MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Even with the world title already wrapped up earlier today, the final MotoE race of the season was hardly a formality, as there were plenty of riders keen to end the season on a high. None more so than Oscar Gutierrez, who made his intentions clear as he launched from the back of the second row to immediately trail poleman Mattia Casadei and front-row starters Eric Granado into the first corner. By lap two, that leading trip had already stretched a gap of nearly one second over the pursuit led by Kevin Zannoni, but the Italian was pushing to get back into contention and brought Alessandro Zaccone, Jordi Torres and Lukas Tulovic with him. The quartet was fully back in contention only a couple of laps later, while world champion Hector Garzo was still trying to catch up after a tame start but was under pressure from Matteo Ferrari for 8^th place. 

Back at the front, Granado was struggling to make a move stick on Casadei by the halfway point of proceedings and eventually paid the price as Gutierrez decided to make his own move for second on lap five. The rookie didn’t waste much time having a go at Casadei to take the lead into turn 11 one lap later and although the Italian took advantage of a mistake from Gutierrez at turn 10 the very next lap, the Spaniard responded with a decisive move at the start of the final lap and managed to hold onto the lead until the chequered flag. The leading trio had distanced themselves by one second from the rest of the contenders over the last lap and Casadei settled for second, while Granado ended a difficult season on the third step of the podium. Torres eventually deposed teammate Zannoni of 5^th on the final lap, with Ferrari taking 6^th and Garzo taking it easy in 7^th place. Zaccone, Andrea Mantovani and Miquez Pons completed the final top 10 of the season. 

Garzo leaves Misano with the world championship in his pocket, Casadei admitting defeat by 15 points in the end and Gutierrez completes the championship podium in third, 38 points behind the newly crowned champion. 

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