Qualifying:
Quali saw the experienced Andrea Mignoon pole, having made the best of mixed conditions, P2 went to Riccardo Rossi and P3 to the pre-season favourite of many for the championship, Jaume Masia. Previous race winner Pedro Acosta found himself on P21, quali so far not his thing, just winning!
The Race
Rain, rain go away, come back another day. Many of the riders would have opted for that little ditty as the race was declared wet and the conditions were tricky for the little bikes. It was Jaume Masia off the line withNiccoloAntonelli and Filip Salac, then Antonelli in P1. Pedro Acostahad made up ten places to get P10, the sensation on his way to the front again.
Then the crash fest started. First Antonelli getting caught out by the wet and slippery track falling from P1 to the tarmac, race over, then Tatsuki Suzuki hit the deck to be followed by Jeremy Alcoba. This left Sergio Garcia P1, Filip Salac P2 and Riccardo Rossi P3 and Masia P4, until again the greasy track claimed another victim and Jaume Masia crashed to the ground and out of the race.
So many going down so soon, clearly showed that this was becoming a race of attrition, it looked like staying calm and going for the long haul was the key, and this was probably a factor, because Pedro Acosta had gone from 21stto 5th, and then low-sided into a pirouette on lap 3.Somehow, he kept hold of his bike, pushed up and re-joined the race, all in ten seconds, but that put him back to 21st.
So much happened in the first four laps, but it was racing we came to see and not bikes sliding around the tarmac. This left Sergio Garcia P1, Filip Salac P2 and Riccardo Rossi P3 and nineteen laps to go. Steadily the track started to dry, clearly on the racing line, and the hope we would get some racing not crashing. That was not to be, as the riders were nervous to leave the dryline and risk a fall on the still very damp areas of the track, at least now though the crashing had ceased.
Pedro Acosta, the season sensation so far, had a difficult time yet still managed to get to 8th. Pedro’s team were signalling to him that he should think and go for points, with even Raul Fernandez (Team Ajo’s moto2 rider)giving him the “use your head” signal, which was nice, considering Raul’s brother Adrian races against Pedro in Moto3, in another team.
The Result
Over the line, it was Sergio Garcia Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team P1, P2 Filip Salac, Rivacold Snipers Team and Riccardo RossiBOEOwlride, P3.
These riders ran a steady and controlled race, and much respect to them for overcoming the conditions and bringing it home for some good points. John McPhee came in 4th, and for him much needed points after a disastrous start to his season, mostly due to no fault of his own.
See you in Mugello in two weeks, where hopefully the crazies can be crazy again.
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Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
