VOL. 54 ISSUE 14 APRIL 11, 2017 P75
John McPhee and the KTM's of
Philipp Oettl and Andrea Migno
onto the start of it.
The strongest challenge
came from British Talent Team's
McPhee, whose efforts almost
put him wide through the final
right-left corner set, allowing
Gresini teamster Martin a sniff at
second.
They crossed the line covered
by less than four tenths, with
fifth-placed Oettl (Schedl KTM)
only three more behind, with SKY
VR46's Migno right on his heels.
It was an exact repeat of the
Qatar podium.
Some five seconds back, a
group of three more Hondas had
also escaped the maul, led over
the line by Livio Loi (Leopard
Honda), through from 17th on lap
one. He narrowly got the better
of another to drop right back then
next two races.
Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer
Suter) and Jorge Navarro (Gresini
Kalex) had dropped off the back
of it, with Aegerter regaining 14th
from the rookie on the final lap.
Danny Kent (Kiefer Suter)
crashed out of the group. Xavier
Simeon (Tasca Kalex) also fell
early, while Fabio Quartararo
(Pons Kalex) took out his team
owner's son Axel Pons (RW
Kalex).
But the most notable crash
came on the very first corner,
where Qatar podium finisher
Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu
Kalex) skittled a hapless Remy
Gardner (Tech3), the second
time in two races that Gardner
has been taken out on the first
lap, although this time with dire
consequences for the Australian,
a broken ankle the result.
Morbidelli extended his points
lead, 50 ahead of Luthi (36),
Oliveira (33), Baldassarri (21) and
Vierge (18).
Moto3
Fast tracks make close rac-
ing, and it took until beyond half
distance for a five-strong group to
break clear of the brawling Moto3
field. It looked like anybody's
race, but for the strength of Qatar
winner Joan Mir.
The Leopard Honda rider had
started from 16th on the grid, but
by lap seven took the lead for the
first time.
Mir had the lion's share of it
over the line, but the pressure
was huge—and the last lap as
fraught and thrilling as the pre-
ceding 20.
Mir led fellow Honda riders
Jorge Martin and pole starter
Joan Mir's (36)
maturity is showing
after another brilliant
win in chaotic
circumstances.
