MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 5/MAY 17, 2015
CIRCUIT BUGATTI/LE MANS, FRANCE
P88
ITALIAN JOB
Topsy-turvy qualifying meant this
was bound to be a thriller. Precocious
rookie Fabio Quartararo on the E-G
Honda was on pole for a second suc-
cessive race; teammate Jorge Navarro
alongside for a first front row, then
Mapfre Mahindra's Pecco Bagnaia
likewise. Superfast Enea Bastianini on
the Gresini Honda however was down
in 18th. The top two in the champion-
ship, triple winner Danny Kent and
Efren Vazquez (both Leopard Honda)
were officially unqualified, racing un-
der special sanction, and starting 31st
and 29th respectively. Brad Binder on
the Red Bull KTM was 25th.
Vazquez and Binder would not sur-
vive the first three corners; the latter
taken out (along with Remy Gardner,
CIP Mahindra) by crasher Gabriel Ro-
drigo's sliding KTM; Vazquez crashing
alone a few yards later.
Up front, the usual tooth-and-nail.
Niccolo Antonelli on the Ongetta
Honda led away, with Bagnaia and a
determined Romano Fenati on the Sky
VR46 KTM probing away; Quartararo
and Drive M7 KTM's Jakub Kornfeil
were in close attendance; Red Bull
KTM's Miguel Oliveira tagging on; and
Bastianini coming through furiously to
join in, up to fourth after only five laps.
Fenati led over the line for the first
tie on lap four, and stayed there under
furious pressure, Bastianini second
for a spell up to half distance; then
Quartararo having his turn.
With six laps left, Quartararo
crashed out, giving the four leaders a
chance to escape. By now, the amaz-
