After yesterday`s good weather rain reappeared in the middle of the British 125cc Grand Prix. The race was declared dry when it began and a leading group of the fastest riders quickly formed. Among these three of the four Repsol riders – Marc Márquez, Esteve Rabat & Scott Redding – in the battle for the podium. Together with them Terol, Simón, Gadea, Smith & Espargaró as they got away from the chasing group.
But after 14 laps and with some riders having already fallen such as Gadea, or because of technical problems, the case of Esteve Rabat – even though he was having a good race his bike developed a mechanical problem – rain began to fall. At that moment Marc Márquez was 3rd in the leading group and another Repsol rider Scott Redding was 6th.
Further back Cameron Beaubier and his KTM had to stop racing before the rain started when he was in an excellent 10th position, owing to mechanical problems.
After the change of bikes in the pits the riders took up their positions on the grid for the second time for the mini race of just 5 laps on a track full of water because of the heavy rain; the victory was going to go to the rider who took the most risks.
It was Marc Márquez, who had been one of the fastest the whole weekend, who got off to the best start. Only Bradley Smith could get past Márquez on the first few corners, but very soon he fell and although the Italian Corsi overtook Márquez at the end of the straight on the second lap the young Repsol rider did the same to him on the downhill slope and managed to open up a gap over the rest. Márquez was on the way to his first ever victory in the World Championship whilst Scott Redding was fighting with Terol for 4th position.
But with just two laps left and with Márquez almost one second ahead of the second-placed rider – Corsi – the Repsol KTM rider fell dramatically on the chicane a little before finishing the penultimate lap, and he lost any chance of a victory. Simón won the race, the local hero Scott Redding was 3rd and Márquez crossed the finishing line in 15th position after getting back on his bike.
A sad end to Márquez`s race as he had had one of his best ever weekends – alway among the fastest five riders in all the sessions – but a happy ending for a very combative Scott Redding, racing on home soil, who once again was able to offer a good result to his fans after winning last year.
Marc Márquez, 15th at 28.631 secs. >> Audio
“In the first race I was up with the leaders, I knew that in the dry I could be there, and I stayed in the group. When I moved into the lead it was hard to stay there because I lacked a little bit of engine power. During the whole race a few drops of rain had fallen and when it began to rain more heavily I saw Pol [Espargaró] continuing to set a fast pace, I preferred not to force things and to stay calm because I recalled other races and what happened in them.
There were only a few laps left and if the race had been stopped two laps later two thirds would have been completed and it would have ended there and then. In the second start I really tried to go for it because it was a sprint and I felt comfortable. During practice I had ridden well in the wet and although the sensations were not so good in the race I really did not expect the fall like the one I had. I finished 15th but at least it is better to fall fighting to win than when you are 20th”.
Esteve Rabat, retired >> Audio
“This has been a very positive weekend because we have been competitive again, and every day. We got a very good set up for the chassis, but this time we did not manage to get such a good engine set up, something that did not go as well as usual the whole weekend. Little by little I got the confidence I had lost back, and I want to thank the whole team for all their help.
In the race I got off to quite a good start and I stayed up with the leading group but the bike got a little worse as the race went on, and in the end the engine brokedown. You never know but I think I could have caught the leaders because I felt very comfortable.”
Scott Redding, 3rd at 3.072 secs. >> Audio
“Right now I am very pleased and I think a great weight has been taken off my shoulders, because this year I have had a lot of problems with the bike, and I was losing a bit of confidence. This weekend the whole team has worked very well, giving 120%, as I did too, and we got a very good set up. It is nice to have got this podium finish.
The first race did not go too badly and I got up to 6th place, and when we saw that it would rain and it was obvious that the race would be stopped and restarted, and so it was. We started again, five laps flat out but using my head at the beginning because it was easy to fall and in the end the it was a big thrill getting onto the podium”.
Cameron Beaubier, retired >> Audio
“This morning in the warm-up I felt much better than in practice, and I rode much more comfortably. In the race I got off to a good start and though some riders ahead of me fell I was able to avoid hitting them and move into the second group, fighting for 10th position.
I fought with them until the engine brokedown. The most positive thing today is that I had a lot more confidence, and I was able to do many more laps than yesterday when we also had some problems.”
