2013 Jerez Moto2 Championship
Spoiler Alert: 2013 Moto2 results from Jerez circuit in Spain
The 2013 Moto2 Championship headed to Spain for the first of four times this season. And as expected from qualifying results, the competition was fierce. But nobody could catch the man who started from the pole at the Spanish Grand Prix – Tito Rabat.
This was the Tuenti HP 40 rider’s first-ever Moto2 victory after taking his first-ever pole. Former points leader Scott Redding finished second as Rabat’s teammate Pol Espargaro stole the final podium position from Takaaki Nakagami.
Rabat held the advantage from Redding as the red lights went out, and went on to make the victory look easy as he won by over four seconds, despite the pressure of a home crowd.
Redding’s ride to second place was a calm one, as the Marc VDS Racing Team rider looks to achieve consistency across the 2013 season. Espargaro, a pre-season favorite for many, was desperate to make up ground after crashing out at the Circuit of the Americas two weeks ago.
Running fourth and catching Italtrans Racing Team’s Nakagami, the former was held up by QMMF Racing Team’s Rafid Topan Sucipto, who was running a lap down. He caught Nakagami again with only a handful of laps to go, passing on the penultimate tour as the Japanese rider made an unforced error exiting Michelin curve. After the race, Sucipto apologized to Espargaro for delaying his progress.
As Nakagami dropped to fourth and was unable to re-pass Espargaro, Texas winner Nico Terol ended the day fifth for Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 while Desguaces La Torre Maptaq’s Xavier Simeon overhauled Aspar’s Jordi Torres to end a spirited battle in a career-best sixth position.
Technomag carXpert’s Dominique Aegerter, Blusens Avintia’s Toni Elias and Desguaces La Torre SAG’s Marcel Schrotter completed the first ten, while Tom Luthi finished 11th on his return with Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing. Two places further back, Came Iodaracing Project’s Johann Zarco had fought up to 13th position from 30th on the starting grid.
Several riders were caught out, including Britons Danny Kent and Kyle Smith, but Mika Kallio’s fall was arguably the most significant. The Finn had been joint second in the standings heading into the race, but crashed his Marc VDS Racing Team bike at Dry Sack corner while involved in a multiple-rider battle over fifth position.
2013 Jerez Moto2 Results:
2013 Moto2 Championship Point Standings:
