Moto2 Aragon: Binder back to winning ways in Spain
Brad Binder converted pole position into his second win of the season with a supreme performance which saw him pass and pull away from the other podium contenders in the closing stages of the Moto2 Aragon Grand Prix, the fourteenth round of the championship.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider returned to the venue which saw him seal the Moto3 crown in 2016 and continue to create happy memories at the Motorland track after passing Alex Marquez who he had followed around for much of the race while conserving tyres. Once ahead the South African never looked back and as the chasing group expanded and got more competitive he pulled away to win by 1.526s.
His 100th grand prix start brought Francesco Bagnaia second, the Sky Racing VR46 Kalex rider had needed to fight back to join the race for the podium spots and at one point looked to be fading away at the back. The Italian rallied to stay in touch and then battle up to second after a thrilling final few laps with contact between all those involved as they charged hard.
The result increases Bagnaia’s championship lead over Miguel Oliveira to 19 points, with the Portuguese rider unable to match his team-mates winning pace, he took seventh.
Lorenzo Baldassarri, inspired by Bagnaia’s moves, found impressive pace to also catch the leaders and create a group of four, the Italian then too found his way around Marquez to claim the final rostrum spot for Pons HP40.
Marquez missed out in fourth but recorded his first points finish in four rounds (following 2 DNF’s, a cancelled race and 18th in Misano after getting collected on the opening lap) for EG 0,0 Marc VDS.
Marcel Schrotter didn’t have the pace to match the leaders, finishing fifth for Dynavolt Intact GP.
There was clear air between the German and sixth, which went to top rookie Joan Mir on the second Marc VDS entry in hid 50th grand prix start, holding off the rapidly approaching Oliveira at the line.
Mattia Pasini was a distant eighth for Italtrans, Just ahead of Fabio Quartararo in ninth and Jorge Navarro, who squandered his front row start then fought back for tenth after a slow start to the race for Gresini.
Luca Marini secured eleventh on the second Sky Racing entry, with Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing) twelfth after a long battle with Oliveira at the midway point.
The final points on offer went to Augusto Fernandez (Pons HP40) in 13th, Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors) in 14th and Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who battled fiercely with Andrea Locatelli for 15th and won.
Wildcard Edgar Pons (AGR Team)had a solid run to take 17th.
Xavi Cardelus, who has been a wildcard at most rounds this season, replaces Romano Fenati at Marinelli Snipers, he was the last of the recorded finishers in 28th.
It was a bad day for the Brits, Danny Kent fell with 18 laps remaining while an error saw Sam Lowes run through the gravel and rejoin last. Lowes fought back to take 20th at the chequered flag.
Stefano Manzi did not make it to the end of the first lap, suffering his 26th crash of the season. Wildcard Sheridan Morais, Federico Fuligni and Xavi Vierge all also failed to finish.
