Britain's Scott Redding bagged fourth place in today's Moto2 race at Jerez after battling with Marc Marquez and Thomas Luthi for the lead but rain brought a halt to proceedings.
The race was stopped on lap 19 as Redding slipped back into the clutches of Takaaki Nakagami but due to the countback rule, he claimed fourth place. The same rule, which states results are taken from the end of the previous lap, handed victory to to Pol Espargaro with Marc Marquez in second and Tom Luthi in third.
Redding got a flying start from the fourth row, picking up six places on lap one and then shoving his way past Marquez two laps later after a brief swapping of places. He followed Mike Di Meglio past Espargaro for third on the same lap and then went past the Frenchman a lap later.
He then set about the task of chasing down Interwetten's Luthi as Marquez passed Di Meglio for third. With 19 to go, Redding elbowed the Swiss aside through the slippery turn ten and Marquez followed him. Four laps later, Marquez passed Redding on the brakes into turn one but then he was back in front at the end of the lap into the last corner, making a space big enough for Luthi to squeeze through too.
Luthi then passed Redding for the lead and rain began to fall with 13 laps to go. Marquez had got his brave head on and passed the Gloucestershire man. He then set off after Luthi with Espargaro in hot pursuit. The Spaniard caught Marquez on lap 18 after they had got past Luthi but the Repsol-backed man went back in front after the line but then race direction called a halt to proceedings.
Tech3's Bradley Smith finished in 11th place with Gino Rea taking his first points of the year in 15th after swapping back to last year's Moriwaki chassis in practice.
