team | Kalex | 151.3 | +48.371 | |
| 23 | 3 | Lukas TULOVIC | GER | Kiefer Racing | KTM | 150.9 | +54.304 | |
| 24 | 19 | Corentin PEROLARI | FRA | Promoto Sport | Transformiers | 150.8 | +57.478 | |
| 25 | 45 | Tetsuta NAGASHIMA | JPN | IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia | Kalex | 150.1 | +1’07.712 | |
| 26 | 18 | Xavi CARDELUS | AND | Team Stylobike | Kalex | 149.3 | +1’21.756 | |
| 27 | 80 | Cedric TANGRE | FRA | Yohan Moto Sport | Tech 3 | 148.4 | +1’36.542 | |
| Not Classified | ||||||||
| 21 | Federico FULIGNI | ITA | Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2 | Kalex | 149.6 | 15 Laps | ||
| 14 | Hector GARZO | SPA | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 144.9 | 15 Laps | ||
| 7 | Lorenzo BALDASSARRI | ITA | Pons HP40 | Kalex | 144.1 | 17 Laps | ||
| 27 | Iker LECUONA | SPA | Swiss Innovative Investors | KTM | 136.7 | 19 Laps | ||
| 9 | Jorge NAVARRO | SPA | Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 | Kalex | 129.5 | 20 Laps | ||
| 51 | Eric GRANADO | BRA | Forward Racing Team | Suter | 138.2 | 24 Laps | ||
| 10 | Luca MARINI | ITA | SKY Racing Team VR46 | Kalex | 133.7 | 24 Laps | ||
| Not Finished 1st Lap | ||||||||
| 32 | Isaac VIÑALES | SPA | SAG Team | Kalex | 0 Lap | |||
2018 Moto2 and Moto3 Results Sunday from Le Mans
Moto3 – 22 Laps
High drama and low heartbreak closed off the Moto3 race, with the final results decided by a pair of last-corner crashes, followed by a pair of post-race penalties.
Del Conca Honda rider Fabio Di Giannantonio actually crossed the line first, after cutting inside long-time leaders, his team-mate and pole starter Jorge Martin and championship leader Marco Bezzecchi, with the latter promptly crashing and taking Martin down with him.
But the erstwhile first-time winner was robbed by a three-second time penalty after taking a (not entirely voluntary) short cut through the first chicane.
A first win was awarded to Spanish Angel Nieto KTM rider Albert Arenas, with the leading group of ten throughout; with his team-mate Andrea Migno second, and a second successive podium for Marcos Ramirez (BCD KTM), through promotion rather than track position.
It was the first all-KTM podium since the last race of 2016, albeit somewhat fortuitous.
On the penultimate lap, another candidate for victory, Leopard Honda’s Enea Bastianini, had also fallen at the last corner. Early leader Jakub Kornfeil was unable to avoid hitting his bike, but the KTM rider landed wheels down in the gravel after a huge jump, and was classified sixth, behind Di Giannantonio and second-best Honda rider Nico Antonelli.
It was a lucky day for Aron Canet (EG Honda). Condemned to a back of the grid start for causing a costly crash at Jerez, the mixed fortunes today meant he finished eighth.
In spite of falling, Bezzecchi retained the points lead, four ahead of Di Giannantonio, with Canet third and twice luckless Jorge Martin fourth, eight adrift of the leader.
HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE
Moto3 Race Classification 2018
Le Mans, Sunday, May 20, 2018
| 1 | 25 | 75 | Albert ARENAS | SPA | Angel Nieto Team Moto3 | KTM | 146.6 | 37’40.056 |
| 2 | 20 | 16 | Andrea MIGNO | ITA | Angel Nieto Team Moto3 | KTM | 146.6 | +0.160 |
| 3 | 16 | 42 | Marcos RAMIREZ | SPA | Bester Capital Dubai | KTM | 146.6 | +0.709 |
| 4 | 13 | 21 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO | ITA | Del Conca Gresini Moto3 | Honda | 146.7 | +0.811 |
| 5 | 11 | 23 | Niccolò ANTONELLI | ITA | SIC58 Squadra Corse | Honda | 146.6 | +2.305 |
| 6 | 10 | 84 | Jakub KORNFEIL | CZE | Redox PruestelGP | KTM | 146.3 | +5.487 |
| 7 | 9 | 14 | Tony ARBOLINO | ITA | Marinelli Snipers Team | Honda | 146.1 | +7.577 |
| 8 | 8 | 44 | Aron CANET | SPA | Estrella Galicia 0,0 | Honda | 145.9 | +11.190 |
| 9 | 7 | 24 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | JPN | SIC58 Squadra Corse | Honda | 145.9 | +11.517 |
| 10 | 6 | 5 | Jaume MASIA | SPA | Bester Capital Dubai | KTM | 145.9 | +11.704 |
| 11 | 5 | 40 | Darryn BINDER | RSA | Red Bull KTM Ajo | KTM | 145.8 | +12.011 |
| 12 | 4 | 17 | John MCPHEE | GBR | CIP – Green Power | KTM | 145.8 | +12.073 |
| 13 | 3 | 76 | Makar YURCHENKO | KAZ | CIP – Green Power | KTM | 145.8 | +12.358 |
| 14 | 2 | 10 | Dennis FOGGIA | ITA | SKY Racing Team VR46 | KTM | 145.8 | +12.481 |
| 15 | 1 | 65 | Philipp OETTL | GER | Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing | KTM | 145.8 | +12.746 |
| 16 | 71 | Ayumu SASAKI | JPN | Petronas Sprinta Racing | Honda | 145.8 | +12.808 | |
| 17 | 27 | Kaito TOBA | JPN | Honda Team Asia | Honda | 145.7 | +14.397 | |
| 18 | 22 | Kazuki MASAKI | JPN | RBA BOE Skull Rider | KTM | 144.8 | +28.015 | |
| 19 | 72 | Alonso LOPEZ | SPA | Estrella Galicia 0,0 | Honda | 144.3 | +36.479 | |
| 20 | 41 | Nakarin ATIRATPHUVAPAT | THA | Honda Team Asia | Honda | 142.8 | +59.917 | |
| 21 | 11 | Livio LOI | BEL | Reale Avintia Academy | KTM | 142.4 | +1’07.363 | |
| Not Classified | ||||||||
| 12 | Marco BEZZECCHI | ITA | Redox PruestelGP | KTM | 146.7 | 1 Lap | ||
| 88 | Jorge MARTIN | SPA | Del Conca Gresini Moto3 | Honda | 146.7 | 1 Lap | ||
| 7 | Adam NORRODIN | MAL | Petronas Sprinta Racing | Honda | 144.9 | 1 Lap | ||
| 33 | Enea BASTIANINI | ITA | Leopard Racing | Honda | 146.7 | 2 Laps | ||
| 48 | Lorenzo DALLA PORTA | ITA | Leopard Racing | Honda | 141.2 | 8 Laps | ||
| 8 | Nicolo BULEGA | ITA | SKY Racing Team VR46 | KTM | 144.7 | 13 Laps | ||
| 19 | Gabriel RODRIGO | ARG | RBA BOE Skull Rider | KTM | 144.4 | 19 Laps | ||
