It was as close as ever as the Moto3 class raced around the Sachsenring at the ninth round of the season at the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, where championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) won and extended his championship lead.
Canet on pole for intense German Moto3 race
Two groups formed on track, the front five fought for the podium and behind them approximately 18 riders battle for sixth place or higher; usually someone with a quick pace is successful in forcing their way to the front and bringing the group along with him to catch those ahead.
After Qualifying, Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) was on pole for the ninth round of the season. He was joined on the front row by Mir and Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46). The second row contained Marcos Ramirez (Platinum Bay Real Estate), Tony Arbolino (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers).
Group of three begin battle for the podium at Sachsenring
When the dry race got underway the front two rows got a great start, but Canet started to experience problems and started to fall backwards down the ranks before crashing out from pole for the third time. The group of five consisted of Mir, Ramirez and Fenati fighting for the podium until Arbolino and Bulega who had their own mini battle, joined them further into the race.
Big crash for Arbolino
It was intense as they passed through the twists and turns changing the lead. Unfortunately Arbolino fell off, fortunately he was not hurt after his highside that saw him land full force on his ass, and eventually Bulega dropped off the pace.
Fenati looked strong; he was able to maintain fast pace and complete manoeuvres, whilst taking an outside line in the process. Ramirez kept getting in their way though and even took the lead on several occasions, and looked to break away slightly, but was soon absorbed by the other two.
Fenati makes final attempt for win… but too soon
On the final laps the podium was guaranteed for the front three but the positions were yet to be decided. Fenati made one final attempt to break away, but maybe a lap too soon as he was caught and overtaken by Mir who stole the victory on the final turns of the last lap of the race.
Win number five for Mir
Mir made it five out of nine wins and his 25 points in Germany means he heads into the summer break as the championship leader with 165 points. He has a 38 point cushion over Fenati in second on 128 points. He is proving that he deserves to move up to the Moto2 class; the Spaniard has just been signed by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS to move up next season.
Mir admitted that his victory in Germany “means a great deal” especially as he “wanted to leave Assen’s fault behind and prove that [he] could win”; he also wanted to win in Germany. He described how it was a “long and difficult race” and how he “immediately tried to make a break with a small group”. He found that he “had a good pace” and that in the end it “worked perfectly”.
He admitted that he “would never have imagined getting to the Championship’s break with this margin of an advantage”, but he remained humble by saying, “there are still many races”. He planned on following the meeting at Sachsenring with “a week of vacation” before he planned to “get back to training”.
Fenati’s second felt like a win
To Fenati he revealed that his second place was “worth a win” and was a “special result” to him especially “considering [they] had problems over the weekend”; before the race he felt that “the podium did not seem to be on [their] side this time”.
He felt that he and his team “did a great job” and was confident that “choosing medium to the rear was the right one” as he found it enabled he to keep “going strong in the second part of the race”.
He described the battle for the win as a “good fight” and found he “struggled to the end”. He too looked forward to the summer break before the second of the championship where they plan to “race for the race” as he said they “have done to date”.
Long awaited and much deserved podium for Ramirez
Ramirez’s success in Germany, that followed on from great results previously, meant that he collected another 16 championship points. He is now seventh in the championship with 79 points; just one ahead of Mugello race winner, Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46).
A very happy Ramirez was delighted to score his first ever podium in the Moto3 class; it has been long overdue as well. He took to social media to say, “Yay we did it” celebrating that he claimed his “first podium in the wold of Moto3”. He declared that he is “in love with this team” and that he was “speechless to describe this moment”. He then continued by saying, “Thank you all for helping me get here”.
His motivation has been, “The one who follows it gets it” and he was surprised that it has come “in the middle of the year”. He now is left with the “desire of much more” and went on to wish “good summer to all” before looking forward to seeing everyone in Brno.