Moto3 Germany: Martin breaks away to rule at Sachsenring
Jorge Martin had the pace to make a break at the front in the closing stages of the German Moto3 Grand Prix, taking his fifth win of the year at round nine of the championship.
The Del Conca Gresini rider had tried to force a gap several times through the race before electing to save his tyres until his breakaway in the closing laps. Martin also survived contact with his team-mate Fabio Di Giannantonio, who hesitated when making a move for the lead, as the pair took their different lines at the exit to turn one.
The Italian ended up in the gravel but pole man Martin used the incident to focus, get into his best rhythm and pull away to lead by 2.515s over the line and extend his championship lead to seven points, with a total of 130.
The only Honda on the podium was joined by the KTM of Marco Bezzecchi, who gave his Redox PruestelGP team a rostrum finish at their home race, marking the Italian’s sixth podium of the season, keeping him in the title hunt after a crash at the last round in Assen.
Also making the podium was John McPhee, who chose to try the softer option medium rear tyre on his CIP - Green Power KTM which paid off in a tough weekend without a crew chief who went home sick and working out of a makeshift garage with the paddock area at the Sachsenring being limited. The Brit had plenty to cheer on his birthday weekend with a deserved third - nearly stealing second at the line – but will still be delighted to his first podium finish of the year.
Marcos Ramirez passed Aron Canet heading into the final sectors on the final lap to earn fourth for Bester Capital Dubai, leaving the Estrella Galicia rider fifth.
Sixth went to top rookie in the race Jaume Masia, on the second Bester Capital Dubai entry, with Jakub Kornfeil taking the chequered flag in seventh on the second Redox PruestelGP entry.
Philipp Oettl finished eighth in his home race for his Sudmetal Schedl GP team, while next over the finish line was replacement rider Raul Fernandez, in for Darryn Binder at Red Bull KTM. The Spaniard found himself sent into the gravel when running sixth after being nudged by Lorenzo Dalla Porta, rejoining 25th. He fought back to claim ninth, while the Leopard rider was forced to move back three places in the race - he too finished in the points in 13th.
Ayumu Sasaki took the final spot inside the top ten for Petronas Sprinta Racing.
His team-mate Adam Norrodin was next to finish in eleventh ahead of Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team) in twelfth.
The other points finishers were Nicolo Bulega in 14th for Sky Racing Team VR46 and RBA’s rookie Kazuki Masaki in 15th.
Tatsuki Suzuki was the first to crash out of the race after just five laps. He was followed by Nakarin Atiratphuvapat. Vincente Perez, who replaces Livio Loi from this round, retired to the pits.
