Terol wins on return to action at Brno

A short delay to the start of the race due to the weather conditions saw a frantic changing of tyres by many teams on the grid as the race was declared wet, and when proceedings got underway it was a fantastically intriguing encounter as the track dried throughout the course of the 19-lap race.

Terol’s choice of front and rear wets paid off for the Bancaja Aspar rider as he opened up a substantial lead early on over Tuenti Racing pair Efrén Vázquez and Pol Espargaró. The Spaniard’s display was made all the more impressive given that this was his first GP back from injury after missing the previous round in Germany.

The real battle was for the remaining podium spots and a great contest began to unfold as Vázquez and Espargaró stuck close together. Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) was soon to enter the fray as well, whilst Championship leader Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) put up a valiant effort to remain as close to the front as possible having dislocated his shoulder earlier in the weekend.

Johann Zarco’s WTR San Marino Team made the decision to change the Frenchman’s tyres to slicks and although he rejoined the race at the back he set a fastest lap on number 11, but was too far behind.

Rabat passed Vázquez with three laps to go to slot into third and Vázquez then crashed on the penultimate lap as he pushed to keep up.

The victory belonged to Terol however and he crossed the finish line 20.351s ahead of Espargaró for a resounding victory – his second of the season – with Rabat delighted to take third just two-tenths of a second behind. Jonas Folger (Team Ongetta) and home rider Jakub Kornfeil (Racing Team Germany) completed the top five, with pole holder Bradley Smith (Bancaja Aspar) having done well to recover an early loss in ground to place sixth. Márquez took valuable points with seventh as he rode a courageous race.

The result means Márquez’s lead at the top of the Championship has been cut to 15 points ahead of Espargaró, with Terol’s victory preserving his third spot and moving him back to within 23 points of the leader.

British rider Danny Webb’s (Andalucia Cajasol) race was ended on lap one as he had an unfortunate fall at turn three. Alexis Masbou (Team Ongetta) also crashed out towards the start.