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Italian Grand Prix Mugello Moto3 Race: Nothing stops Martín, not even a hare!

by | June 3, 2018

The fateful moment has arrived: the drivers will take their place on the starting grid and set off for the sixth Grand Prix of the season. The big favorite is, of course, Jorge Martín who has dominated each of the sessions since Friday morning: FP1, FP2, FP3, Qualifying and Warm Up. He also equaled the record for pole positions held by Álex Rins in the category. Capable of achieving his fast times on his own, it's hard to see who could come and take victory from him. However, the Spaniard has been unlucky in the last two Grands Prix being involved in crashes of other drivers, so anything is possible. Let's not forget either that his opponents will do everything to win, like Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi, and that the races at Mugello are always done in packs, allowing around fifteen or even twenty drivers to be able to impose themselves.

Who will emerge victorious from this Grand Prix? Response from 11 a.m.

Here is the table of results compared to Mugello between 2017 and 2018:

Mugello Moto3™

 2017

2018
FP1

1'58.347 Romano Fenati

 1'58.078 Jorge Martin
FP2

1'57.328 Fabio Di Giannantonio

 1'57.104 Jorge Martin
FP3

1'57.462 Joan Mir

 1'57.337 Jorge Martin
Qualification

1'57.176 Jorge Martin

 1'56.634 Jorge Martin
Warm Up

1'57.933 Nicolo Bulega

  1'57.126 Jorge Martin
Course

Migno, Di Giannantonio, Guevara

  Martin, Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio
All time lap record

1'56.615 Danny Kent 2015

The sun shines high in the sky, and the temperatures are equivalent to other days, 26 degrees in the air and 40 degrees on the track, when the lights go out. The entire field is fitted with a medium front and medium rear tire, except Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia), Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider) and Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Team Asia) who start with a soft rear tire.

Jorge Martín (Del Conca Gresini) maintains his position at the end of the straight and begins to widen the gap on his pursuers, led by Marco Bezzecchi (PruestlGP). The Spaniard has a lead of seven tenths at the start of the second round, but the Italian and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini) manage to come back on him at the start of the next round.

Adam Norrodin (Petronas Sprinta Racing) is the victim of a high side. If the rider is fine, his bike is completely destroyed after rolling over.

By the fourth lap, the leading trio had a lead of almost four seconds. Two rounds later, Bezzecchi takes the lead of the race, and the battle rages between the three drivers. Behind, overtaking is also incessant, but Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) manages to take first place in the group.

After ten laps, the gap between the leaders and their pursuers is seven seconds. Bezzecchi starts to let go a little compared to the Gresini teammates, Martin et Di Giannantonio. Real reduction in speed or strategy? Jorge Martín Then there's a lot of heat: a hare crosses the track right under his wheels!

Behind, four pilots broke away from the others to form a small group: Enea Bastianini, Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team Moto3), Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) and gabriel rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider). Then, a huge group of thirteen pilots is led by Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), who moved up from twenty-seventh place after missing his start.

Four laps from the end, the rookie Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) falls in turn 3.

In the last two rounds, the strategies start to come together. It is Bezzecchi who takes the lead on the last lap, but he widens at the turn and Martín brake hard to pass, followed by By Giannantonio. Bezzecchi is a little detached, and forces to return to contact. By Giannantonio is pressing on his teammate, but Martín stays ahead and comes out at the head of the straight. All three drivers are extremely tight and Bezzecchi uses suction to get closer, but it's ultimately Jorge Martín which is essential, by a few thousandths, thus closing a perfect weekend.

 

Race results:

1 Jorge MARTIN SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda 39'20.810
2 Marco BEZZECCHI ITA Redox PruestelGP KTM +0.019
3 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO ITA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda +0.043
4 Gabriel RODRIGO ARG RBA BOE Skull Rider KTM +10.948
5 Andrea MIGNO ITA Angel Nieto Team Moto3 KTM +11.083
6 Enea BASTIANINI ITA Leopard Racing Honda +11.165
7 Tony ARBOLINO ITA Marinelli Snipers Team Honda +11.194
8 Lorenzo DALLA PORTA ITA Leopard Racing Honda +14.567
9 Niccolò ANTONELLI ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda +14.676
10 Manuel PAGLIANI ITA Leopard Junior Team Honda +14.682
11 Aron CANET SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda +14.693
12 John MCPHEE GBR CIP – Green Power KTM +14.720
13 Darryn BINDER RSA Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM +14.733
14 Albert ARENAS SPA Angel Nieto Team Moto3 KTM +14.770
15 Marcos RAMIREZ SPA Bester Capital Dubai KTM 158.9 +15.237
16 Ayumu SASAKI JPN Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda +15.271
17 Tatsuki SUZUKI JPN SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda +15.368
18 Alonso LOPEZ SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda +15.631
19 Philipp OETTL GER Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing KTM +15.953
20 Kaito TOBA JPN Honda Team Asia Honda +15.983
21 Nicolo BULEGA ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 KTM +16.030
22 Kazuki MASAKI JPN RBA BOE Skull Rider KTM +22.492
23 Jakub KORNFEIL CZE Redox PruestelGP KTM +22.520
24 Livio LOI BEL Reale Avintia Academy KTM +50.691
25 Nakarin ATIRATPHUVAPAT THA Honda Team Asia Honda +1'23.045

Unclassified
Makar YURCHENKO KAZ CIP – Green Power KTM 2 Tours
Jaume MASIA SPA Bester Capital Dubai KTM 4 Tours
Dennis FOGGIA ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 KTM 14 Tours
Stefano NEPA ITA NRT Junior Team KTM 15 Tours
Adam NORRODIN MAL Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda 18 Laps