Louis Rossi takes dramatic home victory as wet weather causes chaos in Moto3 race at Le Mans

Just 15 riders - from a 32-strong field - made it to the finish as extreme wet and cold conditions contributed to almost endless drama throughout the 24-lap contest.

Germany FTR-Honda's Rossi had not even been a feature for the podium in the opening half of the race, but events took a dramatic turn 12 laps from the end when long-term leader Hector Faubel (Aspar) and Jakub Kornfeil (Ongetta) in third fell in quick succession.

One lap later and Luis Salom (RW Kalex-KTM) crashed out from fourth, promoting Miguel Oliveira (Monlau Honda), Maverick Vinales (Avintia FTR-Honda) and Rossi into the top three.

Oliveira, who had been riding on Faubel's tail when the latter fell, initially began to stretch away but nine laps from the finish he too crashed, losing the front at the final corner.

Vinales therefore inherited the provisional lead of both the race and the championship, but it lasted all of one lap as he high-sided at exactly the same turn.

Rossi, to the delight of the crowd, therefore moved into a 22s lead which he gradually extended across the remaining distance - allowing him to back off completely in the final lap and cruise to the finish line, to the adulation of the soaked grandstands.

The drama was not complete however; championship leader Sandro Cortese (Ajo KTM), who had spent much of the early laps down in ninth and was facing a heavy points loss to main rival Vinales, fell from second three laps from the finish. He was able to keep the bike going and eventually finished sixth - extending his points lead more by default than by design.

Alberto Moncayo saved something for his Aspar squad after team-mate Faubel's crash by finishing second, ahead of 16-year-old Alex Rins (Monlau Honda). All three podium men therefore achieved career-best finishes.

Gresini's Niccolo Antonelli saved a last-lap crash to take fourth ahead of Arthur Sissis (Ajo KTM) and Cortese.

Pos  Rider                Team/Bike                    Time/Gap
 1.  Louis Rossi          Germany FTR-Honda          49m12.390s
 2.  Alberto Moncayo      Aspar Kalex-KTM             + 27.348s
 3.  Alex Rins            Monlau Honda                + 28.899s
 4.  Niccolo Antonelli    Gresini Honda               + 33.195s
 5.  Arthur Sissis        Ajo KTM                     + 36.989s
 6.  Sandro Cortese       Ajo KTM                     + 45.312s
 7.  Jasper Iwema         FGR-Honda                   + 58.645s
 8.  Alan Techer          Technomag-CIP TSR-Honda   + 1m05.022s
 9.  Ivan Moreno          Laglisse FTR-Honda        + 1m09.194s
10.  Giulian Pedone       Ambrogio Oral             + 1m45.751s
11.  Jonas Folger         Ioda                         +  1 lap
12.  Marcel Schrotter     Mahindra                     +  1 lap
13.  Kevin Hanus          Thomas Sabo Honda            +  1 lap
14.  Alessandro Tonucci   Italia FMI FTR-Honda        +  2 laps
15.  Niklas Ajo           TT Motion KTM               +  4 laps

Retirements:

     Zulfahmi Khairuddin  Ajo KTM                       17 laps
     Maverick Vinales     Avintia FTR-Honda             16 laps
     Miguel Oliveira      Monlau Honda                  15 laps
     Luis Salom           RW Kalex-KTM                  13 laps
     Hector Faubel        Aspar Kalex-KTM               12 laps
     Jakub Kornfeil       Ongetta FTR-Honda             12 laps
     Isaac Vinales        Ongetta FTR-Honda             12 laps
     Adrian Martin        Laglisse Honda                 8 laps
     Jack Miller          Caretta Honda                  8 laps
     Simone Giorgi        Amborgio Suter Honda           7 laps
     Danny Webb           Mahindra                       7 laps
     Danny Kent           Ajo KTM                        5 laps
     Romano Fenati        Italia FMI FTR-Honda           2 laps
     Alexis Masbou        Caretta Honda                   1 lap
     Kenta Fujii          Technomag-CIP TSR-Honda         1 lap
     Brad Binder          RW Kalex-KTM                   0 laps
     Luigi Morciano       Ioda Team Italia               0 laps

Did not start:

     Toni Finsterbusch    MZ-Honda      
     Efren Vazquez        Laglisse Honda