Moto2: Bradl scores another Moto2 victory
Stefan Bradl took a straightforward third Moto2 race win of the year at Catalunya, pulling away from the competition even before the lead pack was spread out by a dramatic crash
Bradl had spent the first half of the race dicing with fast-starter Julian Simon and Aleix Espargaro, before edging away and establising a few seconds' lead.
As Bradl got away, a big battle for second developed between Simon, Kenan Sofuoglu, Espargaro, Dominique Aegerter, Marc Marquez and Simone Corsi - the latter having flown from 15th on the grid to fourth on lap one.
On lap 16, Sofuoglu clipped the rear of Simon's bike, tipping the Spaniard into a massive accident and ending both their races. Simon was able to stand up in the gravel trap following the crash.
This incident spread the pack out, with Marquez coming through to follow up his Le Mans win with a second place at home despite having been as low as 10th early on.
Espargaro took his first podium at world championship level in third, just ahead of Corsi, Randy Krummenacher, Alex de Angelis, Esteve Rabat and Mika Kallio. Aegerter also crashed out of the podium battle, falling at Turn 5 just before the Sofuoglu/Simon clash.
Bradley Smith had a highly eventful race - dropping from a top 10 place to 18th when nearly taken out as Thomas Luthi crashed at Turn 3 and took Yuki Takahashi down with him. Smith fought back through to challenge Rabat for seventh on the last lap, only to run off the road and slip right back to 19th again.
Results - 23 laps:
Pos Rider Team/Bike Time/Gap
1. Stefan Bradl Kiefer Kalex 41m38.888s
2. Marc Marquez Repsol Suter + 4.141s
3. Aleix Espargaro Pons Kalex + 8.409s
4. Simone Corsi Ioda FTR + 10.331s
5. Randy Krummenacher Kiefer Kalex + 11.661s
6. Alex de Angelis JIR Motobi + 12.383s
7. Esteve Rabat Blusens-STX FTR + 12.602s
8. Mika Kallio Marc VDS Suter + 13.467s
9. Yonny Hernandez Blusens-STX FTR + 16.612s
10. Max Neukirchner MZ + 16.735s
11. Scott Redding Marc VDS Suter + 17.031s
12. Michele Pirro Gresini Moriwaki + 18.460s
13. Alex Baldolini Forward Suter + 22.933s
14. Xavier Simeon Tech 3 + 23.416s
15. Andrea Iannone Speed Master Suter + 23.449s
16. Pol Espargaro Speed Up FTR + 24.070s
17. Claudio Corti Italtrans Suter + 24.111s
18. Carmelo Morales G22 Moriwaki + 25.351s
19. Bradley Smith Tech 3 + 29.249s
20. Valentin Debise Speed Up FTR + 35.077s
21. Santiago Hernandez SAG FTR + 41.666s
22. Anthony West MZ + 52.103s
23. Jules Cluzel Forward Suter + 1m02.492s
24. Kev Coghlan Castello FTR + 1m16.294s
Retirements:
Axel Pons Pons Kalex 18 laps
Julian Simon Aspar Suter 15 laps
Kenan Sofuoglu Technomag-CIP Suter 15 laps
Dominique Aegerter Technomag-CIP Suter 15 laps
Javier Fores Aspar Suter 11 laps
Mattia Pasini Ioda FTR 7 laps
Thomas Luthi Interwetten Suter 5 laps
Yuki Takahashi Gresini Moriwaki 5 laps
Mike Di Meglio Tech 3 5 laps
Robertino Pietri Italtrans Suter 3 laps
Mashel Al Naimi QMMF Moriwaki 2 laps
Kenny Noyes Avintia-STX FTR 0 laps
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