The Repsol rider engaged in an intense duel for the podium between Kent and Oliveira to finish fourth and set himself third in the World Championship ranks. Navarro finishes eighth and Maria Herrera crashes out.
Fabio Quartararo had a glimpse of his first victory in the World Championship after starring in an intense duel with two of the most experienced riders in the Moto3 category. The first laps out the Frenchman escaped the rest of the pack with Binder, Kent and Oliveira, and for the remainder of the race it was a battle between the four. As the laps continued, the four remained at the head of the race until the final lap, which was the deciding lap for the race winner.
The final breathtaking lap saw Oliveira, Kent and Quartararo swapping the race lead, with the three of them reaching the last and decisive corner together. Quartararo attempted to take the inside with spectacular late-braking move, though overshot the corner and ran wide, and although he saved a situation that could have been disastrous, finally settled for fourth position. A good result for the youngest rider in the category, and a result that places him third in the overall standings. He now stands 39 points behind Kent, who was the race winner and the points leader.
Jorge Navarro, immersed in the battle that ensued in the second race group, finished eighth after fighting with Fenati and Bagnaia for sixth place, while Maria Herrera suffered a crash during the second lap of race in the penultimate corner of the track. Despite a spectacular crash in one of the fastest of the corners of the track, she suffered only a bruised right foot.
Fabio Quartararo, 4th at 0.882 sec.
“It was a difficult race. Here in Jerez I wanted to win but in the end I finished fourth, although I almost finished with zero points, because I almost crashed, I managed to save it. I tried to overtake on the final corner as Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi did, but it didn’t go well; I don’t have their experience yet. I’m happy because I made a very good race and I hope to be even stronger in Le Mans.”
Jorge Navarro, 8th at 11.761 sec.
“I’m happy because I finished the race and it’s my best result yet in the World Championship. That’s positive. What did not go so well was the start and the first laps because I was too cautious, thinking only to finish the race. Some riders started very aggressively and we made contact in many of the corners. So I decided to attack step by step, and gradually I found my pace and, although I saw it wasn’t possible to reach the lead group, I tried to get into the best possible position in the second group. The last few laps were a bit difficult because the tyres were pretty worn and it was difficult to ride comfortably.”
Maria Herrera, not classified
“I started pretty well and gradually I felt more and more comfortable on the bike. I got very close to Ajo and didn’t see the edge of kerbing and I went off the track. I went down and I wasn’t able to return to the race. It was in the second to last turn, in a fast corner. I really wanted to do well, but these things you learn: I have to go more calmly during the early laps.”
