125cc: Pasini takes second win in a row
Mattia Pasini took a crushing victory in the 125cc Dutch Grand Prix at Assen
The Italian's second victory in a row came after a difficult start to the season. Having completed only four races out of nine, including today's race, his championship chances still look slim.
Series leader Hector Faubel took a hard-fought second place, which keeps him 72 points ahead of Pasini in seventh place.
Today's winner, however, is still optimistic. He commented: "Today it was a perfect race. I started in front, I went with my pace and the bike was really quick.
"I'm still not thinking about the championship because the points to make up are many, but if we keep working like this, all together believing in it, then I think it is still possible."
Pasini had a clean getaway from pole position but was beaten by third-on-the-grid Simone Corsi on the run to the first corner.
Midway around the first lap, the two Italians exchanged positions and Pasini began to open up a lead.
By lap three, his gap was one and a half seconds over the chasing group of Corsi, Sergio Gadea, Hector Faubel, Gabor Talmacsi and Lukas Pesek.
The pursuers were joined by Tomoyoshi Koyama by lap nine, when Pasini's lead was two seconds.
From then on, the six riders in the chasing pack slowed down while fighting for position among each other, with Pasini increasing his lead to about five seconds in the space of six laps.
Faubel grabbed second place after a scrap with Talmacsi on the last chicane, the latter visibly unhappy with his rival's move. Fourth place went to Gadea, with Corsi fifth, Koyama sixth and Pesek seventh.
The six riders finished within half a second of each other, over six seconds behind the winner.
Sandro Cortese, Michael Ranseder and Stefan Bradl round up the top ten, over 17 seconds behind Pasini.
Classified:
Pos Rider Bike Time
1. Mattia Pasini Aprilia 38:58.171
2. Hector Faubel Aprilia + 6.115
3. Gabor Talmacsi Aprilia + 6.146
4. Sergio Gadea Aprilia + 6.354
5. Simone Corsi Aprilia + 6.454
6. Tomoyoshi Koyama KTM + 6.633
7. Lukas Pesek Derbi + 6.643
8. Sandro Cortese Aprilia + 17.696
9. Michael Ranseder Derbi + 17.890
10. Stefan Bradl Aprilia + 21.780
11. Pol Espargaro Aprilia + 22.867
12. R.Krummenacher KTM + 22.938
13. Esteve Rabat Honda + 23.095
14. Raffaele De Rosa Aprilia + 34.247
15. Lorenzo Zanetti Aprilia + 36.991
16. Alexis Masbou Honda + 37.145
17. Nicolas Terol Derbi + 37.407
18. Joan Olive Aprilia + 37.597
19. Stefano Bianco Aprilia + 40.237
20. Andrea Iannone Aprilia + 48.387
21. H.van den Berg Aprilia + 51.244
22. R.Tamburini Aprilia + 51.374
23. Enrique Jerez Honda + 51.923
24. Federico Sandi Aprilia + 55.947
25. S.G.Giorgi Aprilia + 57.183
26. Joey Litjens Honda + 59.846
27. Steve Bonsey KTM +1:18.758
28. D.Agerter Aprilia +1:19.653
29. P.Eitzinger Honda +1:29.071
30. Roy Pouw Aprilia + 1 Lap
31. P.vd Waarsenburg Honda + 1 Lap
32. Jasper Iwema Honda + 1 Lap
33. Ferry Stoffer Honda + 1 Lap
Not Classified:
Rider Bike Laps
Pablo Nieto Aprilia 19
Robert Muresan Derbi 10
Mike Di Meglio Honda 10
Daniel Webb Honda 5
Fastest lap: Faubel, 1:45.551 on lap 4
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