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Motegi 2010 - Moto2 - Race - Highlights

Sunday, 3 October 2010

A seventh win of the campaign at the Grand Prix of Japan took the Spaniard ever closer to the inaugural Moto2 World Championship title. Julián Simón placed second with Karel Abraham securing his first ever podium finish in third position.

Toni Elías took another step towards sealing the 2010 Moto2 World Championship with victory in the Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday, holding off the determined challenge of Julián Simón to take his seventh win of the season.

Immediately from the off pole man Simón and Elías, who started from the front row, were at the head of the race and they swapped the lead on a number of occasions in the early stages. The two became separated from the remainder of the field soon after the start as they contested for the lead, with another battle playing out for the final podium spot.

Yusuke Teshima (FCC TSR) was the first crasher of the race whilst Alex Baldolini (Caretta Technology Race Dept) and Fonsi Nieto (G22 Holiday Gym) joined the list of fallers. Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up) ran his machine on as he strained to make up ground from his starting position of 10th, trying desperately not to allow Simón to open up a gap in the Championship standings scrap for second place.

The duel between Elías and Simón raged on at the front whilst Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2), Yuki Takahashi (Tech3 Racing), Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) and Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team) all remained in the hunt for third place. Further back wild card Hiromichi Kunikawa (Bimota-M Racing) and then Yonny Hernández (Blusens-STX) both crashed out.

Elías managed to resist Simón’s determined push and eventually finished 0.315s ahead of his fellow Spaniard. For the Gresini Racing rider victory stretched his advantage at the top of the Championship to 81 points over Simón, who finished second for the fourth race in succession.

An intense last-lap push for third place saw De Angelis and Abraham touch bikes on the final lap, with the Czech rider coming out on top for his first ever World Championship podium. De Angelis was followed in the order by Redding and Takahashi, with Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing), Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki), Roberto Rolfo (Italtrans STR) and Alex Debón (Aeroport de Castelló-Ajo) completing the top ten.