Moto2 Japan: Winner Quartararo keeps Bagnaia at bay
UPDATE: Fabio Quartararo has been stripped of victory after his Speed Up was found to have an illegal rear tyre pressure during post race checks...
Fabio Quartararo bagged his second career win in the intermadiate class after keeping composed as Bagnaia launched his last lap attack in the Moto2 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.
The Speed Up rider took the lead on the second lap of the race and was immediately hunted down by championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, who was eager to maximise his points difference over the struggling Miguel Oliveira.
The Frenchman had consistent pace and an answer to every move Bagnaia tried to take the lead and kept the Sky Racing VR46 rider at bay all the way to the chequered flag, winning by a margin of just 0.445s.
Polesitter 'Pecco' claimed a lack of grip on the Kalex prevented him pushing further, but second still increases his advantage in the title hunt, now with a tally of 279 points - 35 ahead of Oliveira.
Lorenzo Baldassarri completed the podium for Pons HP40 following a lonely, solo ride on track, he finished six seconds behind the lead duo; but was in turn five seconds clear of fourth placed Oliveira.
The Portuguese rider made up places from his ninth place grid position, but was frustrated not to be able to get in the mix and fight due to a lack of rear grip and data - it was the Red Bull KTM Ajo’s first weekend around Motegi in the dry after a wet race in their debut season as a moto2 team in 2017. Oliveira can take hope from the fact the next three races last season were all wins for him.
Alex Marquez - who is riding with a cracked shoulder blade following his huge practice crash - fought hard and put pressure on Oliveira in the closing stages. The EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider split the KTM pair after being together on track all race when he passed Brad Binder for fifth.
Augusto Fernandez took his best result to date on the second Pons entry in seventh after pulling out a small gap over Xavi Vierge who claimed eighth for Dynavolt Intact GP.
The Spaniard enjoyed a late tussle for position with Iker Lecuona. The Swiss Innovative Investors rider had claimed a front row start in qualifying before getting pretty beaten up on the opening lap on his way to ninth.
Luca Marini picked up a few places late on in the race to complete the top ten on the second Sky Racing entry.
Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) finished eleventh while Joan Mir was again the best of the rookies in twelfth for EG 0,0 Marc VDS.
Moto2’s only Japanese rider - Tetsuta Nagashima rose to the occasion on home soil to record his fourth consecutive points finish in 13th.
Dominique Aegerter battled his way up to 14th for Kiefer Racing, while Mattia Pasini also picked off positions as the laps counted down to claim 15th and take the final point on offer for Italtrans.
British rider Sam Lowes could only manage a best of 18th for the Swiss Innovative Investors team.
Simone Corsi lasted just five laps before he crashed out, with Federico Fuligni joining him in exiting the race with twelve laps to go. Jorge Navarro slid out of contention two laps later at turn nine. Bo Bendsneyder also failed to go the distance.
