MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

A touch of cloud cover brought some welcome respite for the intermediate class ahead of their 22-lap charge, but Manuel Gonzalez needed no help in taking control of the race and securing his second victory in the class – and the championship lead as a bonus. Aron Canet demonstrated once again his proficiency in second places, helped somewhat by his rivals’ errors, while Senna Agius recovered from a long lap penalty to make a late bid for third and make his second appearance on the grand prix podium.  

Gonzalez only lost the spotlight briefly when Celestino Vietti got ahead of the poleman into the first corner, while front row starter Canet immediately faded to 6^th position, behind Agius, Darryn Binder and a fast-starting Izan Guevara – who went from 11^th on the grid to 5^th after a couple corners. However, the dream start didn’t last for long, as both Guevara and Binder soon received double long lap penalties for jumping the start. Marcos Ramirez, Jake Dixon, Diogo Moreira and Barry Baltus held onto the early top 10, although Dani Holgado was making some early progress to threaten that by lap 3, and the rookie soon found himself 8^th after the men ahead served their penalties. 

Lap 3 was a good one for Gonzalez as well, who reclaimed top spot, with Vietti and Agius hot on his tail, while Canet was finally released from the early squabble against Binder and Guevara but had a whole second to find on the trio ahead. Moreira was easily holding onto the Spaniard and although they were making no progress with the gap to the podium positions, the duo had dropped the next group another second down the road, including Ramirez, Baltus, Holgado and Dixon.  

Although not quite running away at the front, Gonzalez’s pace allowed him to find a tenth here and there and eventually stretch one second of advantage over Vietti by lap 10.  With Agius breathing down his neck, the Italian’s focus turned to defending second place, but with a limited threat to their podium positions, as Canet was still struggling to bridge the gap in 4^th. Disaster struck on lap 12, when contact between Agius and Vietti sent the Italian into the gravel at turn 10, which worked in Canet’s favour, as he suddenly found himself in second place. Moreira inherited 3^rd as well, with Agius rejoining in 4^th but immediately getting a long lap penalty for irresponsible riding. Helped by the battle behind, Agius was able to complete the penalty without losing position but was out of podium contention by three seconds.

Unaffected by the drama behind, Gonzalez enjoyed an advantage of three and a half seconds at the front, while Canet was finally able to ditch Moreira by one second going into the final 8 laps. With Agius still in no man’s land, the first real battle at that stage was for 5^th, where Ramirez was fending off Baltus and Dixon. Holgado was holding onto 8^th position, although struggling a little to hold onto the group ahead. 

The final four laps brought some reason for concern for Moreira, whose fading late pace left him eight tenths a lap slower than the recovering Agius, who was all over the back of the Brazilian one lap later. Agius made the first of several subsequent moves at the final corner and although Moreira’s tyres seemed to have had enough, the Brazilian repeatedly responded to the Australian’s advances in a very entertaining penultimate lap. Although Moreira kept close to Agius until the very end, he wasn’t given another opportunity to attack on the final lap and Agius claimed third place, almost four seconds after Canet crossed the finish line, and joining his victorious teammate on the podium. Moreira settled for 4^th, with Ramirez holding onto 5^th after distancing Baltus and Dixon over the last couple of laps. Holgado took a lonely 8^th place, while Filip Salac got past Alonso Lopez for 9^th on the last lap. 

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