Cycle News

VOL. 52 ISSUE 15 APRIL 14, 2015 P57 braked Dovizioso onto the straight only for the Ducati to power ahead. Marquez attacked again at the hard braking at the end of the straight, and from here on he took the lead to the finish. His escape over the next laps was helped by Rossi, now also setting about the vexingly fast Ducati, and finally ahead on lap eight. At the same time slow- starting Iannone had got past not only Aleix Espargaro's Suzuki, but also Lorenzo and Smith to close on his fellow Italians. Clearly none could catch Mar- quez, but the issue remained in doubt until the closing laps. On the 16th, after noticing "that Val- entino [Rossi] was having some trouble on the right-handers," Dovizioso reclaimed second and set about staying just far enough ahead "so he couldn't attack on the last lap." Rossi did have front tire trouble, like last year, "though not as bad." He (along with Mar- quez, Crutchlow and a couple of lesser lights) had chosen the extra-hard front. "But I needed the extra, extra hard," he joked. It was Dovizioso's second successive second place on the still fledgling Ducati GP15. Teammate Iannone had chal- lenged strongly, but lost pace in the closing stages, succumbing to a late-developing Lorenzo with three laps left. >>KENT DOMINATES Danny Kent obviously forgot to read the Moto3 script. In a class known for ultra-close finishes, the English Leopard Honda rider found a massive speed advantage to claim pole, and then to run away with the race by an eventual 8.5 seconds, an unthinkable margin in a dry race. The usual battle of inches was for second; and was almost an all-Hon- da affair. Especially after the depar- ture of early leader Miguel Oliveira on the Red Bull KTM, who crashed for a second race while recovering from dropping to the back of a highly volatile gang. Ongetta-Rivacold Honda's Nic- colo Antonelli was the early leader, Kent cautiously biding his time on a still partially damp track as Oliveira took over. At the end of the back straight for the fourth time he swept past both of them to lead for the first time. Within two laps he had a lead of better than a second, and he kept on building, his progress serene by contrast with the fireworks in his wake. Oliveira fell foul of a tangle and dropped to ninth on lap six, and set fastest lap soon afterwards as he cut forward again—up to fourth when he crashed out At the same time, Leopard Honda's Efren Vazquez had started steadily picking up positions after dropping to 15th after the start. Just after half dis- tance he took over fourth from Oliveira, now behind long- time group leader Alexis Masbou on the SaxoPrint Honda and persistent under-age French compatriot Fabio Quartararo on the Galicia Honda. Quartararo had seized second by the last corner of the final lap—where Qatar winner Masbou crashed out within sight of the flag—a remark- able result for the rookie; holding Vazquez, Gresini Honda's Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder narrowly at bay. Then came two more: Masbou's teammate John McPhee finally losing touch with the gang, but com- fortably clear of Andrea Locatelli on the Gresini Honda. The Italian had been scrapping up front, but was pushed off the track as he narrowly avoided Oliveira's fallen bike. On the last lap he finally regained seventh again from Sky KTM's Romano Fenati. Husqvarna's Isaac Vinales was close behind in ninth, fending off late-comers Karel Hanika on the Red Bull KTM and Drive M7 KTM's Jakub Kornfeil. With lurking damp patches, there were several crashers, including Mapfre Mahindra's Pecco Bagnaia out of third place at half distance. Kent assumed the title lead, on 41 points from Bastianini (33), Quartararo (29), Vazquez (29) and Masbou (25). Danilo Petrucci gives fellow Ducati rider Andrea Iannone a lift back to the paddock after Iannone had to park his GP15 on the cool down lap. Danny Kent took the lead and never looked back.

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