Sachsenring MotoGP: Marc Marquez extends title lead

Marc Marquez took complete control of the Moto2 world championship today, the Spaniard surging to a fourth win of 2012 at a sun-drenched Sachsenring.

The Suter rider opened up a comfortable 43-point lead after having little trouble in holding off experienced duo Mika Kallio and Alex de Angelis in the 29-lap race.

Finnish rider Kallio took second for his first podium of the season after he fended off a last corner attack from de Angelis.

Italian de Angelis was delighted having had his season galvanised by a switch to the British-built FTR frame. His Forward Racing squad ditched the Suter chassis in Assen and he finished fifth in Holland and his improving form saw him claim his first rostrum since he won last year’s Phillip Island clash in Australia.

Marquez’s 21st Grand Prix win and 11th in Moto2 might not have been quite so easy had closest title rival Andrea Iannone not lost crucial ground in the championship chase.

The Italian’s challenge for a second win of the season was ended by a front-end crash at the first corner on lap 11.

Iannone had briefly led on lap eight but his small mistake cost him almost 30 seconds and he remounted in 26th position and eventually took the chequered flag in 16th.

Spaniard Pol Espargaro seized second in the rankings from Iannone after fighting his way up into fourth position after surviving a huge scare when he nearly high-sided at the fast downhill left-hander on lap seven.

Swiss rider Thomas Luthi’s title challenge also suffered a blow when he finished in fifth and he’s now 45-points adrift of Marquez.

British rider Bradley Smith battled for the top three in the early stages before dropping back to seventh and Gino Rea’s struggles in the dry continued after he plummeted from fifth on the grid to 18th.

Scott Redding’s fantastic run of form came to an abrupt end with the British teenager crashing out on the first lap.

The Marc VDS Racing rider has finished on the podium in Silverstone and Assen but his hopes of a third straight top three finish were ruined by a disappointing qualifying performance in wet conditions.

Redding was only 26th on the grid and desperately trying to make up early ground he fell out of 20th at Turn 3.