The difficult track conditions at Jerez de la Frontera continued into today’s Moto2 race but it was the rain and the moment that the red flag was shown cutting the race to just 18 laps, who decided who won the battled race and it was Pol Espargaro who ended up thanking the rain gods and the fact that he had taken the lead on the previous lap.
The leadership switched hands several times with pole sitter Marc Marquez, Espargaro, Scott Redding and Thomas Luthi battling it out between themselves for almost half the race distance with Mika Kallio entering the fray until a light rain started falling on the 15th lap which removed the Finn rider from the contest when he ran off track.
Redding also dropped back and letting Marquez, Espargaro and Luthi decide it between themselves.
When the red flag was shown Marquez was leading, but the victory was awarded to Espargaro over Marquez by 0.
241s as he was leading the race on lap 17 after he moved past Marquez.
Luthi ended up in third ahead of Scott Redding and yesterday’s qualifying revelation Moto2 rookie Takaaki Nakagami.
Claudio Corti took the sixth spot ahead of Mika Kallio and Dominique Aegerter.
Former Moto2 champion Toni Elias finished in 9th after a very anonymous and disappointing 13th result in the season opener in Qatar.
Johann Zarco who shined in the wet during this weekend’s practice sessions closed out the top ten, while Andrea Iannone had to concede his second spot in the standings to Espargaro after finishing in 14th falling to 5th.
Moto2 Jerez Race Results:01- Pol Espargaro – Pons 40 HP Tuenti – KALEX Moto2 – 17 laps in 30’12.
87902- Marc Marquez – Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol – Suter MMXII – + 0.
24103- Thomas Luthi – Interwetten Paddock – Suter MMXII – + 0.
48304- Scott Redding – Marc VDS Racing Team – KALEX Moto2 – + 4.
41405- Takaaki Nakagami – Italtrans Racing Team – KALEX Moto2 – + 4.
83706- Claudio Corti – Italtrans Racing Team – KALEX Moto2 – + 5.
88107- Mika Kallio – Marc VDS Racing Team – KALEX Moto2 – + 6.
14908- Dominique Aegerter – Technomag CIP – Suter MMXII – + 7.
09709- Toni Elias – MAPFRE Aspar Team – Suter MMXII – + 7.
86610- Johann Zarco – JiR Moto2 – MotoBI – + 8.
68011- Bradley Smith – Tech 3 Racing – Tech 3 Mistral 610 – + 9.
38212- Alex De Angelis – NGM Mobile Forward Racing – Suter MMXII – + 9.
76813- Xavier Simeon – Tech 3 Racing – Tech 3 Mistral 610 – + 10.
43314- Andrea Iannone – Speed Master Team – Speed Up Moto2 – + 31.
36615- Gino Rea – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Moriwaki MD600 – + 31.
50416- Anthony West – QMMF Racing Team – Moriwaki MD600 – + 34.
17217- Simone Corsi – CAME Iodaracing Project – FTR Moto M212 – + 34.
45018- Axel Pons – Pons 40 HP Tuenti – KALEX Moto2 – + 36.
41019- Ricky Cardus – Argiñano Racing Team – AJR Moto2 – + 36.
80320- Angel Rodriguez – Desguaces La Torre SAG – FTR Moto M211 – + 37.
44921- Yuki Takahashi – NGM Mobile Forward Racing – Suter MMXII – + 39.
46522- Randy Krummenacher – GP Team Switzerland – KALEX Moto2 – + 45.
78223- Julian Simon – Blusens Avintia – Suter MMXII – + 46.
16324- Alexander Lundh – Cresto Guide MZ Racing – FTR Moto M211 – + 46.
25125- Roberto Rolfo – Technomag CIP – Suter MMXII – + 59.
59326- Ratthapark Wilairot – Thai Honda Gresini Moto2 – Moriwaki MD600 – + 59.
98727- Nico Terol – MAPRE Aspar Team – Suter MMXII – + 1’01.
01028- Tito Rabat – Pons 40 HP Tuenti – KALEX Moto2 – 1 lap