News 30 Mar 2015

Masbou converts pole to Moto3 victory at Losail

Aussie youngster Gardner crashes out of season-opener.

Source: MotoGP.

Source: MotoGP.

Alexis Masbou on the SAXOPRINT RTG Honda took the first race win of the 2015 Moto3 season in Qatar, ahead of Enea Bastianini and Danny Kent.

The Moto3 World Championship lived up to its reputation for providing incredible racing, with riders constantly swapping the lead throughout the 18 lap race.

At times there were up to 17 bikes swapping paint and bashing elbows in the leading group, with less than a second separating the first nine across the finish line.

It was the Frenchman Masbou who held his nerve in the drag to the checkered flag from the final corner, beating Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Team Moto3) by just 0.027s, after the Italian had started form 21st place on the grid.

British rider Kent (+0.142s) took the final spot on the podium for his new Leopard Racing Team, with his teammate Efren Vazquez in fourth. Rookie Fabio Quartararo showed his potential by leading the race at one point before finishing in seventh.

One of the pre-race favourites Miguel Oliveira on the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, fell at turn one, but managed to rejoin the race and finish in 16th.

Australian Remy Gardner was also a crasher in the race, in what was his fulltime debut for CIP Racing Mahindra.

2015 MotoGP World Championship
Round one – Losail Circuit, Qatar

Moto3 race results:
1. Alexis Masbou
2. Enea Bastianini
3. Danny Kent
4. Efren Vazquez
5. John Mcphee
6. Isaac Viñales
7. Fabio Quartararo
8. Niccolò Antonelli
9. Francesco Bagnaia
10. Brad Binder

Click here for detailed results

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