MarcVDS Moto2 star Scott Redding bagged his first Moto2 podium of the season today at a wet Le Mans MotoGP round in race that saw British riders occupying third, fourth and fifth places in the early stages.
Redding got away with the leaders from his second-row qualifying as the lights went out but both Bradley Smith and Gino Rea came through from the middle and back of the pack respectively to sit in sixth and seventh by the time the opening lap had ended.
Smith promoted himself to fifth, passing Marc Marquez on lap two as Rea followed him through while Redding was battling for second with Thomas Luthi as Pol Espargaro got the hammer down in the lead.
Rea was taking advantage of the wet conditions until disaster struck once again and a charging Johan Zarco took out his front wheel just one corner after the young Londoner had almost been spat over the highside coming out of the final corner.
Smith, meanwhile, was hassling Redding but ran on as he came under the Dunlop bridge, re-joining in 15th place. The Oxfordshire copper-top then fought his way back through only to crash within sight of the chequered flag and finished the race in tenth.
Redding had a lonely race in the closing stages as Luthi cleared off on the Interwetten bike while Claudio Corti tried to chase. The Gloucestershire man was six seconds off second place and a further four seconds ahead of Andrea Iannone in fourth. Team-mate Mika Kallio was fifth. In a spot of comedy, former 125cc world champion had to push his Blusens Avintia machine over the line for 13th.
