Aron Canet wins thrilling Moto3 race on last corner

Seventeen-year-old Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda NSF250RW) won a thrilling Moto3 race at the very last corner, passing Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda NSF250RW) and Joan Mir (Leopard Racing Honda NSF250RW) to score his first Grand Prix victory and continue Honda’s impressive start to the 2017 Moto3 campaign. With four races done, NSF250RW riders have monopolized the podium at all four events.

The race was a typical Moto3 encounter, with a dozen riders fighting in the lead group, bumping and barging as they disputed every millimeter of asphalt around the Jerez circuit. At half distance the top 12 were covered by just 1.6 seconds.

In the final laps the contest for victory was reduced to four riders, with Canet, Fenati, Mir battling with Marcos Ramirez (KTM), who crossed the finish line in fourth place, just two tenths of a second behind the winner! Canet’s winning margin over Fenati was 0.031 seconds.

Fenati’s second place, two weeks after his first win of the year in the USA, moves him slightly closer to World Championship leader Mir, who won the first two races of the year in Qatar and Argentina. Mir slumped to eighth in the USA, albeit only a second off the podium, so today’s return to the top three was important for his championship.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Racing Moto3 Honda NSF250RW) led the next group home in fifth place, nine tenths behind the winner. Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda NSF250RW) was ninth and Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Racing Moto3 Honda NSF250RW) tenth. This was a surprise result for Martin, who had expected much better after starting the race from pole position.

Jules Danilo (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda NSF250RW) was 12th. Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team Honda NSF250RW) scored the last World Championship result in 15th position.

MotoGP teams stay at Jerez for a one-day test tomorrow, before heading north to Le Mans for the French Grand Prix on May 21.

Aron Canet

“This is the best gift I could give on Mother’s Day. It was a very difficult race, because when I tried to move up to the front positions, other riders wouldn’t let me. At other Grands Prix I had found it a little hard to overtake, but today it wasn’t difficult for me to brake late and I did it just like my rivals. I decided to try it at the end of the race, sticking close to third place in order to make a move on the last corner. I did that and was able to win the race, so I can finally say that I like the Circuito de Jerez”

Romano Fenati

“At the beginning of the race I tried to go ahead and get a gap with the other riders but the rhythm was too fast and it was not possible. I am happy, this second place is important for me, for my team and for the Championship. It was a great fight, full of overtakes and I had a lot of fun. I thank my team as we worked well and know we stay focused on Le Mans. We need to continue to work well as we did until now.”

Joan Mir

“I'm satisfied, but not entirely happy. We kept a good strategy for the race, focused at all times. I knew I could handle it better. In the last lap I wanted to open a small gap in T3 and T4, but I almost fell down and Romano [Fenati] passed me. In the last curve I braked hard to pass him but I did not notice Canet inside: I did not have a rear view mirror to know to close the door! The third position is still a positive result and brings valuable points to us.”