Moto3 Valencia: Martin dominates for career first victory

Jorge Martin took his first grand prix win in style, on his 50th start, crossing the line 3.7 seconds ahead of the chasing pack at the Valencia Moto3 Grand Prix.

The Gresini man had a lead of over six seconds during the race, allowing him to comfortably withstand Joan Mir’s final push with ease, celebrating with a wheelie over the line.

He is the first Honda rider to win at the Ricardo Tormo track in the lightweight class since Dani Pedrosa won the 125cc race in 2002.

Mir showed his world championship winning pedigree as he staged an impressive comeback to claim second.

The Leopard rider had found himself in 19th after running through the gravel in the early stages to avoid Gabriel Rodrigo as he tumbled from second.

The Spaniard the set about working his way back to the front, picking off his rivals one by one and finishing with a powerful pass of three riders on the brakes, and once at the front of the chasing group he looked determined and attempted to catch Martin, gaining back three seconds, but the damage was too much and a record eleventh win was not to be.

The final spot on the podium was won by Marcos Ramirez , in equalling his best result to date the Platinum Bay Real Estate man was the best placed KTM in the race and in the championship standings.

The Spaniard beat Romano Fenati (MArinelli Rivacold Snipers) and Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0) into fourth and fifth respectively in the tussle to the line.

RBA’s Juanfran Guevara was elevated to sixth as excellent wild-card Dennis Foggia - the best placing Sky VR46 rider in the race - had to drop a place for exceeding track limits, leaving him seventh, though that was still the best of his three points finishes this season.

John McPhee followed Mir throughthe pack, fighting injury all the way to eighth on his last ride with the British Talent Team.

Local rider Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Asia Talent Team wild-card Kazuki Masaki completed the top ten.

Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) dropped back to eleventh but held off Bo Bendsneyder who climbed to twelfth for Red Bull KTM Ajo in the closing stages.

Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team) finishes the year as top rookie after finishing 13th, his nearest rival Marco Bezzecchi was out of the points in 28th after a fall.

The remaining points on offer were claimed by Nico Antonelli on the second Red Bull entry in 14th and Philipp Oettl (Sudmetall Schedl GP Racing) in 15th.

Livio Loi’s race was over before it started after being given a pit lane start penalty for riding slowly in qualifying, he finished 27th.

Fabio Di Giannantonio spectacularly crashed out on the finishing straight after running into the back of Ramirez. Amazingly every other rider managed to miss him and his bike over the line, which he then rode back to the pits.

Nicolo Bulega and Darryn Binder both missed the race through injuries picked up earlier in the weekend.