Michael Scott | June 17, 2018
2018 Catalunya Moto2 and Moto3 Results
Moto2 Race – 22 laps, 101.794 km
French former bright hope Fabio Quartararo illustrated the strength of the never-give-up principle, taking his Speed Up from pole position to not only his first GP win, but his first podium since 2015, when he was given a special under-age entry into Moto3 as a reward for winning the previous two “Junior World Championship” Spanish CEV titles.
2018 Catalunya Moto2 and Moto3 Results
Quartararo convincingly outpaced title challenger Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM), who had come blazing through from 17th on the grid, and in turn defeated Alex Marquez, whose EG-VDS Kalex made it three different types of chassis on the grid for the first time since 2013.
Marquez fended off a strong challenge from Dynavolt Intact team—mates Marcel Schrotter and Xavi Vierge; while less than three second behind Brad Binder (Red Bull KTMN) held off Lorenzo Baldassarri for sixth.
Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex) dropped back to eighth, and is now just one point ahead of Oliveira in the title chase, with Marquez also closing up.
GRAN PREMI MONSTER ENERGY DE CATALUNYA
Moto2 Race Classification 2018
Barcelona, Sunday, June 17, 2018
2018 Catalunya Moto2 and Moto3 Results
Moto3 Race – 21 laps, 97.167 km
Crashes and drama upset the form book in Moto3, with Leopard Honda’s Enea Bastianini taking a first win of the year and second-placed Marco Bezzecchi (Redox Pruestel KTM) extending his championship lead, after earlier title favourite Jorge Martin (Del Conca Honda) had crashed out of a commanding lead.
Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA KTM) was third, the Argentine rider’s first podium, narrowly ahead of John McPhee (Green Power KTM) AND Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Honda), the top five over the line inside less than a second.
They were the survivors of what had been an 11-strong lead group, after several multi-bike crashes that accounted for erstwhile leaders Jaume Masia and Andrea Migno (both KTM) as well as front-runners Aron Canet (Honda) and Nicollo Bulega and Le Mans winner Albert Arenas (both KTM).
Bezzecchi’s valuable score moved him almost 20 points of new second-placer Fabio Di Giannantonio, a distant ninth today; with his team-mate Martin now third.
GRAN PREMI MONSTER ENERGY DE CATALUNYA
Moto3 Race Classification 2018
Barcelona, Sunday, June 17, 2018