SA’s Binder extends Moto3 lead
BRAD Binder won what he described as a “crazy” British Grand Prix at Silverstone yesterday, and took control of the world championship race in the Moto3 class.
With six laps left to run, the title is Binder’s to lose now after his closest rival, Jorge Navarro of Spain, crashed out in a chaotic final few laps, where the lead changed at just about every corner.
The West Rand rider held off Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia and his Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate, Bo Bendsneyder of the Netherlands, in third place for his first-ever Moto3 podium. With Bagnaia, who had started on pole, desperate to get the win, Binder went hard and had the cushion of his teammate in second place until the final few corners.
“Today was crazy,” said Binder, whose win was his fourth.
“I got to the front near the end and no one went past until the back straight again. I knew I needed one bike in front of me, and when Bagnaia passed me going into turn two, I didn’t know if it would work out. I have to thank my team so much. The bike was incredible.”
Binder now leads the series with 204 points, 86 ahead of Navarro in second with Bagnaia 94 points back in third.
There are six races left in the series, with the next race in Italy.
Binder may not race with as much fury as he did today, fighting his way to the front in a big bunch that gave little quarter in the corners.
Navarro had started in 18th place on the grid, but fought his way to the front after just a few laps. Stefano Manzi had been back in 34th place, but had managed to make the lead group, which would be the undoing of Navarro.
Bendsneyder’s podium was the first by a Dutchman since Assen in 1994.
Manzi made a move, which took out Navarro and to add insult to injury, Andrea Migno crashed into Navarro, who stayed down on the track for some time as he recovered from the smash. Manzi would eventually finish in fourth place.
For Binder, the win made up for his crash in the Czech GP at the Automotodrom Brno a few weeks ago.
He had led by 67 points going into the Czech GP and instead of playing it safe, went hard for the win and ended up paying the price as he crashed in the wet.
Motorcycling – Vinales takes first MotoGP win at Silverstone
l Spaniard Maverick Vinales roared to his first MotoGP victory for Suzuki at Silverstone yesterday with Britain’s Cal Crutchlow second in his home race after starting on pole.
Italian great Valentino Rossi, on a Yamaha, completed the podium.
Championship leader Marc Marquez, for the works Honda team, finished fourth while Yamaha’s reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo was eighth.
Marquez now leads Rossi in the championship by 50 points after 12 of 18 races.
Vinales was the seventh different winner so far this season, his success after Crutchlow’s first win for the non-works LCR Honda team in the Czech Republic last month.
The victory was also Suzuki’s first in the top category since 2007, when Australian Chris Vermeulen won in the wet at the Le Mans circuit in France.
There was drama on the opening lap when Frenchman Loris Baz and Spaniard Pol Espargaro collided at Maggotts, with the two riders taken to the medical centre and the race halted before a re-start, with Vinales quickly taking the lead. – Reuters