Moto3: Kent takes historic win after last corner drama
Danny Kent raced intelligently to pounce on the gap left by Fabio Quartararo and take advantage on the home straight to win for the third time this season as the Moto3 race at Jerez went down to the wire.
The close finish saw four riders in contention at the start of the closing lap after pulling out a lead over the course of the race.
There was to be no escape in Spain this time for Kent as the leaders swapped positions corner after corner for the entire race distance.
The Leopard Racing rider was focused as Quartararo took turn 13 out of control and leapt through the gap, the youngster stayed on but was out of the race for the podium places as Kent took advantage to become the first British rider in any class to win three in a row since legend Barry Sheene achieved the same feat back in 1977.
Kent also extends his championship lead in the process, and is now 31 points clear of fellow Leopard man Efren Vazquez having already amassed an amazing 91 points so far this season.
The Briton was the only Honda rider on the podium as he was followed over the line by Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira, unlucky to again miss out on a win as he was forced wide to avoid the flying Quartararo and was in the wrong place to take advantage on the straight for Red Bull KTM. He had led on the first corner of the last lap. The result equals Oliveira's career best finish.
Oliveira's team-mate Brad Binder finished third, just his second ever podium finish, and just one place off matching his career best result. The South African had started to fall away from the lead trio as his tyres faded but his French rival's late error brought him back into contention at the final corner.
Estrella Galicia 0,0 rider Quartararo held his nerve and stayed on his bike to finish fourth and top rookie after an exciting effort from the teenager.
The leading Spaniard at home was Kent's team-mate Efren Vazquez, who made a massive effort to move through the field after qualifying down in 17th before catching the leaders around the middle of the race only to fade again for a lonely fifth.
Last year's race winner Romano Fenati battled hard in the chasing group to come out on top for sixth for the Sky Racing VR46 team.
He finished just ahead of fellow Italian Francesco Bagnaia in seventh for Mapfre Aspar Mahindra and the second Estrella Galicia bike of Jorge Navarro in eighth.
Gresini's Enea Bastianini just held off the advancing John McPhee for ninth, though tenth is an excellent finish for the British rider after a tough weekend saw him qualify down in 25th - making up an impressive 15 places in the race after transmission and grip problems had hampered his progress.
Isaac Vinales was passed by the Saxoprint man in the final lap, leaving the Husqvarna rider 11th, while Jules Danilo finished in the points for the first time this season with a career best 12th for Ongetta-Rivacold.
The remaining points on offer went to Livio Loi (RW Racing GP) in 13th, Jorge Martin (Mapfre Team Mahindra) in 14th and Alexis Masbou (SaxoPrint-RTG) 15th.
Maria Herrera was the first faller, leaving the track on a stretcher. Gabriel Rodrigo and then Karel Hanika followed soon after but the Czech rider recovered to rejoin the race.
Niklas Ajo fell soon after with Philipp Oettl the final faller, although Ajo returned to claim 17th.
A massive off for Hiroki Ono saw him collect a furious Jakub Kornfeil with just seven laps to go, but both walked away after ending up in front of each other's bikes.
Niccolo Antonelli retired his Honda with 10 laps remaining and was followed into the pits by Alessandro Tonucci.
