It's the final race for Moto 3 in 2013, at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. 24 laps will decide this championship. Three riders are in the contest for the championship and if one of them wins, they'll be champion. Alex Rins, Maverick Vinales, and Luis Salom... all Spaniards. The atmosphere is buzzing indeed. This ought to be good. Wr have no idea what will happen. Winner takes all here in Moto 3.
The championship contenders are spread across the front row. John McPhee will be back in Moto 3 next year. 24 laps scheduled. This track is named after Ricardo Tormo, who was champion in the old 50cc and 80cc classes. The bikes set off on their warmup lap and after this race, there will be a championship awards ceremony.
Here we go. The moment has arrived. 24 laps up to decide a champion. At the start, Luis Salom gets the jump going into the first turn. Jonas Folger moves in front of Alex Rins and into the Mick Doohan corner. Alex Marquez, Jonas Folger, Alex Rins, and others are going for it and Maverick Vinales makes a move for the lead. It's important to be in position. Alex Rins moves into third. There are a lot of games to play. Get into a rhythm and start churning out quick laps.
The top three in the championship are the top three in the race. Jonas Folger, Jack Miller, Niccolo Antonelii, and others, are running decently. But the focus will be on the top three. Alex Marquez says he'd stay out of the way if the championship leaders are there. But, if not, he still wants to go for it. We're into this single file pattern that works out in Moto 3 until the last four to five laps of the race.
The top three are slightly quicker than Jonas Folger at the moment. Luis Salom is biding his time and he gets passed by Alex Rins. Salom passes. But don't make a mess out of things early. Rins wiggles the bike and stays in it, fortunately. He'll have to work to get towards the lead. Vinales runs a 1:39.9. 21 laps to go. Vinales unsettled Rins a little bit, rattling him. Luis Salom is showing a wheel to Vinales, letting him know he's there.
What can Jonas Folger and Jack Miller do? Vinales runs a 1:40.2. Actually, it might be Alex Rins. The race pace is settling down now, into a pattern. Rins tries to get to the front and stretch things out. But, today, in this race, it's not happening necessarily. Vinales continues to lead. The strategies seem to be worked out already. Working lap six. Luis Salom has been told to have confidence and believe in his abilities, which have made him a better rider this year. He won the Red Bull Rookie's Cup. Next year, Luis Salom and Maverick Vinales will be team mates for the Pons team in Moto 2.
Salom sets fast lap at 1:35.244. Salom seems to be playing gams with Maverick Vinales and possibly with Alex Rins. Folger and Miller are still attached to this battle. But the top three need to break away. Alex Marquez, Efren Vazquez, Niccolo Antonelli, and others, are running further down the order. Miguel Oliviera is not having a good weekend at all. Luis Salom is beginning to open things up. Folger and Miller are in a battle and catching up to the leading group.
Folger hasn't taken any risks yet. He doesn't want to be wrecking people who are in contention for the championship. John McPhee crashes out of this race. Game over for 2013. He'll be back in Moto 3 in 2014. Vinales retakes the lead from Salom. Everyone is sizing each other up. The riders will have a strategy, but strategies always change. Luis Salom seems to be making up time. Niccolo Antonelli, Ana Carrasco, and Zulfahmi Khairuddin are in the top half. But, Niklas Ajo takes a spill. Lets hope he's alright. The rear tire let go and that was a nasty tumble. The track at Valencia is very greasy.
Alex Rins is trying to make a move at halfway. Remember, though... winner takes all. Maverick Vinales wants his first win since Le Mans in France, way back in May, six months ago, which seems like an eternity. Livio Loi and Luca Amato have both crashed. At the front, the games continue with Vinales and Rins. Simmer down, blokes. Don't do this until the race is coming to an end. Alex Rins is going for it. Jack Miller and Jonas Folger are patient, biding their time.
Here comes Rins into second spot. Folger sits up and allows Luis Salom the room. There's a little argy bargy. A little jabbing, going on. Alex Rins now takes over the race lead. The lap times are in the 1:41s. Luis Salom has crashed! He's out of it! It's down to two. Maverick Vinales and Alex Rins are the last two contenders. Salom gets back on the bike. But, he's out of contention for the title. If you slow down a tad, the tire temperatures and pressures will go down, according to Dunlop.
Rins takes the lead from Maverick Vinalrs. Folger and Miller will battle for a podium place. Luis Salom is back in this race, but he will not win the title. It's going to be a battle between Vinales and Rins for the title ad the race win. Salom is back in the points as Niccolo Antonelli crashes out of the race. What will happen on the last lap? Jack Miller still wants a podium. Miller will be riding for the Red Bull KTM Moto 3 team next year.
Ana Carasco is up to eighth. Alexis Masbou has made it to seventh after starting from pit lane. Six laps left. Jonas Folger is close by Alex Rins. Salom has to keep going. He is still leading the championship. Now, if the top two crash out, he still could be champion. Where has Jack Miller gone? He's crashed in turn three. Ugh. Game over... season over, for Jack Miller. Vinales and Rins are battling for the title. Folger is holding station, sitting tight. Jonas Folger will also be in Moto 2 next year.
Four laps remain now. Vinales ups the pace, back into the 1:39 range. Vinales is pushing hard. Three laps to go and Rins wants to make a move. Here comes Rins, making the pass into Doohan corner. Vinales runs wide and loses time to Rins. Vinales pulls back the advantage. This will be close. Alex Rins holds off Vinales with two laps to go in the 2013 Moto 3 season. Jonas Folger tries to go by Vinales, but he sits up. Did Vinales miss a shift? Hmmm. Rins is pushing it. Rins runs a 1:40.5.
Into the Mick Doohan corner, Vinales takes it back. Into Angel Nieto corner, onto the back straight, Vinales slides past Rins into the lead. He takes the lead spot away. They come to turn eleven. Will it be about the run to the line? Rins can try one more time. One lap to go now. Nothing to choose between them. Rins retakes the lead. THis will be down to the wire. Vinales comes back and here comes Vinales. He holds the advantage. Folger watches. This will be down to turn 14. Vinales holds the spot for now. Rins can't come through,. coming into turn eleven. Rins wants the drive coming to the last corner.
Go now! One more turn. Here comes Rins, but Vinales comes back by. Vinales wins the race and is the 2013 Moto 3 World Champion!
#25 Maverick Vinales ESP KTM
Champion:
#25 Maverick Vinales ESP KTM
Wow! He's won the world title. Rins and Salom congratulate each other. Alex Rins will be back in Moto 3 next year. What a final race! We'll see you in 2014, for more awesome Moto 3 racing.
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