Mir wins frantic shortened Moto3 race, and becomes 2017 champion

In Moto3 Mir won a typically frantic Moto3 contest, which was stopped after 15 laps due to a heavy rain shower. With two-thirds of the race run, the result was declared.

This was another convincing display from Mir. Despite seven riders fighting with him throughout, the 20-year-old remained typically composed, running at the front for most of the race. Time and time again he attempted to break clear, repeatedly building an advantage through the twists and turns, only to lose it again as the chasing pack drafted him down the main straight.

Mir stuck to his task and was justly rewarded. He has now won more races in a season than any other Moto3 rider. In the history of the junior class – formerly for 125cc machines – only Valentino Rossi (11), Marc Marquez (ten) and Fausto Gresini (ten) have won more races in a season.

It was another terrific Moto3 showing by Honda, with NSF250RW machines taking all three podium places. Mir’s team-mate Livio Loi (Leopard Racing Honda NSF250RW) was second, 0.351 seconds down, with Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Racing Moto3 Honda NSF250RW) an excellent third, a fraction of a second behind.

Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda NSF250RW) was fifth, while Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda NSF250RW), Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team Honda NSF250RW) and Adam Norrodin (SIC Racing Team Honda NSF250RW) all followed close behind in a pulsating eight-rider fight. Gabriel Rodrigo (KTM) in fourth was the only non-Honda rider in the scrap. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda NSF250RW) was a solid ninth.

The Australian Grand Prix is the second of three events on consecutive weekends, with the MotoGP circus now heading north to Sepang, just outside Kuala Lumpur, for the Malaysian GP, the penultimate round of the season which ends at Valencia, Spain, on November 12.

Joan Mir

“It’s an amazing feeling. It was the perfect season for us. Two years ago I came to the World Championship and I said, ‘wow, these riders are really fast!’ Now, to become World Champion is incredible. It’s incredible when you follow something with all your strength for a lot of years, and then you achieve it. It’s an amazing feeling, something you cannot explain. It’s not just the race; it’s the race, plus the world championship. I hope to continue like this in the future!”

Livio Loi

“For me the strategy was quite clear. I came from 21st position. I knew I needed to fight my way to the front. In the end the race was great. I could go to the front quite fast. My strategy was to stay at the front. The last race I did in dry conditions was at Silverstone, where I was going for the podium. We were there but I never expected the red flag on the lap before, and I wasn’t in the position for the podium. I learnt from that. In this race I stayed in the first few positions and we got second. Also, I want to congratulate Joan, my team-mate for his World Championship.”

Jorge Martin

“Today we had the speed for something more, but the red flag prevented us from trying. It is what it is, though. I would like to congratulate Joan for the title, he deserves it. I’m happy with this third place in what was such a difficult race with many riders together and I can’t wait to return to the track in order to have another try at the win. We’re getting really close and we still have two races left this year.”