#CatalanGP Moto3 Race: Fourth victory of the year for Joan Mir

After a superb race, worthy of the great tradition of the Moto3 category, World Championship leader Joan Mir managed to narrowly win ahead of Romano Fenati, Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini, Aron Canet, Marcos Ramirez and Andrea Migno.

Aron Canet, Niccolò Bulega et Andrea Migno were penalized on Saturday evening by a drop of three places on the grid for "irresponsible driving" slow on the race line, thus disrupting another driver during the qualifying session. On the revised starting grid, were on the front row Jorge Martin, Juanfran Guevara et Roman Fenati. The second line included Joan Mir, Aron Canet et Marcos Ramirez. The third consisted ofEnea Bastianini, Fabio di Giannantonio et Tatsuki Suzuki. Jules Danilo rushed from the seventh.

Albert Arenas, one of the two drivers of an official Mahindra from Team Aspar, was withdrawn due to a level 5 acromioclavicular dislocation, caused by his crash in Mugello. His teammate Lorenzo dalla Porta defended the team colors alone in Barcelona. Enea Bastianini, vice-World Champion in 2016, was the only driver on the grid to have appeared on the podium in Barcelona: second in 2014 and 2015, and third in 2016. He also took the very first pole position of his career l last year.

On the machine side, KTM won its first race of the season at Mugello. It was also the first time all year that Honda drivers did not occupy the top three places. In the five editions of the Catalan Grand Prix in Moto3, KTM has only won once with the late Luis Salom in 2013. Honda has won the last three races in Barcelona. The victory of Jorge Navarro last year ended a streak of 25 successive Moto3 victories without a Spanish rider. A series which began after the victory ofEfrén Vasquez in Malaysia in 2014.

The temperature was high at the time of departure, with 31° for the air and 40° for the track. All the drivers started with medium Dunlops at the front and rear. Juanfran Guevara was fastest out of the lights, ahead of Romano Fenati, Aron Canet, and Fabio di Giannantonio, while Jorge Martin was only seventh into the first corner. Fenati took the lead ahead of Mir, Guevara and Canet. Jules Danilo was twenty-second.

Mir took command at the start of the third lap, ahead of Fenati, Canet, di Giannantonio, Guevara and Martin. A group of ten pilots stood out slightly. Canet became leader, preceding Fenati, di Giannantonio, Mir, Martin and Ramirez. Martin, after an average start, moved up to third position, behind Canet and Fenati.

Martin took the lead and opened up a small gap in the company of Fenati, Canet, di Giannantonio and Mir. Enea Bastianini sixth was one second behind this group. Canet regained the advantage ahead of Fenati, Martin, di Giannantonio and Mir, with Bastianini closing in a little.

Martin briefly took the lead, before di Giannantonio overtook him. Gabriel Rodrigo fell without gravity. Fenati took the lead ahead of Martin, Canet, Mir, di Giannantonio and Bastianini.

Estrella Galicia announced that Joan Mir would move to Moto2 next year with Marc VDS. Martin regained the advantage ahead of Mir, Canet, Fenati, di Giannantonio, Bastianini, Ramirez and Suzuki. Migno was ninth at 2.2 in this group.

At mid-race, Canet preceded Fenati, Mir, Martin, di Giannantonio, Bastianini, Ramirez and Suzuki. Danilo was seventeenth. Martin regained first position, but Fenati overtook him. The first eight remained very grouped, 1.7 ahead of ninth placed Bulega.

With 6 laps to go from the checkered flag, Martin led from Mir, Ramirez, di Giannantonio, Fenati, Bastianini, Canet and Suzuki. Bulega returned to 1.5. Danilo was sixteenth, one place behind the points. Bulega was closing in at 0.9.

Fenati became leader ahead of Mir and Martin. The Italian opened a small gap of 0.4 on Mir and Martin. Bulega was only 0.4 behind the leading group, taking his teammate Andrea Migno with him. Fenati pulled away again by 0.5, but Mir and Martin caught up with him three laps from the end.

Mir took command, ahead of Martin, who overtook him shortly after. He took the lead on the last lap ahead of Fenati, Mir, Canet and Bastianini.

Under the checkered flag, Joan Mir won by a tenth ahead of Romano Fenati, Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini, Aron Canet, Marcos Ramirez and Andrea Migno. Jules Danilo fell without seriousness on the last lap. McPhee, Antonelli and Migno received a 0.5 penalty for exceeding the circuit limits.

Race results:

1. Joan mir SPA Leopard Racing (Honda) 42m 11.846s
2. Roman Fenati ITA Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (Honda) 42m 12.037s
3. George Martin SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 (Honda) 42m 12.125s
4. Enea Bastianini ITA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 42m 12.308s
5. Aron canet SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 42m 12.520s
6. Marcos Ramirez SPA Platinum Bay Real Estate (KTM) 42m 12.586s
7. Fabio DiGiannantonio ITA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 (Honda) 42m 12.989s
8. Andrea Migno ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 42m 13.235s
9. Nicholas Bulega ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 42m 13.508s
10. Tatsuki suzuki JPN SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 42m 13.709s
11. Niccolo Antonelli ITA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 42m 13.934s
12. John mcphee GBR British Talent Team (Honda) 42m 17.517s
13. Philipp Oettl GER Südmetall Schedl GP Racing (KTM) 42m 20.477s
14. Marco Bezzecchi ITA CIP (Mahindra) 42m 28.449s
15. Will Bendsneyder NED Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 42m 28.935s
16. Ayumu Sasaki JPN SIC Racing Team (Honda) 42m 28.974s
17. Juanfran Guevara SPA RBA BOE Racing Team (KTM) 42m 33.460s
18. Adam Norrodin MAL SIC Racing Team (Honda) 42m 34.208s
19. Lorenzo Dalla Porta ITA Aspar Mahindra Moto3 (Mahindra) 42m 34.564s
20. Manuel Pagliani ITA CIP (Mahindra) 42m 34.600s
21. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat THA Honda Team Asia (Honda) 42m 34.734s
22. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 42m 35.222s
23. Kaito Toba JPN Honda Team Asia (Honda) 42m 36.089s
24. Tony Arbolino ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 42m 45.180s
25. Livio Law BEL Leopard Racing (Honda) 42m 45.242s
26. Maria Herrera SPA AGR Team (KTM) 42m 53.553s
27. Patrick Pulkkinen END Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 43m 22.614s
28. Alex Viu SPA 42 Motorsport (KTM) 43m 45.390s
Darryn binder RSA Platinum Bay Real Estate (KTM) DNF
Jules Danilo FRA Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (Honda) DNF
gabriel rodrigo ARG RBA BOE Racing Team (KTM) DNF
Vicente Perez SPA Reale Avintia Academy (KTM) DNF

Provisional ranking of the World Championship:

1 Joan MIR-Honda 133 points

2 Romano FENATI-Honda 88

3 Aron CANET-Honda 85

4 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO-Honda 80

5 Andrea MIGNO-KTM 76

6 Jorge MARTIN-Honda 76

7 John MCPHEE-Honda 67

8 Marcos RAMIREZ-KTM 53

9 Juanfran GUEVARA-KTM 50

10 Enea BASTIANINI-Honda 49

…16 Jules DANILO-Honda 16