Moto3: Spain

We move now, to the junior class race from Jerez de la Frontera, as Moto3 takes to the track.

We've been coming here in the world motorcycle championship, since 1987, and some many great racers have won in the beginners class here.  Niccolo Bulega is on pole for this race.  The major breaking news before we set off for this one is, championship leader, Brad Binder, originally slated to start second, is going to begin this race from the tail end of the field.  Red Bull KTM Ajo was under investigation during qualifying for this race, of using software for the ECU (Engine Control Unit), not homologated by the Federation Internationale de Motorcyclisme.  FIM stewards rule this, a tech infraction.  He'll start way down in 35th.  This was pending an appeal.  It is a genuine mistake.  KTM Ajo is not cheating.

The team says, "keep this hush hush, and refocus on the race".  23 laps are scheduled for this race.  Niccolo Bulega scored his first pole in just his fifth start.  Bulega is the second youngest Italian rider to start from pole in a race, to Marco Melandri.  Jorge Navarro can take the Moto3 championship lead if he scores well here in Spain, having scored six podium spots in the last eight races.  Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia starts third in this race.  He has been on the front row once before.  Niccolo Antonelli is fourth, despite a couple of crashes.  We were delayed, in warmup.  Enea Bastianini is fifth.  In sixth, it's Joan Mir.  Juanfran Guevara starts seventh.  It is his best qualifying effort since a front row in 2014 at Phillip Island in Australia.

Fabio Quartararo was injured on Friday, and says he feels good enough as the race start approaches.  Jakub Kornfeil rolls off in ninth place.  The safety car is off and we are close to a race start here for Moto3 at Jerez.  Aron Canet starts tenth.  Medium compound tires on both ends of the motorcycles, for everyone except Jules Danilo who has a soft tire on the front.  Danilo has had two great finishes already this year.  Aron Canet qualifies tenth.  Fabio Quartararo starts 11th.  He has finished 13th in every race so far.  Phillip Oettl starts next, and his dad Peter Oettl, ran in the 125cc class years ago.

Nico Bulega is your polesitter.  We are ready, for Moto3.  The bikes set off on their warmup lap.  Weight and height makes a difference on a Moto3 bike for performance.  Niccolo Bulega is heavier and taller than the other riders.  So, it is going to be more difficult than it would be, to have enough speed, for him, compared to other riders.  Whoops.  On the way to the grid, Niccolo Antonelli, has stalled his motorcycle.  This has to be done quickly, otherwise, Antonelli will have to start the race, from the pit lane.  Big trouble for Niccolo Antonelli.  He cannot get the bike to start.

This is disaster for Niccolo Antonelli!  He will have to start from pit lane, as we are ready to go.  Here come the lights.  When they go out, Moto3 at Jerez, will be underway.  Go!  Bulega bogs down, as Pecco Bagnaia goes for it and launches into the lead!  Jorge Navarro looks inside Niccolo Bulega.  Finally, Antonelli is underway and is able to join the race.  Bagnaia leads and Joan Mir is picking up places.  Romano Fenati has advanced from eighth to fifth already, too.  Brad Binder is making hay while the sun shines and is just behind John McPhee at the moment. 

We watch French wildcard rider Enzo Boulon also trying to work his way through the pack.  Into Dry Sac, Binder makes a move, but more drama, as Fabio Quartararo falls!  Quartararo and Jorge Martin have both ditched their bikes!  Brad Binder also got clipped by another motorcycle.  It could have been his brother Darryn Binder, or, Karel Hanika.  More than likely, it was Hanika.  Meanwhile, at the sharp end, Jorge Navarro leads from Pecco Bagnaia.  Hiroki Ono makes a move and Brad Binder now finds himself, just behind, Andrea Locatelli.  The top six right now, is Jorge Navarro, Pecco Bagnaia, Niccolo Bulega, Joan Mir, Romano Fenati, and Enea Bastianini. 

Brad Binder now focuses on passing Andrea Locatelli on another of the Leopard KTM bikes.  Fabio Quartataro has gotten underway again as Jorge Martin enters pit lane.  Martin's race may be run.  Pecco Bagnaia is now chasing Jorge Navarro, looking for a way by.  Romano Fenati is now battling Joan Mir.  Mir moves back into fifth spot.  Jakub Kornfeil tries to make a move.  Someone sets a fast lap of 1:47.185, but the world feed graphics do not tell us who the rider is.  Brad Binder has picked up five spots, wanting to pass Fabio de Giantonio.  Joan Mir is now dropping down through the field.  He could have a problem with the motorcycle. 

Meanwhile, Enea Bastianini has made a pass on Mir and Phillip Oettl might do likewise.  Game over for Lorenzo Petrarca.  He has crashed out of this race.  Already on lap three, Brad Binder has amazingly made up 20 places after starting caboose on the field.  He has gone from 35th to 15th.  Three more riders have crashed out of this race.  Andrea Locatelli, Hiroki Ono, and Karel Hanika, have all crashed out.  Aron Canet, meanwhile, makes his way up to ninth place.  Canet sweeps by Gabriel Rodrigo.

Romano Fenati is now being pressured by Jakub Kornfeil.  Brad Binder latches onto a battle for 14th and is right behind Juanfran Guevara.  Bulega has closed up on Navarro and Bagnaia.  Brad Binder resets fastest lap at 1:46 and change as he picks up another spot.  Aron Canet has fallen off his motorcycle.  Canet may have hurt his wrist in that spill.  Nico Bulega makes a pass on Jorge Navarro and makes it stick.  The top three riders are all on different motorcycles.  KTM, Honda, and Mahindra.  Jakub Kornfeil makes a successful pass on Romano Fenati and is now up to fourth spot.

Pecco Bagnaia is chasing Jorge Navarro.  Romano Fenati has to catch up with them.  Navarro retakes the race lead.  Bulega tries to slipstream past Navarro, and we see both Phillip Oettl and Joan Mir attacking Romano Fenati, who runs wide.  Binder passes Andrea Migno and Gabriel Rodrigo.  He also passes Jakub Kornfeil and Binder is going to swoop past Enea Bastianini.  Could Binder get to the head of the second group?  A better question is, if the three blokes in front keep playing bumper bikes, Binder, could pounce, easily.  The Mahindra chassis handles very well and this means Pecco Bagnaia could surely outperform Niccolo Bulega.

Jakub Kornfeil fights Brad Binder.  No dice.  Binder now dives inside Enea Bastianini.  He's coming in a hurry.  Romano Fenati is Binder's next target.  Bulega tries to pounce as Navarro runs wide, and there's a whole other pack of riders.  The sharks are in the water, now.  Or, should I say, the hounds, are chasing the rabbit.  Binder goes up inside Fenati and also tries to take a spot away from Joan Mir.  Binder, the South African, he's cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter.  Into the stadium section, Pecco Bagnaia passes Niccolo Bulega.  Game over for Fabio Quartararo.  You have to feel for him, dropping out of this race.

Meanwhile, Brad Binder is fifth, and has made up 30 spots.  Binder now makes up 31 spots, into fourth.  Pecco Bagnaia is flying right now.  Bagnaia is attempting to slipstream past Jorge Navarro down the back straight.  No dice!  Navarro holds him off.  Jakub Kornfeil runs wide.  Scottish rider John McPhee on the Peugeot branded motorcycle, has crashed.  Game over, from 22nd spot.  McPhee was fighting with Adam Norrodin, Maria Herrera, Livio Loi, and Alexis Masbou.  Navarro leads, and it is hard to say if either Pecco Bagnaia or Niccolo Bulega, will be able to slingshot past him out of the final turn and down the main straightaway.

Brad Binder is running 6/10ths of a second faster than the lead group, with still 14 laps left to run in this Moto3 contest at Jerez de la Frontera.  If Brad Binder can win from way down in 35th here in Spain, that will be an all time great comeback in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history.  Bagnaia is able to run a tighter line through the Sito Pons corner.  Bagnaia is on terms with Jorge Navarro.  He will be the king of the late brakers here.  No chance into Dry Sac as Navarro holds him off.  "Not this time, sunshine", Navarro says.  Binder picks up another tenth and is 3.1 seconds in-arrears.  However, he is cleverly trying to get away from a big group, getting clear track.  He has 13 points on the table.  No rider in the top six has ever won a Moto3 race.

Andrea Migno is ninth.  Darryn Binder should also score a point.  Bagnaia is now the leader, with just thirteen laps left to run.  Jorge Navarro takes the lead.  Fabio Quartararo has had a horrid season so far.  Brad Binder is getting faster and faster.  If he has not burned up his tires, he could win this thing, as Joan Mir and Phillip Oettl almost wreck each other!  Bulega and Binder are close.  Binder was 1.2 seconds faster than Bulega on the previous lap as Pecco Bagnaia goes deep into Jorge Lorenzo corner.  Bulega cannot stay with Navarro or Bagnaia as Brad Binder is fourth, sliding wide into Dry Sac.  This has been an incredible performance from Binder.

Could Binder win?  We'll see.  Niccolo Antonelli is only running 23rd.  He's just passed Davide Pizzoli, the Italian wildcard rider.  Antonelli has crashed.  Game over.  That caps a horrible day for the Italian.  Quartararo, out.  Antonelli, out.  Jerez is not a good track for Antonelli.  Pecco Bagnaia is pushing Jorge Navarro.  Bagnaia runs a tighter line into the corner than does Navarro.  Bulega is losing ground to the top two.  He is fastest of this group of riders at 1:47.679, and has been very sensible about his riding on the motorcycle.  If he wins his first Grand Prix from the back of the field, it will be amazing.

Bulega has to be riding on the limit to stay close to Navarro and Bagnaia.  Binder is now in the frame with the leaders, from 35th to fourth.  He has a chance to win.  Ten laps remain now.  Binder is fastest of the top four at 1:47.570.  The other leaders are in the 1:48s.  The crowd is on it's feet.  Binder is on the podium, passing Nicolo Bulega.  Binder wants by Pecco Bagnaia now.  Eight wheels, four riders, fighting for the win in Moto3 at Jerez!  Navarro runs wide allowing Pecco Bagnaia to take the race lead.  Niccolo Bulega closes up on the top three now.  There's a huge battle for fifth through eleventh now, too.  It features Phillip Oettl, Enea Bastianini, Joan Mir, Romano Fenati, Jules Danilo, Andrea Migno, and Jakub Kornfeil.

Binder wants past Navarro and Bagnaia.  Navarro wants the lead and cannot get it this time.  Binder is a half second quicker than these boys in the top two spots.  Navarro retakes the lead and Bagnaia is slipping down the order.  Bagnaia is back to fourth.  That's Moto3 racing.  Jorge Navarro will get the shock of his life.  He has no idea Binder is there.  Binder tries, and Navarro keeps the place.  Niccolo Bulega is third.  Seven laps to go.  Navarro leads Binder, Bulega, and Bagnaia.  Bagnaia lost half a second when he ran wide into turn one.  Bulega is having trouble in sector one.  Binder pulls to one side.  Who is better on the brakes?  Navarro holds the lead.

Bagnaia meanwhile, passes Bulega for third.  Alexis Masbou and Darryn Binder, have both crashed.  Binder has perhaps chewed up his tires, according to the engineers from Dunlop.  Conserve the tires for the end of this race, is the logical strategy.  Six laps to go.  You could cut the tension with a knife here in Spain in Moto3.  Jorge Navarro still has no idea that Binder is the guy breathing down his tailpipe.  Navarro is late on the brakes, and here comes Binder!  They nearly touch!  Navarro gets nudged wide losing the lead to Binder and second, to Pecco Bagnaia!  From last, to first, Binder now holds the lead with six laps left.

Francesco Bagnaia now gets second place back from Jorge Navarro.  With five laps left, Binder is trying to leave his competition in the dust.  Navarro is now going to make a move on Bagnaia.  Navarro is now second and he cannot let Binder out of his sights.  Neither Binder nor Navarro have won in Moto3 yet.  So, we will have a new race winner here at Jerez de la Frontera.  Four laps left now.  Romano Fenati is now fifth,heading the second group.  Joan Mir, Enea Bastianini, and Phillip Oettl, Jules Danilo, Jakub Kornfeil, and Andrea Migno.  Navarro and Bagnaia have their work cut out to deny the South African, one of the most talked about wins in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history.

Binder stretches his lead to 6/10ths of a second.  Phillip Oettl passes Joan Mir.  Brad Binder increases his lead to 8/10ths of a second.  Joan Mir passes Phillip Oettl.  Joan Mir wants his best career finish.  This is Binder's race to win.  He has 1.1 seconds on Navarro.  It is Binder's race to lose, 1.3 seconds in front.  Navarro is second, Pecco Bagnaia, third.  It has been 35 years since a South African rider has won a motorcycle Grand Prix.  Binder is checking out.  Binder has this race, in the bag.  Seven riders still argue over fifth spot!  Fenati, Mir, Oettl, Kornfeil, Bastianini, (nicknamed "The Beast"), Danilo, and Migno.

Binder is starting his final lap in mere seconds, and he has two seconds in hand over the rest of the field!  Holy cow!  Francesco Bagnaia looks inside Jorge Navarro.  Binder starts his final lap, running lap times in the 1:47 bracket.  Navarro, Bagnaia, and Bulega, battle for second.  Whoever is fifth, may be in for a podium, of these three crash.  Jakub Kornfeil is that rider.  Well, either crash, or launch an attack to dive for the final podium place.  Let's hope it's the latter, not the former.  Bulega has one more chance to snatch a first career podium place.  Bagnaia is right in Navarro's face, and Bulega, slams around both of them!  A brilliant move by the Italian!  Navarro is bumped off the podium!  He'll be kicking himself!

Bagnaia comes back on Bulega!  Bulega is forced wide by Bagnaia, and here comes Navarro!  Who is bravest on the brakes into the final turn?  Binder will win this thing.  Bagnaia outside, Bulega, inside.  Bulega, past the lot of them!  Binder, from 35th place, wins Moto3 at Jerez!  Bulega gets second!  The rookie beats Bagnaia and Navarro!  Kornfeil finishes fifth!  What a race!  What... a... race!  Speechless.  Amazing!

#41 Brad Binder     RSA.     KTM

The final two points scoring finishers are Khairul Idham Pawi and Tatsuki Suzuki.  Take a bow, Brad Binder!  He's won by 3.3 seconds.  Bulega floored it on the last lap.  Bagnaia and Navarro got trounced, twice.  Fabulous Moto3 race!  The next Moto3 race happened, in France, at the Bugatti circuit, at Le Mans.  Stay tuned, for that race report, coming soon.