MarcVDS Moto2 star Scott Redding didn't manage to turn his debut pole position into a first win at Austin's Moto2 round but a fifth place and a crash from Pol Espargaro means the Gloucestershire rider is leading the title chase.
Redding got away from the line well, going under Takaaki Nakagami into the first turn for the lead and then put a gap on the field but shortly after, Redding started to slip backwards, being passed by eventual winner Nico Terol, Dominic Aegerter and team-mate Mika Kallio.
Only able to put in 2'13s laptimes until right at the very end when he came back to mid-2'12s, Redding was also passed by Esteve Rabat, who went on to take second from Kallio at just over half distance. Redding suffered big tyre problems from lap six but he now has a six-point lead over title rival Espargaro in sixth place.
"I'm obviously disappointed not to be on the podium after starting from pole position but I salvaged fifth position out of a difficult race and now I am leading the championship and that's a great feeling. Before the race I knew we'd struggle with the tyres going off and that's exactly what happened," said Redding.
"I went out there to win but after six laps I knew it was impossible. I guessed that Espargaro and Nakagami were out so I just used my brain and didn't push too hard to risk a crash that would have been very costly. It was a decent fifth and now I am leading the championship I need to hold it together for the rest of the year after a great start to the season."
Danny Kent took his Tech3 Mistral to 18th place while Kyle Smith rode his Blusens Avintia to 21st place.
