Red Bull KTM's Sandro Cortese was crowned Moto3 World Champion in fine style at Sepang today, nicking the win from home-town hero Zulfahmi Khairuddin on the final lap while team-mate Danny Kent came home in sixth place.
Cortese joins Dirk Raudies on the list of German riders to win the lightweight title and cements his name in the history books as he is the first man to win the Moto3 title.
He only needed third place to have his name placed on the trophy but couldn't resist taking advantage when Khairuddin ran wide and nipped into the lead but the longer gearing of the Malaysian's KTM almost saw him nick it on the line.
Jonas Folger had comfortable led for most of the race with four men - Louis Salom making the quarter - making a break but the Frenchman was struggling for grip and eventually lost touch. Khairuddin took the lead from Folger on lap 11 as spots of rain came down.
Cortese stuck behind the local man and made a pass at turn 14 but was soon relegated back to second on the straight. As they came into the last corner, the German held a tighter line and nicked the win by three one-hundredths of a second.
Britain's John McPhee finished in 22nd while Danny Webb, who started from pitlane after exceeding his engine allocation, retired after ten laps.
