Moto2 Spain: Baldassarri dominates for Jerez victory
Lorenzo Baldassarri converted pole into his second Moto2 win as he took charge at the front and dominated the Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez.
The Pons HP40 rider took a few laps to get back in his groove but once out front he took charge of the race, easing away to win by 2.851s, giving a smooth, classy performance out front.
Behind the Kalex man Miguel Oliveira gave chase, but could not bridge the gap, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider still impressed having started fourteenth on the grid after struggling to find his best line around the track and feeling ‘stressed’, rallying when he realised the leaders did not immediately pull away which gave him the chance to gain ground and claim second.
Third went to Francesco Bagnaia, the Sky Racing VR46 rider retaining his championship lead with a podium finish, now just 9 points ahead of race winner Baldassarri in the overall standings.
With the leaders out of sight the Italian looked to be ready to settle for third, but pressure came from the rapidly catching Xavi Vierge, Bagnia knuckled down and sped up to keep position, leaving the Dynavolt Intact GP rider fourth.
Mattia Pasini recovered from contact with Romano Fenati to take a solid fifth, ahead of Brad Binder who struggled to sixth as he battled his Red Bull KTM Ajo as much as he fought the competition.
Marcel Schrotter recovered after receiving a three place grid penalty for riding slowly on the racing line and disturbing another rider in qualifying to take the chequered flag in seventh after starting from 20th on the grid.
Sam Lowes was only just behind the German in eighth for Swiss Innovative Investors, with team-mate Iker Lecuona taking his second top ten finish in a row in ninth, after finishing fifth in Austin.
The top ten was completed by Fabio Quartararo - his best result so far this season for Speed Up.
Joan Mir was once again the top rookie - and is so far the only rookie to take any points at all - in eleventh for EG 0,0 Marc VDS after a long battle with Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing) ended with the Spaniard ahead at the finish line.
The remaining points were picked up by Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) taking a seasons best in 13th, Hector Barbera (Pons HP40) in 14th and Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans) in 15th.
Dominique Aegerter’s replacement while he recovers from his pelvis injury was Lucas Tulovic was the better finisher of the stand-ins in 20th.
Remy Gardner (Broken legs and ankle) was replaced in the race by Hector Garzo, who crossed the line in 23rd.
Wild-card Xavi Cardelus (Team Stylobike) was one place ahead of him in 22nd.
Luca Marini and Jorge Navarro were the riders involved in the almost customary first lap crash, with the Italian riding off line and clipping Navarro at turn six. Marini was cleared of injury by the medical director.
Eric Granado fell at the same corner one lap later swiftly followed by Jules Danilo. Romano Fenati exited proceedings while battling with Pasini, shortly before Stefano Manzi ran off at turn two and Zulfahmi Khairuddin ran into the gravel at turn five.
Alex Marquez dented his title hopes with an early off at turn two.
Danny Kent was the next to exit, then Joe Roberts who fell a couple of laps before his NTS team-mate Steven Odendaal who was the last man to crash out with just two laps remaining.
