MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 8/JUNE 27, 2015
CIRCUIT VAN DRENTHE/ASSEN, NETHERLANDS
P62
>>OLIVEIRA ON TOP
The race—opined points leader,
Leopard Honda's Danny Kent—was
"more like a war." A seven-strong lead
group had formed after only some four
laps, and from there to the end they
remained inches apart, swapping to
and fro. Typical Moto3, and typically
breathtaking.
When the septet crossed the line,
they were still covered by .540 of a
second.
It would take far too long to de-
scribe all the blows exchanged, but
you can imagine it.
Red Bull KTM's Miguel Oliveira
had led away, and led more laps than
any other—nine in total. The one that
mattered was the last: the Portuguese
rider's second win of the year, by just
.066 of a second.
Second, for a second time this
year, went to teenage rookie Fabio
Quartararo on the E-G 0,0 Honda;
with Danny Kent another five hun-
dredths behind him.
It can't be luck, so it must be tac-
tics; but it was very fraught.
Laps 17 to 20 were led by another
rookie, Quartararo's teammate Jorge
Navarro, who ended up fourth; manag-
ing to fend off Romano Fenati on the
VR46 Sky KTM. Fenati had also led at
various stages, for a total of six laps.
Pole starter Enea Bastianini on the
Gresini Honda also had a few goes up
front, but was mugged down to sixth at
the last gaps; South African Brad Bind-
er on the Red Bull KTM was seventh
pretty much throughout, able to stay
close, but no more than that.
There was an even bigger group
battling behind, with similar up-
and-down fortunes. Eighth went to
erstwhile front-runner Karel Hanika on
