Britain’s Sam Lowes crashed out of a probable Moto2 podium spot at a wet Assen MotoGP this morning, going down twice on lap nine after chasing Simone Corsi for most the race.
Lowes had taken the lead early on but was passed by Corsi at turn two on lap two. The pair then set a scorching pace to build a near-ten second lead over Julian Simon and wet-weather maestro Anthony West.
As the track began to dry, Corsi upped his pace and opened a half-second gap over Lowes who then lost the front at turn five before picking himself up and re-joining in 14th place. But it was not to be as he then got pinged over the highside on the same lap at turn 11 and called it a day.
“To be honest I felt on ice the whole race. I made a mistake and all I can do is hold my hands up. I am feeling really good on the bike now. I am gutted but I want to win in the dry, thanks to my team,” said Lowes.
Aussie West, on the QMMF Speed UP, assumed the lead when Corsi threw away a certain victory with 13 laps to go, and looked set for an historic victory 11 years after his last grand prix win also in Holland.
West and a charging Maverick Vinales was held up by lapee Dominique Aegerter which allowed Louis Salom to rush past the Spaniard and occupy second place while Aegerter, who started the race on slicks, disappeared into the distance.
Vinales was back past Salom a couple of corners later, while Mika Kallio lurked with intent in fourth place. Salom crashed at turn ten with five laps to go, promoting the Finnish MarcVDS man into third.
The pair then tripped themselves up and allowed West to open a one second gap with four laps to go. With two laps to go, Vinales had cut the gap to seven-tenths, towing Kallio with him and as the crossed the stripe to start the last lap, it was two-tenths.
West managed to fend off a last-chicane move by Vinales to take the win with Kallio third. Johan Zarco was fourth and Alex De Angelis fifth. Series leader Esteve Rabat ended in eighth.
Britain’s Gino Rea took full advantage of the wet conditions and finished in 11th place despite a long trip over the gravel at half-distance.
