Moto3: Incredible Binder last to first for debut win!
Brad Binder worked his way past every bike on the grid to take his first ever grand prix win at the Moto3 Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez.
Binder was forced to start from the back of the grid after his Red Bull KTM Ajo team used mapping on his bike that is not sanctioned for use, causing the grid demotion.
The South African believed in his pace and rallied hard, having topped warm up to display his race day pace, he made an aggressive start and had fought to 21st by the end of lap one, surviving a knock from his brother.
Taking every chance to pass and making a few of his own, eight laps later he had made his way to fourth at the front of the chasing pack and then pulled away and chased down the lead trio.
Once with the leaders the KTM man pushed his way to the front and pulled away clear of danger to win by a gap of 3.3 seconds, increasing his lead in the championship.
Binder not only takes his first win but becomes the first South African to take a Grand Prix win since Jon Ekerold won the 350cc race at Monza in 1981.
A new winner was guaranteed with none of the lead group having won a Moto3 race before and it was pole-sitter Nicolo Bulega who made a brave lunge at the final turn and held his momentum to take second at just his fifth grand prix for the Sky Racing VR46 team.
Francesco Bagnaia proved once again that the Mahindra is a rostrum capable machine, often at the front before finishing third for the second time this season.
Jorge Navarro was the rider who missed out on a podium finish, settling for fourth for Estrella Galicia, he was the first Honda over the finish line.
The race for fifth was close and involved the riders all the way down to twelfth place. The train of bikes was lead over the line by Jakub Kornfeil for Drive M7 SIC, who made a hard move to pass Romano Fenati at the start of the final lap and made it stick.
Leopard rider Joan Mir also found a way past for sixth, with Fenati seventh on the second Sky Racing VR46 entry.
Gresini's Enea Bastianini rode to eighth at the flag, Jules Danilo equalled his best result of ninth for Ongetta-Rivacold and Philipp Oettl completed the top ten for Schedl GP Racing.
The third Sky bike was just outside of the top ten with Andrea Migno taking eleventh before a gap back to twelfth which went to Juanfran Guevara who raced his RBA team-mate Gabriel Rodrigo to the line.
Argentina winner Khairul Idham Pawi finished 14th for Honda Team Asia and CIP rider Tatsuki Suzuki claimed the final point on offer in 15th
Niccolo Antonelli's bad luck got into gear before the race had even started, unable to start his bike at the return to line was pushed around for a pit lane start, the Ongetta-Rivacold rider later fell at turn eight.
The first crash occurred on the first lap with Jorge Martin and Fabio Quartararo finding the gravel. Two laps later a three way scuffle involving Andrea Locatelli, Hiroki Ono and Karel Hanika also ended off track.
Aron Canet was next to fall with 18 laps remaining and went to the medical centre for checks on his collarbone.
He was swiftly followed by British rider John McPhee who attempted to ride around his Peugeot MC Saxoprint's gearbox issues before ending his race on foot three laps later after working his way up to 22nd.
Alexis Masbou completed a bad day for the Peugeot team as he fell with Darryn Binder at turn two as the pair fought for 17th.
Fabio Di Giannantonio also failed to finish.
The Alex Rins team Procercasa 42 Motorsport wild-cards Davide Pizzoli and Enzo Boulom were 20th and 22nd respectively.
