Oliveira celebrates third MotoGP victory in Barcelona

It was what Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) described as one of the best races of his career so far and few could argue. From fourth on the grid, the Portuguese rider found himself in second place in the opening lap and rode a clever, consistent and supremely fast race to celebrate his third premier-class win, his first in factory colours and his first in front of fans.

He was half a second clear to start lap four and by the time race-favourite Fabio Quartararo (Monster Yamaha) had recovered from an earlier mistake and taken fast-starting Joan Mir (Ecstar Suzuki) for second at the start of lap seven, Oliveira had pulled out a 1.2-second advantage.

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Quartararo, who was in a league of his own all weekend in the lead up to the Catalan Grand Prix, made light work of the Factory KTM rider, and drafted past him for the lead in lap 12. But Oliveira, who finished second to Quartararo last time out in Mugello, wasn’t content to let history repeat and snatched back the lead two laps later.

On a track that’s notoriously hard on tyres, the closing stages of the race were going to be crucial. Behind them, Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco’s impressive consistency continued. And if there was one more lap of the 24-lap race, it may well have transpired into a premier-class victory, as he crossed the line in second place just 0.175s behind Oliveira.

He benefitted, bizarrely, from woes Quartararo found himself in when the cameras picked him up removing his chest protector and then turning himself into a mobile windsock when he couldn’t zip his leathers back up. Front tyre wear saw him save a front end wash-out and run wide to cut the corner. Jack Miller, who was right behind him in fourth, knew a time penalty would be the punishment, so stuck as close to Quartarao’s rear wheel for the remaining two laps of the race and was promoted to a risk-free final step of the podium.

It went from bad to worse for Quartararo who was handed a second three-penalty well after the race for riding without his leathers correctly fastened, relegating the championship leader down to sixth.

Reigning world champ Joan Mir crossed the line in fifth, though that would later become fourth, one place ahead of Maverick Vinales (Monster Yamaha), Pecco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM). Franco Morbidelli (Petronas yamaha) and rookie Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) rounded out the top 10.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) looked poised to take his best finish of the season when he crashed out of sixth place on lap eight, making it the first time the eight-time world champ has scored three consecutive DNFs in his entire grand prix career. He was the third of six fallers in Barcelona; his teammate Pol Espargaro was the first to go, followed by Tech3 KTM’s Danilo Petrucci. After him, Aleix Espargaro (Gresini Aprilia) slid out of the front group, Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha) was gone on lap 17 and Iker Lecuona took his weekend crash tally to three with six laps to go.

The result means Zarco reduces the gap to Quartararo in the standings to 14 points with 115 to 101, Miller’s promotion moves him up one place in the standings to third overall with 90 points, relegating his teammate Bagnaia (88) to fourth. Joan Mir stays in fifth on 78 points.

Just days after signing a MotoGP contract for the 2022 season, and from pole position, Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM) celebrated his second consecutive Moto2 victory to extend his lead in the championship standings. He was pushed the whole way by his rookie teammate Raul Fernandez.

Nothing separated the two Red Bull KTM riders; Gardner led for the first half of the 22-lap race until Fernandez drafted past to take the lead with 11 to go. Content to follow, the more experienced Gardner sat behind Fernandez and the pair had eked out a gap to the chasing pack. With three laps to go, the Aussie moved past the Spaniard into the first turn, and put his head down to make a break.

He crossed the line to start the final lap of the race with a 1.2-second advantage from his teammate, reaching the chequered flag 1.6-seconds clear of Fernandez and became the first Aussie to win back-to-back races in the intermediate class since Casey Stoner did it in 2005. Behind them, Xavi Vierge picked up his first-ever Moto2 podium for both himself and his Petronas Sprinta Team, while Marco Bezzechi (Sky Racing VR46) and Augusto Fernandez (Marc VDS Racing Team) rounded out the top five.

The win extends Remy’s championship lead over his teammate to 11 points, his 139 to Fernandez’ 128. Bezzechi remains in third on 101 points, ahead of Sam Lowes’ 75 and Federal Oil Gresini’s Fabio Di Giannantonio (60) is in fifth despite crashing out.

No one in the 15-rider leading pack of the Moto3 Grand Prix wanted to lead over the line to start the final lap of the 21-lap race, but it was Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Team) who found himself over the line first with one to go, from Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini). By turn two, it was Juame Masia (Red Bell KTM) from Hector Garcia (Solunion GasGas Aspar) and Binder was all of a sudden in eighth and Acosta 13th.

As the horde of riders rounded the final turn it was Garcia who held it to the line to celebrate in front of a home crowd ahead of Alcoba and Deniz Once (Red Bull KTM). Red Bull KTM’s Masia found himself in fourth place ahead of Binder and pole man Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Team). Eleven riders got over the line before a red flag was thrown due an incident at turn eight between Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM), and Leopard teammates Dennis Foggia and Xavier Artigas.

The result means Acosta stays at the top of the standings with 120 points to Garcia’s 81. Juame Masia is in third on 72, ahead of Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Husqvarna) on 61 points and Binder in fifth on 58.

The series now moves to the Sachsenring in Germany for the eighth round which kicks off on Friday 18 June.