Salom wins in Catalunya; now leads championship

[totalmotorcycle]

Salom wins in #Catalunya; now leads championship


Red Bull KTM Ajo factory rider Luis Salom rode a masterly race to seal his second consecutive Moto3 GP victory on the Catalunya GP circuit in Barcelona to lead home a three-way KTM podium and assume the lead in the championship standings.

The podium was an all Spanish, all KTM affair with Salom prevailing after a break away with three laps to go although right until the finish he was pushed hard by second placed Alex Rins and Maverick Vinales. Alex Marquez, also on a KTM was fourth ahead of two Mahindra riders.

Salom’s teammates Fahmi Khairuddin of Malaysia and Australian Arthur Sissis played leading parts in a tightly packed following group of eight riders and finished ninth and tenth respectively.

Salom’s victory, following on from his win in the last round at Mugello, Italy vaults him past Vinales in the championship standings. The young Spaniard started on pole, only the second of his young career and was with the front riders for the duration of the race. Already known as a smart rider with a very good sense of tactics, Salom made his move with three laps to go. While he never managed to shake off Rins and Vinales, he was able to defend his lead in the critical corners and stay just enough ahead to ensure the other two riders had no chance to capitalize on the slipstream advantage.

Other top KTM riders were not so lucky – Jonas Folger (Kalex-KTM) had to watch the race from the perspective of the pit box after breaking a wrist in a motocross accident the week before. He was advised by medical staff to sit out the race to be fit for the next GP in Assen, Netherlands. Niklas Ajo, Jasper Iwema and Tony Finsterbusch were also all involved in an incident in the first half of the 22-lap race.

Salom wraps up his weekend five points in front of Vinales and new has two weeks to prepare for the next round in Assen.

Moto3 Results
1, Luis Salom, Spain, KTM, 41:15.331
2, Alex Rins, Spain, KTM, +0.211
3, Maverick Viñales, Spain, KTM, +0.634
4, Alex Marquez, Spain, KTM, +3.993
5, Efren Vazquez, Spain, Mahindra, +6.243
6, Miguel Oliveira, Portugal, Mahindra, +9.295
7, Jack Miller, Australia, FTR Honda, +13.164
8, Alexis Masbou, France, FTR Honda, +21.174
9, Zulfahmi Khairuddin, Malaysia, KTM, +21.240
10, Arthur Sissis, Australia, KTM, +21.598
Other KTM
18, Philipp Oettl, Germany, Kalex KTM, +34.915
22, Ana Carrasco, Spain, KTM, +35.352
26, Eric Granado, Brazil, Kalex KTM, +1:12.896
DNF, Jakub Kornfeil, Czech Republic, Kalex KTM, 10 Laps
DNF, Livio Loi, Belgium, Kalex KTM, 18 Laps
DNF, Toni Finsterbusch, Germany, Kalex KTM, 0 Lap
DNF, Niklas Ajo, Finland, KTM, 0 Lap
DNF, Jasper Iwema, Netherlands, Kalex KTM, 0 Lap
DNS, Jonas Folger, Germany, Kalex KTM

Moto3 Standings after Round 6
1, Salom, 127
1, M. Viñales, 122
3, Rins, 101
4, Folger, 63
5, Marquez, 48
6, Oliveira, 43
7, Khairuddin, 40
8, Binder, 38
9, Masbou, 35
10, Miller, 29
Other KTM
11, Kornfeil, 27
13, Ajo, 26
14, Sissis, 25
20, Granado, 7
21, Iwema, 6
24, Loi, 1
25, Oettl, 1

Moto3 Manufacturers Standings after Round 6
1, KTM, 150
2, Kalex KTM, 63
3, Mahindra, 52