Cortese holds nerves

In a nail-bighting Moto3 race at the Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera de Rimini it was Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Sandro Cortese who stormed to a thrilling victory ahead of Luis Salom and Romano Fenati. Cortese got the holeshot into turn one as drama unfolded at the back of the grid, as Mahindra Racing’s Danny Webb, Elle 2-Ciati’s Kevin Calia, Technomag-CIP-TSR’s Alan Techer and Ambrogio Next Racing’s Giulian Pedone all crashed out. Moto FGR’s Jasper Iwema suffered a similar fate on the next lap as the Dutchman also slid out of the race. Back on track, Team Italia FMI’s Romano Fenati was valiantly pushing his way up the field, taking the lead off Cortese. The frantic start to the race however continued further afield as IodaRacing Project’s Luigi Morciano, Team Imperiali Racing’s Stefano Valtulini and Pedone’s teammate Alex Márquez also crashed out. A few laps on and the race had not settled down with Cortese and Fenati swapping the lead frequently up front, pursued by RW Racing GP’s Luis Salom, San Carlo Gresini Moto3’s Niccolò Antonelli and Estrella Galicia 0,0’s Miguel Oliveira. With 13 laps remaining Fenati and Cortese had pulled out a small gap over the pursuing group, with Blusens Avintia’s Maverick Viñales making his way through the pack. A few laps later the situation changed with Salom and the followers closing right up to the battling duo up front, with Fenati and Cortese looking to be slowing. With three laps left Cortese made his move on Fenati as the Italian was pushed back to fifth by Oliveira’s teammate Alex Rins, Salom and Viñales. The final laps were the usual battling Moto3 affair as Cortese tried to pull away at the front in the five-man fight. Viñales tried with a last stab up the inside to take the lead but ran wide, with Salom and Fenati taking advantage. It was ultimately Cortese who took the chequered flag in front of Salom and Fenati. His third victory of the season now gives the German a 46 point lead at the top of the championship table over Viñales. Rins finished fourth after aggressively pushing Viñales wide in the last turn, with the Blusens rider finishing fifth. Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3’s Jonas Folger was sixth, ahead of JHK t-shirt Laglisse’s Efrén Vázquez, Antonelli, Oliveira and Red Bull’s Arthur Sissis.