Moto3™ Junior World Championship leader Marcos Ramírez came back strongly in front of 6,500 spectators at MotorLand Aragon this weekend, after failing to make the podium at Le Mans. Today he was back on top, accompanied by Alonso López (SPA-Honda) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA-Husqvarna).
A group of up to six riders - made up of the eventual podium riders along with Kaito Toba (JPN-Honda), Tony Arbolino (ITA-Honda) and Raúl Fernández (SPA-Husqvarna) pulled away from the rest in the early stages and swapped the lead as they lapped. With two laps remaining, Marcos Ramírez upped the pace to break away from the group, crossing the finish line more than one second clear of Alonso López and Lorenzo Dalla Porta.
The Leopard Junior Stratos team rider boosted his lead in the championship, with 83 points compared to the 68 of Lorenzo Dalla Porta and 64 of Kaito Toba, who was fourth today. Aleix Viu (SPA-Honda) won the Moto3™ Production race.
Marcos Ramírez received the 'Repsol free fuel' cheque for the second time this season, the previous time being in the first event of the season in Valencia.
The first Moto2™ race was won by Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex) after a struggle for the lead between the South African, Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN-Kalex), Alan Techer (FRA-NTS NH 6) and Augusto Fernández (SPA-TECH3). Remy Gardner (AUS-Kalex) started second but went down in the early stages. With three laps to go, Steven Odendaal pulled clear to cross the finish line alone and take his second victory of the season. He was followed by Tetsuta Nagashima and Alan Techer. Ivo Lopes (POR-Kawasaki) was victor in the Superstock 600 category.
The second Moto2™ race began with a multiple crash at the start of the back straight involving Xavi Cardelus (AND-Kalex), Michael Aquino (USA-Ariane), Jacopo Cretaro (ITA-Yamaha) and Thibaut Gourin (FRA-Yamaha). The shortened race (10 laps) was restarted with Odendaal, Alain Techer and Tetsuta Nagashima soon fighting for the lead in a group which also included Augusto Fernández and Remy Gardner. The South African rider finally earned his second win of the day win, followed by Alan Techer and Tetsuta Nagashima, a result that confirms his leadership of the Moto2™ European Championship and allowed him to pick up his second 'Repsol free fuel' cheque. In Superstock 600, Ivo Lopes (POR-Kawasaki) was again the quickest rider.
The first Superbike European Championship race was won by Carmelo Morales after an intense duel with Santiago Barragán (SPA-BMW) and Maximilian Scheib (CHI-BMW). The Chilean Targobank Easyrace SBK Team rider led early on but the top three soon began to exchange positions as they lapped. When Maximilian Scheib went wide, Carmelo Morales and Santiago Barragán were left clear. The BMW rider passed the Superbike European Championship champion on the last lap, but the Yamaha Laglisse rider returned the favour on the final corner to take the race and his first 'Repsol free fuel' cheque of the season. Niko Mäkinen (FIN-Yamaha) finished fifth and was the best privateer.
In the second Superbike European Championship race, Carmelo Morales and Maximilian Scheib took advantage when Santiago Barragán had problems in the opening moments to pull clear. Although Barragán fought back to third he had no chance of closing in on the two leading riders, who battled it out for the lead in a thrilling final lap, with the Spanish rider using his experience to finally overcome the Chilean and score his second victory of the day, and in the process earn another 'Repsol free fuel' cheque.
With Niko Mäkinen going down on the third lap, Oscar Climent (SPA-Yamaha) ended fifth overall and took victory among the privateer riders.
Maximilian Scheib still leads the Superbike European Championship with 61 points, nine ahead of Santiago Barragán and 11 in front of Carmelo Morales.
The next FIM CEV Repsol event - the 4th of the season - will take place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 11 and 12.