Phillip Oettl, the German rider from the Schedl GP team, gains the first victory in his career ahead of Bezzecchi, the new leader of the ranking. Ramirez is 3rd, but so many crashes!
About everything happened in this first 2018 European race for the Junior category of the GP: eventually, Philipp Oettl won managing to resist Marco Bezzecchi’s final assaults. The latter is now the new Moto3 World Champion thanks to this amazing position on the podium. Alonso Lopez crossed the finish line 3rd but he got a penalty for passing the track’s limits, giving up his position in favor of Marcos Ramirez. Poleman Martin had to leave the race early because of an accident with Arbolino, Bastianini, and Canet (who was responsible for it).
When the light went off the Del Conca Gresini riders performed an excellent kickoff, with Martin ahead of Di Giannantonio. On Michelin side, we immediately witnessed a multiple-riders fall that involved McPhee and Alcoba, together with two Italian riders, the rookie Foggia and Dalla Porta. At Dry Sack Turn, Bastianini risked falling but he luckily managed to keep on riding, somehow also maintaining his position in the large group of riders fighting for the best positions on the podium. The battle was mainly staged also by Antonelli, Bezzecchi, and Arbolino.
The most dramatic turn of events happened 4 laps before the end: at the Dry Sack Canet’s rough mistake put an end not only to his race but also to Arbolino, Bastianini and Martin’s one. The first two seemed in pain when they left the track, while Martin walked out limping and holding his left wrist. The Race Direction is now looking into the accident, and they will have to decide possible penalties. With all these riders out of the game, the battle for victory remained in the hands of Oettl and Bezzecchi, while around ten other riders were fighting for the third step on the podium.
This was the first World Championship victory for the German rider, winning only 59 thousands over Bezzecchi, who nonetheless is now the leading rider of the Champioship. Third place for Marcos Ramirez, thanks to a penalty assigned to rookie Alonso Lopez, who finished 4th ahead of Jaume Masia and Tatsuki Suzuki. Fabio Di Giannantonio crossed the finish line 7th followed by Jakub Kornfeil, Kaito Toba, and Gabriel Rodrigo.
Just outside the top 10, we find Niccolò Antonelli (with the same penalty as Lopez). Here the other Italian riders’ positions: Andrea Migno is 13th, Nicolò Bulega 17th while all the rest suffered various accidents and were forced to retire.
The ranking
