Here are the highlights of the Moto 2 season finale from Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain.
The skies are dark. Marc Marquez qualified second but will start at the rear of the grid after a kerfuffle in practice. On pole position, it's Pol Espargaro, who starts from his fourth consecutive pole spot and eighth of the year. Marc Marquez has been told be his team manager (and former motorcycle racer) Emilio Alzamora, to keep calm. The race will be 27 laps.
At the start, Taaki Nakagami gets a good start. Nico Terol and Marc Marquez are both going for it. Bradley Smith pushes Johann Zarco wide. Nico Terol gets the lead. Marquez is now right behind Andrea Ianonne. Nico Terol had his best qualifying run of the season in Moto 2. Pol Espargaro and Tom Luthi follow Nico Terol. Marquez is going for it, making up spots and he's behind Mika Kallio. Simone Corsi passes Thomas Luthi. Julian Simon is also moving up through the field right now.
Terol is ahead of Pol Espargaro. Gino Rea is now Marc Marquez's next target. Alex de Angelis might have won in Malaysia. But he's not running here and didn't run in Australia either. Bradley Smith and Scott Redding are down the order. Anthony West is not in this race either. Terol sets fast lap at 1:49 flat. Julian Simon is looking for a way by Pol Espargaro. There's two seconds between them as Simon has made a pass. Gino Rea is pressing Marquez at the moment. Nico Terol is flying as Julian Simon resets fast lap. Not sure of the time.
Gino Rea is quickest on track right now as Marc Marquez follows. A dry line begins to form on the track. It's just sprinkling with rain at this time. Marquez continues to challenge Rea. Dominik Aegerter is also in the path of Marquez and could be passed. Terol sets new fast lap at 1:48.152 on lap six. Aegerter passes Marquez back. Dominik Aegerter goes three wide and hits the brakes. He goes wide. So does Gino Rea. The track begins to dry. Julian Simon resets fast lap, chasing Terol.
The bikes are starting to form a big group down the order. Pol Espargaro falls down and fortunately, rejoins the race, but down in 18th spot. Pol Espargaro was pitched sideways by another rider and fortunately, he kept the motor running. Simone Corsi was the rider to get in his way. Seventeen laps to go. Dark clouds continue to loom over the track at Ricardo Tormo. The positions are shuffling. There's a battle for third between Redding and Aegerter. Simon leads. Marquez and Rea are scrapping. Who will win this battle?
Gino Rea runs really wide. Marquez does likewise. Fifteen laps to go now. Dominik Aegerter retains his podium spot at the moment, behind Julian Simon. There are points positions being shuffled as this race goes on. Marquez slides past Gino Rea, and will work at passing Dominik Aegerter. Julian Simon has a major wiggle into turn eight. Marquez and Aegerter touch! Gino Rea makes a pass. Marquez sets new fast lap at 1:47 and change. Gino Rea ditches his bike, fortunately resuming. He slid sideways and fortunately picked it up again.
Andrea Ianonne is not performing the same way he should be. But, he doesn't care really because he'll move to MotoGP on a Ducati next year, teaming with Ben Spies. The gap is under two seconds with nine laps remaining. Elena Rossell falls down after contacting Eric Granado. She's out of the race. Rossell has run in endurance motorcycle racing that has been blogged here before. Marc Marquez slices past Nico Terol. He's quicker than Julian Simon, too. Simon continues to lead. Marquez is now second. He's the hound, and Simon is the rabbit.
Simon runs through Doohan corner. It's a two bike race for the win. Pol Espargaro has clawed his way back through the field. Marquez is a second quicker than anyone else. He's sliding the bike like in dry conditions. Marquez is champion, and chasing his ninth race of the season. He starts his MotoGP career tomorrow (Tuesday). Simon still leads but it's very close. It's a gap of one second between Julian Simon and Marc Marquez. Who will win the season finale for Moto 2? He can't get by Simon. Will he try in turn one?
On the backstretch, Marquez passes Julian Simon. Adios amigo. Marc Marquez is on his way to another win. Simon tries to hang on behind Marquez. It's the last lap of the Valencia Grand Prix for Moto 2. Nico Terol will be on the podium. He's a former 125cc world champion. But, Marquez will go out of Moto 2 on top. He's going to win this race. He's a Moto 2 champion. He'll start on Tuesday as a MotoGP rider. Marc Marquez is the winner! ...And, he came from behind to do it.
#93 Marc Marquez ESP Suter BMW
So ends a great season of Moto 2 action. Congratulations to Marc Marquez on the championship. He's bound for MotoGP. See you in 2013 for more Moto 2 racing. Ciao for now.
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