Le Mans MotoGP: Márquez takes first Moto2 victory

Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) battled from sixth to take his first Moto2 victory at Le Mans in the first race of the season that the reigning 125GP champion has completed. The top five positions were closely fought, with Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) snatching second from Stefan Bradl (Viessman Kiefer Racing) and holding off the German rider who took third after setting pole and leading for the majority of the race.

Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) led the race briefly after overtaking Bradl but gradually slipped back, eventually being passed by Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) on the last lap who took fourth, pushing Lüthi into fifth position. Spaniard Aleix Espargaró (Pons HP 40) finished sixth, his best result of the season so far.

Brit Bradley Smith (Tech 3) finished eighth behind Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project), whilst Scott Redding was just outside the points taking sixteenth place. Kev Coghlan (Aeroport de Castello) claimed twenty-seventh on his FTR machine.

1 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol 43’03.308
2 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Gresini Racing Moto2 +1.982
3 Stefan BRADL GER Viessmann Kiefer Racing +2.237
4 Julian SIMON SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 +2.349
5 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Paddock Moto2 +2.609
6 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pons HP 40 Pons +12.295
7 Simone CORSI ITA Ioda Racing Project +18.739
8 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag-CIP +18.918
9 Bradley SMITH GBR Tech 3 Racing +20.408
10 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM JIR Moto2 +20.566
11 Jules CLUZEL FRA NGM Forward Racing +23.225
12 Randy KRUMMENACHER SWI GP Team Switzerland Kiefer Racing +23.359
13 Pol ESPARGARO SPA HP Tuenti Speed Up +23.676
14 Michele PIRRO ITA Gresini Racing Moto2 +24.756
15 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER MZ Racing Team MZ-RE +25.063
16 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team +29.587
17 Kenny NOYES USA Avintia-STX +32.803
18 Xavier SIMEON BEL Tech 3 B +32.997
19 Raffaele DE ROSA ITA Desguaces La Torre G22 +33.273
20 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Blusens-STX +34.837
21 Esteve RABAT SPA Blusens-STX +35.765
22 Claudio CORTI ITA Italtrans Racing Team +41.502
23 Mattia PASINI ITA Ioda Racing Project +49.702
24 Ratthapark WILAIROT THA Thai Honda Singha SAG +50.198
25 Anthony WEST AUS MZ Racing Team MZ-RE +50.789
26 Kenan SOFUOGLU TUR Technomag-CIP +51.362
27 Kev COGHLAN GBR Aeroport de Castello +51.471
28 Valentin DEBISE FRA Speed Up +1’01.904
29 Javier FORES SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 +1’14.039
30 Robertino PIETRI VEN Italtrans Racing Team +1’14.338
31 Mashel AL NAIMI QAT QMMF Racing Team +1’28.827
32 Alexander CUDLIN AUS QMMF Racing Team +1’29.889

Not Classified
63 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Tech 3 Racing Tech 3 150.2 2 Laps
80 Axel PONS SPA Pons HP 40 Pons Kalex 149.9 3 Laps
88 Ricard CARDUS SPA QMMF Racing Team Moriwaki 149.5 7 Laps
97 Steven ODENDAAL RSA MS Racing Suter 143.8 12 Laps
25 Alex BALDOLINI ITA NGM Forward Racing Suter 149.0 15 Laps
36 Mika KALLIO FIN Marc VDS Racing Team Suter 122.6 22 Laps
29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Speed Master Suter  0 Lap
64 Santiago HERNANDEZ COL SAG Team FTR  0 Lap