BINDER SURVIVES TO WIN IN SPAIN
SOUTH Africa’s Brad Binder capped his title-winning Moto3 campaign with victory in the season finale at Valencia, recovering from 22nd place to pip Joan Mir to the finish line by 0.056 seconds.
The South African rider effectively started from pole after the quickest man in qualifying, Aron Canet, was pulled off the dummy grid after stalling his bike.
But Binder plummeted down the order on the second lap with an off at turn six, dropping from the leading group down to 22nd before steadily clawing his way back through the order.
The race was led at that stage by Mir, although the Spaniard was later forced to drop a place, behind the Sky VR46 bike of Andrea Migno for having taken the lead under yellow flags after a crash involving Gabriel Rodrigo and Francesco Bagnaia.
With 10 laps to go, Binder had made his way up to fifth place behind the leading quartet of Migno, Mir and the Gresini pair of Fabio di Giannantonio and Enea Bastianini.
From there, the champion began to pick his way though his rivals.
Mir came close to sliding up the inside at the last corner, but Binder held on to take his seventh win of the year by just 0.056s.
Binder said after the race that the engine of his bike had cut out twice.
But after that, the bike carried on going and never had another problem.
“I pushed so hard, and to finish my Moto3 career like this is awesome,” Binder said.
Despite missing out on a second victory, Mir’s second place allowed him to seal rookie of the year honours, 10 points clear of Di Giannantonio, who was fifth behind Migno and Bastianini.
Meanwhile, three-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo signed off his nine-year Yamaha career with victory at the Valencia track.
The Spaniard led from pole position to take victory from world champion Marc Marquez on a Honda with Andrea Iannone on a Ducati taking third place.
Lorenzo, who will switch to Ducati next year, secured third in the championship behind Marquez and Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi, who was fourth yesterday.
“Now I can relax,” Lorenzo said after his 44th career win.
“It’s very emotional after nine years with Yamaha.
“I didn’t expect to win today because I knew Marc was very strong. I suffered in the last 10 laps because he was pushing and attacking.”
World champion Johann Zarco, riding a Kalex, won the Moto2 race for his 16th career victory.
The Frenchman, who will race in MotoGP next season, captured his seventh win of the current campaign.
Switzerland’s Thomas Luthi was second yesterday, with Italy’s Franco Morbidelli coming home in third place.
Luthi claimed the runner-up spot in the championship ahead of Spain’s Alex Rins who was fifth in the race. – SuperSport.com and AFP