Mugello Moto2: Redding eases away for back to back wins
By Lisa Lewis
Marc VDS star Scott Redding took victory in the Italian Moto2 Grand Prix, making him the first double winner of the season courtesy of back-to-back wins.
Redding now leads the championship by a massive 43 points after a smart race, taking advantage of his pace over Mapfre Aspar rider Nico Terol, who appeared to allow the 20 year-old Brit to pass only for him to take control and ease away.
The Gloucester rider is also only the third Briton to win at Mugello, following in the footsteps of legend Barry Sheene who won the 500cc race in 1976 and Bradley Smith the 125cc race winner in 2009.
Redding becomes the first British rider since Rod Gould in 1971 to win back-to-back races in the intermediate class. It is also the first time he has won from a pole start.
Terol took his second podium of the year, while managing tyres and chattering, with second place.
The Spanish rider had good form coming into the race having previously been on the podium three times in Mugello in the 125cc class, including a win in 2011.
Terol is now also second in the championship on the same points score as Marc VDS man Mika Kallio but placed ahead due to his race win in Austin.
Johann Zarco secured his first podium since moving to Moto2, he was happy to settle for third for the Came Iodaracing Project after a long fight for second with Terol.
Pol Espargaro showed some great damage limitation, using his saved tyres from hanging down the order to power his Tuenti HP 40 Pons bike into fourth over the closing laps, but unable to catch the front three who were well clear of the chasing pack.
Mika Kallio found himself pushed down to fifth by the flying Spaniard, he crossed the line ahead of Aspar's Jordi Torres with whom he had enjoyed a race long battle for position.
Top Speed Up finisher and highest placing Italian at his home Grand Prix was NGM Mobile Racing's Simone Corsi, who took seventh just ahead of his team-mate Alex De Angelis in eighth who fell down the order after clashing with Xavier Simeon, who he caused to crash out of the race.
The top ten was completed by Swiss riders Tom Luthi in ninth for Interwetten and Dominique Aegerter in tenth for Technomag carXpert.
Former champion Toni Elias grabbed eleventh for the Blusens Avintia team, while Marcel Schrotter found himself pushed back quickly from his third place start and finished twelfth for the Desguaces LA Torre SAG team.
Tito Rabat fought back to 13th after being forced wide on his Pons Tuenti bike early in the race by a battle between Simeon and Kallio.
The final points were taken by rookie and last years Moto3 champion Sandro Cortese for Dynavolt Intact GP in 14th and Technomag carXpert rider Randy Krummenacher in 15th.
Takaaki Nakagami had held the lead early on but came under pressure and was passed by both Redding and Terol. He crashed his Italtrans into the gravel while trying to hold onto fourth place.
The other Brits in the championship continued to struggle in the intermediate class with Kyle Smith finishing in 21st for the Blusens Avintia team just ahead of his fellow countryman Danny Kent who was 22nd for Tech 3.
