[CEV] Raul Fernandez wins in Aragon in Moto3 with a lead of 0.006

At mid-season, only three points separate Raúl Fernández (Angel Nieto Team) and Manuel Pagliani (Leopard Junior), who have a 36 and 38 lead respectively over the two Junior Team Estrella Galicia 0.0 drivers Jeremy Alcoba and Sergio Garcia .

Barry Baltus (Reale Avintia Academy 77) started from pole position, with Sergio García (Junior Team Estrella Galicia 0.0) and Raul Fernández (Angel Nieto Team) on the front row. The second row consisted of Manuel Pagliani (Leopard Junior), Riccardo Rossi (Laglisse Academy) and Ai Agura (Asia Talent Team). No French driver took part in the race.

Fernandez was the fastest at the start, ahead of Baltus, Garcia, Ogura, Alcoba and Deniz Öncü. Manuel Pagliani, fighting with Fernandez for the lead of the Junior World Championship, fell during the first lap, alone and without gravity. Fernandez and Garcia together opened a small gap of 1.1 on Baltus. Alcoba was fourth ahead of Kazakh Makar Yurchenko, Alain Bronec's GP driver at the start of the season. But Yurchenko fell 13 laps from the checkered flag with Barry Baltus, the Belgian who took pole position, without seriousness.

Fernandez retained command, closely held by the two Junior Team Estrella 0.0 teammates Garcia and Alcoba. Ogura fourth was at 3.1 with the two brothers Öncü and Vietti. The fight was superb between Sergio Garcia, Raul Fernandez and Jeremy Alcoba.

At mid-race, Garcia, Fernandez and Alcoba were fighting for first place, while 1.4 further on the two Öncü brothers were opposed to Ogura, Vietti and Viu. This group of five gradually got closer to the three leaders, from whom it fell to 0.6 with 6 laps to the checkered flag. The leading pack soon after included five men, with Fernandez, Garcia, Alcoba, Ogura and Vietti. Brothers Öncü and Viu were more than 2 seconds behind.

The Japanese Ogura took the lead with 4 laps remaining on his Asia Talent Team Honda, ahead of Alcoba, Garcia, Fernandez, Vietti and Can Öncü who had returned well. Deniz Öncü, seventh at 3.2, had lost any chance of victory. On the other hand, the fight was superb between the first 6.

Fernandez took the lead on the last lap and won at the finish with a 0.006 lead over Alcoba, ahead of Can Öncü, Ogura, Vietti and Garcia (sixth at 0.175!).

Moto3 race standings:

Provisional ranking of the CEV Moto3 Championship:

Next event on September 30 in Jerez

Photos © FIM CEV Repsol / Dorna

In memoriam

This report is dedicated to the memory of Andreas Perez, driver of the Reale Avintia Academy team, victim of a fatal accident during the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 category race held last month at the Barcelona Circuit. A minute of silence was observed this Sunday to honor his memory.