30.10.2016
17th Rd. Moto3 2016 – Sepang International Circuit (MAL)
The Malaysian Moto3 race on Sunday delivered one of the most bizarre races of the season with multiple crashes in the opening laps. It finally resulted in a decisive win for Italian Francesco Bagnaia, with Jakub Kornfeil (CZE) in second and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Bo Bendsneyder picking up third place. It was the young Dutch rider’s second podium this season.
The 18-lap race was finally red flagged after 14 laps when
Bo Bendsneyder was placed second behind Francesco Bagnaia, but race rules state that the official results count from the previous lap with the race is stopped.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s
Brad Binder, already declared the world champion with five rounds to go, was on pole and led the race in the early stages on the
KTM RC 250 GP. He was way out of trouble when there was a big pileup in the following group in the opening lap. Spanish rider Jorge Martin lost the front end of his machine and went down on the newly resurfaced Sepang International Circuit. The bike ended in the gravel but the rider skidded back across the track taking out multiple riders in the process.
Not long after, there was a four-rider crash at turn seven when
Joan Mir, Binder, Lorenzo Dalla Porta and Fabio Di Giannantonio all crashed as a result of what appeared to be either oil or moisture on the circuit. Binder was able to ride back to the pits and mechanics repaired his bike. He returned to the track three laps down and was finally classified as 17th. In effect, only 14 of the 34 riders finished the race in regular time.
Immediately following the Binder crash, Bagnaia took absolute control at the front of the race, which was eventually red flagged after 14 of the regulation 18 laps when rain started to fall. He went on to finish with a lead of more than seven seconds.
Meanwhile, Bendsneyder, a 2016 rookie after advancing to Moto3 as the 2015 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup winner worked his way from eighth to fifth and fourth, and then when Nicolo Antonelli crashed out of third, he advanced to podium position.
Bendsneyder:
“I’m happy about the podium because I was waiting behind Jakub (Kornfeil) until the last lap. Then I saw the rain in the back and I made the pass. I’m not really happy about getting put back to third but we got the podium and that’s incredible.”KTM riders
Fabio Quartararo and
Andrea Locatelli finished 4-5 to give KTM riders three of the top five at the end of the race.
The Malaysian race was the penultimate of the 2016 season and riders and teams now return to Europe for the final round at Valencia, Spain in two week’s time.
Next Race: November 13, 2016 – Comunitat Valenciana - Ricardo Tormo (ESP) Results Moto3 Sepang 2016
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Mahindra, 29:29.351 min (18 laps)
2. Jakub Kornfeil (CZE), Honda, +7.108 sec
3. Bo Bendsneyder (NED), KTM, +7.2534. Fabio Quartararo (FRA), KTM, +8.4695. Andrea Locatelli (ITA), KTM, +12.414Other KTM7. Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG), KTM, +13.387
16. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA), KTM, +1 lap
17. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +3 lapsDNF Maria Herrera (ESP), KTM, +13.793 sec
DNF Joan Mir (ESP), KTM, +11 laps
DNF Andrea Migno (ITA), KTM, +11 laps
DNF Nicolo Bulega (ITA), KTM, +12 laps
DNF Philipp Oettl, (GER), KTM, 0 lap
DNF Juanfran Guevara (ESP), KTM, 0 lap
Standings Moto3 2016 after 17 of 18 rounds1. Binder, 294 points2. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, 164
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Mahindra, 145
4. Jorge Navarro (ESP), Honda, 143
5. Bulega, 129Other KTM6. Mir, 124
9. Locatelli, 96
10. Romano Fenati (ITA), KTM, 93
12. Quartararo, 81
13. Oettl, 77
15. Bendsneyder, 7521. Migno, 47
22. Guevara, 40
24. Rodrigo, 31
30. Dalla Porta, 12
31. Herrera, 7
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