Bradl takes second win of the season in Estoril

Article from http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/Estoril+Moto2+Race+Report

The German rider kept his cool during an eventful race at the front to take his third victory in the Moto2 class and the fifth of his career. The Kalex rider has increased his lead in the World Championship to 13 points over Andrea Iannone (Speed Master). The Italian rider looked potentially on course to triumph in Estoril after clawing his way through the field from starting from the middle of the fifth row, to be leading with only a few laps to go after passing Bradl. However the Suter rider crashed and eventually finished in 13th place, 42 seconds behind the winner.

Bradl and Simón had a mouthwatering fight in the last few laps and it was Bradl who crossed the start finish line a mere 0.147s ahead of the Spaniard. The Mapfre Aspar rider was aiming to collect his maiden Moto2 victory in the class, but had to settle for second place and his 23rd career podium. Takahashi was an emotional third, a further six seconds behind the battle at the front.

It was a positive weekend for Dominique Aegerter (Technomag-CIP) after his highest grid position in Moto2 yesterday starting from fifth. Aegerter then also finished the race with his best result in the class with fourth place. Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) was in fifth, Pol Espargaró (HP Tuenti Speed Up) sixth and Randy Krummenacher (GP Team Switzerland Kiefer Racing) seventh.

Alex Baldolini (Forward Racing) who had his only ever podium in Grand Prix racing, here at the circuit in 2010, had his best result of the 2011 campaign in eighth place, ahead of Mike di Meglio (Tech 3) and Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) in ninth and tenth.

Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) had got the better of Bradl after a few laps in and had just set the fastest lap of the race whilst attempting to pull away at the front, when he lost the front end of his Suter and went down at turn 13. That was the end of the Swiss rider’s race and he had to return to the pits to retire.

Reigning 125cc World Champion Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) lost control of his bike whilst dicing with Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing) and clattered into the British rider forcing them both off into the gravel. With both riders failing to score so far in this year’s Moto2 campaign, they both managed to continue but finished down in 21st and 25th respectively, It was not a good day for the British riders in the intermediate class as Bradley Smith (Tech 3) was forced to pull into the pits with tyre issues with ten laps to go and was classified 29th.

After challenging for a rostrum position, Kenan Sofuoglu suffered an accident which brought an early halt to his race whilst racing in fifth place for Technomag-CIP. Rookie Michele Pirro (Gresini Racing Moto2) had his first non finish in Moto2, crashing out of sixth place on lap one after achieving his best ever qualifying result in Grand Prix. Jules Cluzel (Forward Racing) was another rider not to reach the chequered flag after his fall mid way through the race.

Kev Coghlan (Team Aeroport de Castelló) did not start the race despite qualifying 37th. The Scotsman suffering from an injury in training, crashed again during the weekend and therefore did not take part in the Moto2 race today.