ROAD RACE
MOTOGP / FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 8 / JULY 13-15, 2018
SACHSENRING / HOHENSTEIN-ERNSTTHAL, GERMANY
P62
strong place at or near the front
of a huge, close pack, and then
moved away over the last seven
laps to win by 2.5 seconds.
His fifth victory of the year
extended the title lead he only
regained two weeks ago at As-
sen, after three no-scores, twice
as victim of crashes by others.
In his wake, second to sev-
enth was covered by just over a
second.
Former title leader Marco Bez-
zecchi (Redox KTM) very nar-
rowly held off long-time podium
absentee John McPhee (Green
Power KTM); while three-tenths
away Marcos Ramirez (Bester
Capital KTM) crossed the line
inches ahead of Aron Canet
(EG Honda), with Jakub Kornfeil
(Redox KTM) close behind.
12th on the last lap. Dominique
Aegerter (Kiefer KTM) was still
close; rookie Augusto Fernan-
dez (Pons Kalex) took the last
point.
As well as Pasini, Lorenzo
Baldassarri, Danny Kent and
Tetsuta Nagashima crashed out,
the first two from strong posi-
tions.
Bagnaia's points lead shrank
back to seven, 148 to Oliveira
on 141. Marquez has 113, Mir 95
and Baldassarri 93, with Binder
closing on 91.
Moto3
Jorge Martin rose head and
shoulders above an intense
and complicated Moto3 race.
The Del Conca Gresini Honda
rider started from pole, held a
close enough to attack.
In his wake, Lowes reclaimed
fifth from Schrotter on the final
lap.
Marquez had been fading
badly, towards the back of a big
fight some 10 seconds away,
seventh to 13th covered by less
than two seconds. With three
laps to go, Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt
Kalex) got to the front of this
swarm. Inches behind, Simone
Corsi (Kalex), Fabio Quartararo
(Speed Up) and Jorge Navarro
(Kalex) completed the top 10.
Then, in short order, Remy
Gardner (Tech3), Bagnaia and
Marquez, with the Italian taking
Brad Binder finally laid his Moto2
ghosts to rest with an excellent ride
to victory, his first in the category.
