MarcVDS Moto2 star Scott Redding has taken his first ever class win in tricky conditions at the Le Mans MotoGP round today and now has a 24-point lead in the championship.
In a war of attrition, Redding kept his head while all about him crashed including title rivals Esteve Rabat, Pol Espargaro, Nico Terol and Takaaki Nakagami - who was in the lead.
"This feels amazing. A well earned victory and I need to thank the team and everyone involved," said Redding in parc ferme.
The race was red-flagged with two laps to go and, on count back, Team-mate Mika Kallio was given second with Xavier Simeon in third place. It is the first time a Brit has won at Le Mans for 30 years when Alan Carter won the 250cc race.
Nakagami led in the early stages from Espargaro. Unbelievably, both Espargaro and championship-leading Tuenti HP 40 teammate Esteve Rabat fell in harmony at Musee corner, dropping down the order on Lap 3. Nakagami was left with a three-second advantage, but the Italtrans Racing Team man lost control at the same corner just four laps later as sprinkles of rain made for a greasy track surface.
The intermediary conditions contributed to retirements for no less than ten riders, including Mapfre Aspar Tech Moto2 pairing Jordi Torres and Nico Terol, Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing’s Tom Luthi and the independently-funded Gino Rea, who had remarkably reached a high of 12th position from 31st on the grid.
A strong recovery ride from Redding saw him rise to the front on Lap 8, passing Johann Zarco who had delighted the French crowd by leading. Redding’s teammate Kallio looked to threaten as he typically grew stronger and pushed on in the second half of the race. Heavier rain towards the end threw a spanner into the works for Redding, but red flags flew on the 24th of 26 laps. As the result was declared at the end of Lap 22 (the last which all riders had completed), Kallio inherited second position despite being overtaken by Xavier Simeon before the stoppage. Nevertheless, the Belgian Desguaces La Torre Maptaq rider still achieves a first ever podium finish.
Technomag carXpert’s Dominique Aegerter and Came Iodaracing Project’s aforementioned Zarco were fourth and fifth from NGM Mobile Racing’s Mattia Pasini, JiR Moto2’s Mike di Meglio (in his home Grand Prix) and Italtrans’ Julian Simon. Anthony West and Alex de Angelis completed the top ten for QMMF Racing Team and NGM Mobile Forward Racing, respectively, as reigning Moto3™ champion Sandro Cortese scored his first Moto2 points, in 13th place for Dynavolt Intact GP. In 15th, the final point was collected by Frenchman Louis Rossi (Tech 3) who had won the Moto3™ race at Le Mans 12 months ago.