Hiroshi Aoyama Happy with Fourth Place CRT

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After a lot of work and tests during the weekend, the MotoGP race was not as positive as expected by the Avintia Blusens team, although it is true that Hiroshi Aoyama took a step forward feeling very recovered from the hand injured at Montmeló and scoring again, after having achieved it in the first race of the season. Aoyama, solved the qualifying problems with the rear brake, did a good start but was left behind when another rider forced him to go off the track. The last 250cc World Champion moved up some positions and managed to maintain a pace that led him to become one of the fastest CRT riders in different moments of the race. Finally he finished fifteenth and scored a point.

Less positive was the GP for Héctor Barberá who never felt at ease with the set-up of his bike throughout the weekend. Despite being quickly in some parts of the race, the problems with the front wheel and the lack of confidence that these cause, prevented him from obtaining the desired result. Barberá arrived at Indianapolis having been the first CRT at Laguna Seca and the fifth place at Indy is not enough.

Now the team will travel to Brno to race the eleventh round of the season, in which they expect to have a good weekend.

8 Héctor Barberá (16th +1.25.879): 

“It has been a difficult and complicated race in which we have carried the front part bike problems of the practice sessions around. We have done a lot of tests and even before the start of the race we have thought about making some changes. The reality is that I have never managed to ride at ease and things have not changed in the race. I am a little disappointed because I was the first CRT in the last race and I did not expect this result. Fortunately, next weekend we race another GP, we have another opportunity, and it is also at a circuit that I like”.

7 Hiroshi Aoyama: (15th +1.20.159): 

“Yesterday we had problems with the rear brake in the qualifying session and today in the warm-up we have not been able to solve them. So for the race we have changed the whole rear brake package. We were a little worried because it was a material that we had not tested and we did not know how it would work. Fortunately it has gone well and I have not had any problem. I am satisfied with having solved the brake issue, having scored again and because we have had a very good pace. I think that without the incident of the first lap, in which a rider forced me to go off the track losing several positions, I could have been able to finish higher up. I want to thank the team for the work done and I hope that we continue in this line. It is good to score again and feel competitive. I am happy”.

Avintia Racing Press Release

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Toni Elias Manages To Show A Good Pace at Indy

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The Blusens Avintia team paid in the race the consequences of starting grid positions far from the front row of their riders Toni Elías and Kyle Smith at the Indianapolis GP. Today, at the start, Elías gained a position while Kyle got rid of three opponents. 

However, in those positions so far from the head of the race it was difficult to ride with the desired pace having to constantly watch a lot of riders, due to the equality in this class. Both riders showed their ability, but riding so far back limits a lot the possibility of a good result. Toni fought with a group formed by Kent, Di Meglio, West, Krumenacher and Cardús and, in the last part of the race, he rode in times that were similar to the first ones. 

Finally he crossed the finish line in eighteenth position, undoubtedly paying the consequences of starting so far back. Kyle was also able to ride in good times and perceptibly improve his yesterday’s lap times, but he never was comfortable with the set-up of his bike. Despite this, a highly motivated Smith pushed to the maximum in order to achieve a good result but he was not able to avoid falling when he lost the front wheel in the fast corner at the end of the straight.

Unfortunately, the loss of the support of Kyle Smith’s main sponsor and the impossibility of the rider to face the economic commitments with the Blusens Avintia team have caused that, despite the excellent relationship between the rider and the team, Kyle is replaced by Dani Rivas, the CEV rider from Galicia. Dani will travel to Brno and race the remaining GPs until the end of the season. All the members of the Blusens Avintia team wish good luck to Kyle Smith for the future.

24 Toni Elías (18th +0.27.420): 

“I have not done a great start and later I have been locked in a bottleneck of riders in the first turns. This happens when you start so far from the first rows! After a few laps I have been able to ride with a good pace but immediately I have remained with a group in which I have ridden until the end of the race. Towards the end of the race I was riding as the head race men and that is positive. And it is because from the beginning I keep the same pace, which means that if we can reduce this difference that we have at the start of race, we can be there. On the first laps I can not be as fast but after, from the middle of the race, we work well. Neither the team nor I like to be in this situation but the advantage is that we are close and we will continue working to get through the bad patch”.

9 Kyle Smith: (NC): 

“We have been progressing during the weekend and this is positive for me, but I have never managed to feel at ease with the bike. Knowing more and more the track and the desire to do it well is what has allowed me to improve my times and my pace, but I have had to make a great effort because the set-up did not permit me to ride at ease. During all the weekend I have been forced and I have not enjoyed riding. In these circumstances, when you push to the maximum, it is easy to fall”.

Avintia Racing Press Release

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Barbera and Aoyama Wait for New Chassis to Reduce Chatter

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Avintia Racing riders, Hiroshi Aoyama and Hector Barbera worked on ECU and suspension along the MotoGP test at Sepang. Both of the were happy and felt positive. Aoyama set 2:04.915 on the day 3 test, while Barbera on 2:04.211. 

Aoyama told that the chatter problem was reduced. Aoyama worked on suspension and chassis on the last day test, while barbera on ECU. Barbera added that the new ECU was working well

Hiroshi Aoyama

"It has been a very interesting test. The work has been positive and we left with a lot of information. The first two days were dedicated to the new electronics and the rest to the development of the chassis and suspension. We have found the right direction to solve the chattering problems and we’ll apply it in the second test for the bike to go better. We must also work with the electronics, but for now I have chosen to focus on the suspension and chassis. My wrist has bothered me a bit, but when we return here will be much better."

Héctor Barberá

"We have done a good job and I'm happy with how the sessions have developed, but we still have much to do. The new electronics worked well, but we were unable to unlock their full potential. In the next test this will be solved. As for the bike, we have chattering at corner entry and it cost us time to fix it, but we will have a new chassis with which I am sure will improve a lot in this regard. It is the first outing after a few months and the conclusion is positive. The team has worked perfectly and we have much room for improvement before the start of the championship."

Avintia Racing Press Release

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Not Much Action for CRT at Sepang

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Extra two days for CRT team at Sepang wasn't going well. After some technical problem at day one, today (local time) at Sepang, the test was interrupted by rain. Only Danilo Petrucci did more action on the track than the other riders

Came IodaRacing

Danilo Petrucci did 27 laps on day one for Came IodaRacing. Petrucci tested the new ECU. Meanwhile his new teammate Lukas Pesek only stayed at the pit. On the day two, Lukas Pesek did a few laps and share the ECU with Petrucci.

Avintia Racing

Both Hector Barbera and Hiroshi Aoyama made some laps on the day one after they got a wiring loom issue. Unfortunately Hiroshi Aoyama still felt some pain, so he couldn't continue and decided to enter pit. Hiroshi Aoyama doesn't take the day two test due to fitness problem. While Hector Barbera managed 20 laps once the rain settled down, finishing the day second quickest behind Petrucci.

NGM Forward Racing

NGM Forward Racing was slowed by a late delivery of parts on day one. Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti could only stand around and watch as the team finished their work throughout the day. On the day two, both riders made a few laps to gather information from the ECU

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Maverick Vinales Splits with Blusens Avintia Racing Team

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Young rider Maverick Vinales has decided that he won't compete in the final three races of the 2012 Moto3 season with Blusens Avintia Racing Moto3 Team. Vinales said to MotoGP official website that between him and the team didn't reach the agreement. 

Maverick Vinales:

"We won't take part in the race as the team hasn't complied with the agreement we had. It's always better to finish in a good way but if they want to be difficult then we will be difficult too. I would have raced until the end of the season if they agreed to release me at the end of the year. It's not that much about the support, but I think it's a second division team - I have to try and win the Championship next year and I don't think I could do it with this team, so that's why I took this decision."

Ricard Jové

“He first told us last night that he did not want to continue until the end of the season because he was unhappy with the bike, and we at first thought it was just him saying something like any other rider….well, in the end he didn’t turn up and we don’t take this behaviour very well, because in the end we are second in the championship, have taken five wins, seven podiums and have had a worthy season. It does not make any kind of sense to not at least finish the championship - about this I cannot say any more - but it was the rider who ultimately decided not to get on the bike.

“This works in reverse as well as you have a contract - you work, do the season, and then we can discuss, away from the media limelight, if we terminate the deal. But now, you can’t stop from one day to the next as you have commitments with the sponsors, with the mechanics, the years spent with the team in his career. We should not be nothing to him; it has been a pleasure to work together but today it is clear that before reaching that point you have to first finish your work and then discus other points.

“For conditions that we cannot accept if not discussed, this decision cannot be reached in ten or twelve hours. We are really sorry because it is not a situation created by us and we are confident we have given the maximum at all times, but obviously there are days you win and days you lose, and you have to learn to win and you have to learn to lose.

“Next year, he's already been informed of everything that would be available or would not have been. And I repeat that this is simply an error airing these views that you could discuss, try to fix, and within a few hours something could have changed. We do not understand his decision and we feel bad for the team; I think it’s wrong by the sponsors and the people who are contributing to his career.”

Press Release from MotoGP Official website

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Vinales Keeps Title Hopes Alive at Motegi

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Maverick Viñales (Blusens Avintia) kept his Moto3 World Championship title hopes alive at Motegi today in a dramatic Grand Prix of Japan

The Spanish teenagers came through a fearsome late skirmish to finish second and third respectively, with Viñales now 56 points shy of the series lead with 75 still up for grabs in the three remaining rounds.

Maverick Viñales: 

“It was a very difficult race, but Lady Luck smiled upon us a little today. We were able to claw back 10 points and I am happy. I couldn't do any more today; I went at my own pace and tried not to lose sight of the group. I was at the limit on every lap, which is why I am a little disappointed. We had a very good pace in practices and a strong engine which put me right behind the KTMs, but in the race the engine didn't work like it should have, which was a pity."

FTR Moto Press Release

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Vinales will have to continue winning if he hopes to win the Moto3 title

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Maverick Vinales (Blusens Avintia FTR Honda) has five wins, more than any other rider in the Moto3 class, and he will have to continue winning if he hopes to win the inaugural Moto3 title. Along with the five wins and a second Vinales has a pair of non-finishes, which have put him in a hole in his quest to catch class leader Sandro Cortese.

Maverick Vinales:

“We rested up for a few days after Brno, which did us good. Now we get to the final part of the championship, where it will all be decided. The first meeting is the San Marino GP and I am going to give my all to make up ground. I can’t deny that this is not the strongest position that I have been in during this season, but the year isn’t over yet. I like Misano and I think that we can do a good job there; I just hope that the weather is good, so that we can work on our setup. I also hope not to have a fever, as I did last season. I am sure that it will go well and that we will be fighting to the end.”

Blusens Avintia Press Release

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David Salom to replace Ivan Silva in Avintia Blusens team from Misano

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David Salom will replace Iván Silva from the Misano round in just over a week, however Silva will remain tied with the team as test and reserve rider.

Mallorcan rider David Salom will join the Avintia Blusens team for the rest of the season from the Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e delle Riviera di Rimini. Meanwhile, Iván Silva will remain tied the team and will perform the functions of test rider and will travel to the Grand Prix as a reserve rider.

Avintia Blusens wishes to thank Ivan for his work during the season, as the team benefited from his experience in the work carried out on the development of the new CRT machine.

Iván complied perfectly with the objectives both the team and he set early in the season and, thanks to the good work done by him in the development of the bikes, the team has been able to call up David Salom, convinced that the Mallorcan’s experience in World SBK will allow him to be very competitive in the near future in the CRT class.

Both the team management and Salom are happy and excited about this new stage.

Avintia Racing Press Release

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Vinales scored his fifth pole position of the year in the Moto3 class

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Maverick Vinales (Blusens Avintia – FTR Honda) scored his fifth pole position of the year in the Moto3 class, outpacing title rival Sandro Cortese (KTM). During his final lap Cortese came very close to dislodging Vinales from pole but failed by just 0.033s. Vinales currently trails Cortese by 29 points after sliding off on the final lap of last weekend’s Indianapolis Grand Prix. Vinales says his only tactic for the remaining races is to go for the win every time in an effort to close the points gap.

Maverick Vinales, Blusens Avintia – FTR Honda: pole, 2m 08.075s

“I am very happy because I took pole without relying on slipstreams and I have a good pace. Brno has a lot of straights and it is hard to take pole riding solo. We are where we need to be now, working hard, and we have to forget about the crash at Indianapolis. We have found a very good setting and the feeling is good. We have the chassis working well, which is very important. Tomorrow is going to be a thrilling race, but I’m sure that we will be fighting for the win.”

Blusens Avintia Racing Press Release

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Moto3 Championship Still Open for Maverick Vinales

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The Moto3 class went down to the line, though Maverick Vinales (Blusens Avintia FTR Honda) was not there to see it. The Spaniard had fallen at the 15th turn on the 16-turn IMS road course while going for the lead in a pack of three. Unable to re-start his motorcycle, Vinales could only lament his difficult day.

By failing to finish, Vinales lost 20 points to series leader Sandro Cortese (KTM), the German who finished second to race winner Luis Salom (KTM). The gap is 31 points, 184 to 155. Salom is a distant third with 129 point.

Maverick Vinales:

"The crash at Indy happened because I was pushing to the limit at every corner, and then I lost my line and found myself on a dirty section of track. I'm 29 points behind now, but there are many races to go, so we need to keep working hard and make sure that we are winning all the time! We do need some more power from the engine because the fight against the KTMs is tough."

Blusens Avintia Racing Press Release

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Yonny Hernandez and Ivan Silva Returns to America with Renewed Vigor

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After enjoying a few days off, the pilots of Avintia Blusens have traveled to Indianapolis MotoGP with full of energy and the intention of getting a good result. Back to score, as they did in Laguna Seca, one of the objectives is not the only one. Yonny was not present last year at this track and Ivan does not know the path but both seek further progress to consolidate the leading positions among the CRT. 

Yonny Hernandez:  

"Last season I could not be in Indianapolis, but I know the track and came with lots of encouragement. The result at Laguna Seca has motivated me a lot. I think both the team and I are in a good rapport and working time at home. I could rest a few days with my family and enjoy their company and my friends. But now it's back to the bike and I have really wanted to. "

Iván Silva:  

"These holidays have been fantastic to enjoy my family and especially my daughter. We went to the beach, stroll and ultimately rested. I also have served to keep preparing myself physically and be in top form heading into Indianapolis. It is true that having time for oneself and family is a luxury, but so is that when they spend a few days without racing go crazy to get back to racing! Indianapolis I do not know but I want to line up for the latest races and "stay" definitely among the best. "

Blusens Avintia Racing Press Release

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Vinales hopes to recapture Moto3 championship lead in Mugello

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For Moto3 rider Maverick Vinales (Blusens Avintia – FTR Honda) the season has been one of extremes. He has a class-leading four wins, but also a non-finish and a 17th last week on a drying track in Germany. By failing to score points, Vinales lost the world championship lead, which he hopes to begin the process of getting back starting in Italy. Vinales was a distant third in last year’s Italian 125cc GP, his first race at Mugello. 

Maverick Vinales

“We lost the championship lead in Germany, but Italy is the ninth round and the midway point of the season; there’s still a long way to go. We will still have the same number of races again after Italy before the season concludes, so it’s all up for grabs. I am as motivated as ever heading to Mugello and am convinced that we will be as consistent as we have up to now. I like the track and it is a beautiful and demanding layout, for which the engine is key. The KTMs are very fast, but we will try to cut the gap.”

Bluesens Avintia Racing Press Release

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Vinales hopes to continue Moto3 winning streak at Sachsenring

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It would be hard to bet against Maverick Vinales (Blusens Avintia FTR-Honda) in the Moto3 race. The young Spaniard has won the past three races and four out of seven. And he finished third in last year’s 125cc race in Germany.

Maverick Vinales:

“It’s a track that I really like, much more so than the past few circuits on the calendar. I took my third pole of the season there last year and I am happy to be back riding at Sachsenring. The layout suits my style and I am sure that we will go very well. A lot of technique is needed and you have to set up the chassis for the slow sections, whilst on the fast corners you have to close your eyes and get on the throttle. That is exactly what we will do.”

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Julian Simon: We will achieve better results than Qatar

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Julian Simon come back this year after big crash on last Moto2 season. On the first opening race at Qatar, Simon finished 15th. Simon told to MotoGP.com that 15th is not the result that expected. His target was top fice or at least top ten.

Simon had a vibration problem during the Qatar GP, and now, the team is looking for chatter solver. He also talked about the condition after injury. Simon told that he's now on a great level and good shape. This year is going to be tough for Simon, because there's a lot of good rider and bike.

Julian Simon:
“Yes, we're going to try and fix this chatter issue which I've been experiencing since I've been riding this bike. It needs to be resolved because it's a big problem. When you release the brakes the bike begins to vibrate, and that makes it difficult to ride. With the level of competition in Moto2, when you have a problem like that with your set-up you lose a bit of confidence and it's much more difficult to be where you want to be. This, along with the bike not turning in corners as I would like it to, means we can't be competitive in many sectors on track – as happened in Qatar – and in the end you can't be in the position you're capable of.”

“I'm at a great level. I did loads this winter, training how I like to train by doing motocross, cycling... The leg didn't prevent me from doing the activities which I view as being ideal for being active and strong. I'm in very good shape, perhaps the finest I've ever been, but I also see a tough year ahead of me with plenty of hard competition, and that means that if you or your bike aren't at 100% you can't be in the positions you want to be. However, I'm more confident than ever that if the bike allows me to do what I want to do, then I'll be fighting for the positions at the front because I believe I have the experience, motivation and riding ability to be able to battle amongst the top five at the very least.”

source: MotoGP.com

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Hernandez turns heads with 14th on MotoGP debut

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Hernandez and the Avintia Blusens team turned heads by reaching to 14th place - out of 18 finishers - on their MotoGP debut in Qatar.

The only outfit to use a Kawasaki-powered CRT machine, the BQR-FTR bike looked set to struggle as it wallowed eight-seconds off the pace at the first of this year's tests, in Sepang.

By the conclusion of the third and final test, at Jerez, the Avintia riders - Hernandez and Ivan Silva - were still stuck at the bottom of the 21-rider time list, but had halved their disadvantage.

Former Moto2 rider Hernandez then made a significant step to be in the thick of the CRT action throughout the Qatar weekend, qualifying in 16th and rising as high as 13th early in the race.

Indeed, Hernandez was the top CRT rider for the opening laps of the race, until Colin Edwards (Suter-BMW) moved ahead. Fellow MotoGP podium finisher Randy de Puniet (Aspar ART) moved past Hernandez at the halfway stage, but the Colombian remained comfortably clear of all the other CRT competitors.

"I am really happy,” he smiled. "We have done a great job throughout the weekend and I hope we´ll be able to keep it up. 

"Electronics still needs to be improved if we want to be more competitive in the final laps but I am truly happy with the result and the way the team has worked.

"I would like to thank all the members as well as my parents who have always supported me so I could make it here. I am motivated and convinced we'll do better in Jerez."

"Sincerely I think we have done a great job and surprised more than one rival," said team manager Raul Romero. "Yonny gave a great performance during the race scoring points and finishing third among the CRTs. It's a great result."

Team-mate Silva finished just outside the points in 16th, ahead of ART riders Mattia Pasini (Speed Master) and James Ellison (PBM).

source: crash.net

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Vinales: Big effort to catch Fenati

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Pre-season Moto3 favourite Maverick Vinales duly made history by winning the first race of the new world championship at Qatar on Sunday night.

After catching surprise race leader, and grand prix rookie, Romano Fenati the pair traded places for longer than expected before Vinales finally broke clear of his fellow FTR-Honda rider to win by 4.301sec. 

“I am very satisfied with the job that the team and I did this evening,” said Vinales. “We have worked really hard for this, above all with the tyres. We always try and work with the race in mind and it went well for us. 

“I was taking things steadily until I saw Fenati escape - then I had to make a big effort to try and cut the gap. I have to congratulate him for his race as well, because he rode really well."

Vinales, 17, is now the second youngest rider of all time, after Marco Melandri, to take three successive GP wins.

The number 25 rider also outshone his Blusens Avintia colleagues, the team being present in all three classes of Grand Prix racing this year.

Julian Simon finished 15th in Moto2, Colombian Yonny Hernandez managed 14th on his CRT bike in MotoGP, with Ivan Silva finishing 16th in the same race.

source: crash.net

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Vinales wins scintillating first-ever Moto3 race

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Maverick Viñales won as Moto3 made its World Championship debut at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, with rookie Romano Fenati finishing second in a magnificent debut ride and Sandro Cortese taking the final podium spot.

The debut of the new Moto3™ category in the World Championship delivered an excellent spectacle at the Losail International Circuit, as Maverick Viñales (Blusens Avintia) took victory at the season-opening Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar.

The Spaniard, who won the last two 125cc races of the two-stroke machine era and was the Rookie of the Year in 2011, was followed across the line by debutant Romano Fenati (Team Italia FMI) who scored a podium in his first ever Grand Prix start. The young Italian led the race for the opening six laps before Viñales overtook him, and the pair traded places again before the more experienced Viñales – still only 17 and now the second-youngest rider in history to have won three successive Grands Prix – pulled away to win by a margin of 4.3 seconds.

The displays of Viñales and 16 year-old Fenati were hugely impressive, and as the pair rode out front for the majority of the 18-lap race a thrilling battle for the third and final podium position raged behind.

In the end it was pole position starter Sandro Cortese (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who prevailed after an intense five-way fight with, in order of their final race positions, Luis Salom (RW Racing GP), Miguel Oliveira (Estrella Galicia 0'0), Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Airasia-SIC-Ajo) and rookie Arthur Sissis (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Each of the four and Cortese had looked like taking third in an open race, before the German managed his drive out of the last corner on the final lap perfectly to beat Salom.

Completing the top 10 were British rider Danny Kent (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Frenchman Louis Rossi (Racing Team Germany) and another rookie, Spanish prospect Alex Rins (Estrella Galicia 0'0).

It was a special evening for new talent on the World Championship stage as Alan Techer (Technomag-CIP-TSR) registered points on his GP debut by taking 11th, with Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar Team), Niklas Ajo (TT Motion Events Racing), Alberto Moncayo (Bankia Aspar Team) and Jakub Kornfeil (Redox-Ongetta-Centro Seta) also scoring as they completed the top 15 riders across the finish line.

British rider Danny Webb on the Mahindra Racing machine ended the race in 18th place after starting from 25th on the grid.

source: MotoGP Official

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Vinales leads Moto3 warm up

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The Moto3™ class ran its warm up session for the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar on Saturday evening, ahead of Sunday's race.

Maverick Viñales (Blusens Avintia) went fastest in the 20-minute warm up session for the Moto3 class on Saturday evening, lapping quicker than Sandro Cortese's pole position time with an effort of 2'07.704.

The Spaniard led a top three that included rookie Romano Fenati (Team Italia FMI) and Luis Salom (RW Racing GP), both of whom will start Sunday's race from the second row.

Pole man Cortese (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was fourth fastest, with fellow front-row starter Louis Rossi (Racing Team Germany) fifth and Miguel Oliveira (Estrella Galicia 0'0) sixth.

The top 10 in the session was completed by Alexis Masbou (Caretta Technology), Niklas Ajo (TT Motion Events Racing), Danny Kent (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Alberto Moncayo (Bankia Aspar Team). Ajo walked away from a crash unharmed.

The Moto3 race gets underway at 7pm local time on Sunday.

source: MotoGP Official

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