As we expected after two days of torrential rain, today’s Moto2 race at Estoril on a drying track, offered some big and exciting surprises, with Stefan Bradl taking the win by a mere 0.
068s, in one the best races of the season against Alex Baldolini.
Bradl took his first Moto2 win, from 10th on the grid, in a race that saw World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu, in his debut in Moto2 riding for Techncomag CIP and the first time at Estoril, lose an amazing lead of over seven seconds, battling with problems on his left handlebar and a fading rear tire grip.
Sofuoglu would also be denied a third place podium by hard charging Alex de Angelis and fourth place by Scott Redding who beat him to the chequered flag in a nine rider battle.
The race also saw several high profile crashers, Andrea Iannone who teared through the field from 34th on the field to fourth place and then crashed out, but managed to rejoin the race to finish 21st.
Moto2 Champion Toni Elias also crashed, re-started and then pulled into the pits.
Carmelo Morales returning to Moto2 GP racing held the fifth spot for a while before falling to finish in 20th.
Moto2 Estoril Results:01- Stefan Bradl – Viessmann Kiefer Racing – Suter MMX – 26 laps in 46’59.
72302- Alex Baldolini – Caretta Technology Race Dept.
– I.
C.
P.
Moto2 – + 0.
06803- Alex De Angelis – JiR Moto2 – MotoBI – + 2.
83004- Scott Redding – Marc VDS Racing Team – Suter MMX – + 2.
84205- Kenan Sofuoglu – Technomag CIP – Suter MMX – + 2.
94706- Raffaele De Rosa – Tech 3 Racing – Tech 3 – + 3.
31107- Anthony West – MZ Racing Team – MZ RE Honda – + 3.
38508- Gabor Talmacsi – Fimmco Speed Up – Speed Up S-10 – + 3.
95209- Dominique Aegerter – Technomag CIP – Suter MMX – + 4.
28410- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – FTR Moto M210 – + 4.
31111- Hector Faubel – Marc VDS Racing Team – Suter MMX – + 4.
49212- Julian Simon – Mapfre Aspar Team – Suter MMX – + 13.
00613- Axel Pons – Tenerife 40 Pons – Pons Kalex – + 26.
52914- Simone Corsi – JiR Moto2 – MotoBI – + 27.
76015- Robertino Pietri – Italtrans S.
T.
R.
– Suter MMX – + 28.
25916- Thomas Luthi – Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 – Moriwaki MD600 – + 28.
31117- Jules Cluzel – Forward Racing – Suter MMX – + 28.
33318- Yonny Hernandez – Blusens STX – BQR Moto2 – + 37.
87319- Claudio Corti – Forward Racing – Suter MMX – + 38.
09220- Carmelo Morales – Racing Team Germany – Suter MMX – + 38.
22721- Andrea Iannone – Fimmco Speed Up – Speed Up S-10 – + 46.
97622- Sergio Gadea – Tenerife 40 Pons – Pons Kalex – + 1’01.
77923- Xavier Simeon – Holiday Gym G22 – Moriwaki MD600 – + 1’25.
87224- Fonsi Nieto – Holiday Gym G22 – Moriwaki MD600 – + 1’26.
02925- Vladimir Ivanov – Gresini Racing Moto2 – Moriwaki MD600 – + 1’51.
69026- Yuki Takahashi – Tech 3 Racing – Tech 3 Mistral 610 – 1 lap27- Ferruccio Lamborghini – Matteoni Racing – Moriwaki MD600 –1 lap28- Yannick Guerra – Holiday Gym G22 – Moriwaki MD600 – 1 lap29- Mashel Al Naimi – Blusens STX – BQR Moto2 – 1 lap