FIM Moto3 World Championship
TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands
June 27, 2015
Race Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Miguel OLIVEIRA, Portugal (KTM), 22 laps, 37:54.427
2. Fabio QUARTARARO, France (HONDA), -0.066 second
3. Danny KENT, UK (HONDA), -0.117
4. Jorge NAVARRO, Spain (HONDA), -0.179
5. Romano FENATI, Italy (KTM), -0.252
6. Enea BASTIANINI, Italy (HONDA), -0.526
7. Brad BINDER, South Africa (KTM), -0.540
8. Karel HANIKA, Czech Republic (KTM), -21.406 seconds
9. Niccolò ANTONELLI, Italy (HONDA), -21.472
10. John McPHEE, UK (HONDA), -21.663
World Championship Point Standings (after 8 of 18 races):
1. Kent, 165 points
2. Bastianini, 108
3. Oliveira, 102
4. Fenati, 86
5. Vazquez, 76
6. Quartararo, 74
7. Binder, 66
8. Vinales, 64
9. Bagnaia, 64
10. Antonelli, 49
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira takes his second Moto3™ victory in a sensational race at the Motul TT Assen.
The packed grandstands at the legendary TT Circuit Assen were treated to an incredible seven rider battle for victory in an epic and dramatic Moto3™ race in which Miguel Oliveira claimed his second victory of the season by just 0.066s. Track temperatures rose to 26°C before the start of what turned out to be a pulsating 22-lap race. A leading group of seven riders broke away from the rest of the field in the early stages to provide drama and excitement right down to the chequered flag.
The lead swapped hands at almost every corner, as the riders in the leading group put move after move on each other. But it was Oliveira who timed his charge to perfection to snatch the lead just before the final chicane and held on across the line to take KTM’s third win in the last four races season ahead of 16-year-old Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and championship leader Danny Kent (Leopard Racing +0.117s). Jorge Navarro (+0.179s) had to settle for fourth ahead of the hard charging Romano Fenati (+0.252s) on the Sky Racing Team VR46 KTM.
Italian 17-year-old Enea Bastianini (+0.526s), who started from pole position for the second race in succession, crossed the line in sixth. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the last man in the leading group in seventh, with his teammate Karel Hanika winning the battle for eighth in the chasing pack (+21.406s) ahead of Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold) and John McPhee (SAXOPRINT RTG), who completed the top ten.
RBA Racing’s Niklas Ajo crossed the line in 17th in remarkable fashion having lost control at the final corner in the battle for eighth. He managed to hold on while hanging completely off the side of his bike to finish the race, eventually crossing the line on his knees.
Maria Herrera looked on course for her first top-ten finish before Antonelli lost control under braking for the first corner and collected the Husqvarna rider while she was leading the chasing group in eighth. Her teammate Isaac Viñales also crashed out after contact from Juanfran Guevara, while Efren Vazquez, Andrea Locatelli, Zulfhami Khairuddin, Alexis Masbou and Tatsuki Suzuki all failed to finish, with the latter suffering from a technical fault on the first lap. Kent managed to extend his lead in the championship standings once more, and is now 57-points clear of Bastianini, with Oliveira another 6-points back in third.