Moto2: Abraham claims debut win in Valencia cracker
Karel Abraham will move to MotoGP as a grand prix winner after taking victory in an exciting final round showdown at Valencia on Sunday.
In another superb advertisement for Moto2, five riders were fighting for victory as the last lap of the inaugural 600cc grand prix season began - with Andrea Iannone, Julian Simon, Abraham, Toni Elias and Thomas Luthi covered by just 0.678sec.
World champion Elias then blew the lead pack apart when he lunged for a pass on second-place Simon, couldn't stop and slammed into the side of leader Iannone.
Elias almost highsided, just staying on his Gresini Moriwaki, but not the track - Toni ran through the gravel and fell.
Iannone was fortunate not to fall, but the impact did cost him the lead and with Simon also taking evasive action, Abraham was able to thread through from fourth to first!
The Cardion AB rider had fought for a podium throughout the race, and earlier traded (silver) paint with Elias as he battled to stay in the hunt for victory.
Abraham, riding in his sixth grand prix season, crossed the line 0.522sec in front of Iannone for the FTR chassis' first Moto2 victory and Abraham's second podium in world championship racing.
Abraham will ride a satellite Ducati for the Cardion AB team in MotoGP next year. Elias, who remounted to finish 30th, will race for LCR Honda.
Fimmco Speed Up's triple Moto2 winner Iannone got the better of Simon for second in the race, but winless Aspar Suter rider Simon claimed the runner-up position in the final standings by just two points.
Of the 17 Moto2 races, seven were won by Elias (Moriwaki), three by Iannone (Speed Up) and one each by Tomizawa (Suter), Cluzel (Suter), Takahashi (Tech 3), Rolfo (Suter), de Angelis (MotoBI), Bradl (Suter) and now Abraham (FTR).
Suter won the inaugural Moto2 Constructors' title by 13 points from Moriwaki.
Reigning double World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu, making his second start for the Technomag-CIP team he will race for throughout 2011, was running second when he shot off-track after being passed by Bradl into turn one on lap 8 of 27.
The Turkish rider tried to hang on to the position a little too hard and couldn't make the turn, instead running across the gravel and dropping his Suter just before the tyre wall.
Fifth after leading last weekend at Estoril, Sofuoglu retired soon after and his first Moto2 podium will now have to wait until next year.
Sofuoglu felt the move wasn't fair but Bradl, who won his first Moto2 race last Sunday at Estoril, also failed to finish - crashing out of third just before mid-race distance.
34-year-old Alex Debon overcame the pain from his freshly broken collarbone to finish 13th in his final grand prix ride before retirement.
Race results - Valencia:
1. Abraham (FTR) 27 laps
2. Iannone (Speed Up) +0.522s
3. Simon (Suter) +0.583s
4. Luthi (Moriwaki) +0.760s
5. Redding (Suter) +4.205s
6. de Angelis (MotoBI) +5.385s
7. Corsi (MotoBI) +11.399s
8. Gadea (Pons Kalex) +21.420s
9. Aegerter (Suter) +22.439s
10. Talmacsi (Speed Up) +22.912s
