Sepang Moto3: Sandro Cortese wins to claim title
Sandro Cortese sealed the inaugural Moto3 crown with a last-lap victory in a tense and thrilling Malaysian Grand Prix
The German only hit the front two turns from the flag, in the process demoting home favourite and Ajo team-mate Zulfahmi Khairuddin, who had led the previous six laps.
The Malaysian rider came back at Cortese down the main straight, but lost the inside line into Turn 15 and was powerless to stop the German in a drag-race to the line.
He nevertheless claimed his first grand prix podium to the delight of a deafening home crowd.
Aspar's Jonas Folger, who had led the opening half of the race, came home third.
"I cant believe it, it's a dream," Cortese said. "With this victory I didn't risk so much - I waited the whole time just to finish ahead of [Luis] Salom and then saw chance to win the championship with victory.
"I wanted to show everyone I can win races like this."
Alongside the mathematics of Cortese's championship bid and the overwhelming support for Khairuddin - audible whenever he hit the front - the race took an added dimension as black clouds threatened late on.
For a while that made every fight to the line a potential victory fight, although spots of rain ultimately never developed into a storm and the race went the distance.
In the uncertain conditions Khairuddin hit the front, while Luis Salom (RW Kalex-KTM) - the only man capable of stopping Cortese following Maverick Vinales' exit - dropped back.
Salom had fought back from 10th to third, ahead of Cortese, but the effort proved his undoing and he was unable to stick with the lead trio over the final laps.
He hung on to claim fourth ahead of Monlau Suter-Honda men Miguel Oliviera and Alex Rins, the pair sandwiching Motegi race-winner Danny Kent.
Efren Vazquez came home seventh ahead of Niklas Ajo, who triumphed in a massive seven-bike fight for ninth.
Results - 18 laps:
Pos Rider Team/Bike Time/Gap
1. Sandro Cortese Ajo KTM 40m54.123s
2. Zulfahmi Khairuddin Ajo KTM + 0.028s
3. Jonas Folger Aspar Kalex-KTM + 0.247s
4. Luis Salom RW Kalex-KTM + 8.503s
5. Miguel Oliveira Monlau Suter-Honda + 8.674s
6. Danny Kent Ajo KTM + 9.335s
7. Alex Rins Monlau Suter-Honda + 18.973s
8. Efren Vazquez Laglisse FTR-Honda + 25.419s
9. Niklas Ajo TT Motion KTM + 30.714s
10. Adrian Martin Laglisse FTR-Honda + 30.763s
11. Arthur Sissis Ajo KTM + 30.886s
12. Brad Binder RW Kalex-KTM + 31.019s
13. Jack Miller Caretta Honda + 31.225s
14. Alex Marquez Ambrogio Suter-Honda + 31.313s
15. Niccolo Antonelli Gresini FTR-Honda + 31.649s
16. Jakub Kornfeil Ongetta FTR-Honda + 31.715s
17. Alessandro Tonucci Italia FMI FTR-Honda + 31.790s
18. Alberto Moncayo Laglisse FTR-Honda + 32.147s
19. Isaac Vinales Ongetta FTR-Honda + 39.364s
20. Romano Fenati Italia FMI FTR-Honda + 45.824s
21. Alan Techer Technomag-CIP TSR-Honda + 46.622s
22. John McPhee Caretta KRP Honda + 46.672s
23. Toni Finsterbusch Germany Honda + 46.790s
24. Luca Amato Aspar Kalex-KTM + 1m09.086s
25. Josep Rodriguez FGR Honda + 1m15.734s
26. Giulian Pedone Ambrogio Suter-Honda + 1m33.717s
27. Kenta Fujii Technomag-CIP TSR-Honda + 1m33.811s
28. Armando Pontone Ioda Italia + 1m54.114s
Retirements:
Danny Webb Mahindra 8 laps
Louis Rossi Germany FTR-Honda 5 laps
Riccardo Moretti Mahindra MGP30 1 lap
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