Pol Espargaró overpowers all rivals in Phillip Island
Pol Espargaró pulled away at the front from lap 2 and crossed the line with a gap of almost 17 seconds. Tito Rabat came 8th and Axel Pons crashed during the last lap due to a lapped rider.
Pol Espargaró dominated the Moto2 race in Phillip Island with an iron fist and crossed the line with almost 17 seconds advantage over Australian Anthony West and Spaniard Marc Márquez who proclaimed himself world champion. With this triumph the Tuenti Móvil 40 HP rider secured the 2nd place in the championship. Pol had a good start, lead the race from the second lap on and rode a lonely race at record pace until the chequered flag.
Tito Rabat reached 8th position after fighting for 4th place in a group of 7 riders and went from low to high at the end of the weekend. Axel Pons dropped out of the points on the last lap. He could not avoid a collision with a back marker who ignored the blue flag shown by the marshals.
POL ESPARGARÓ
Surely I had the greatest and most perfect race of my sporting career, because not even when I won the Spanish Championship was I able to ride so fast, with that much pace, and surpass my rivals with such a big advantage. I felt in great form here in Phillip Island right from the first free practice on. And I needed a race like this because so far, in the races, I could never quite replicate the same level of performance I showed during practice. We mathematically lost the title now and I congratulate Marc Márquez who is a deserved champion, but I said we were going to fight until the last moment and that’s what we did. I didn’t want any surprises so I went full throttle from the word go and I managed to escape at the front with a brutal pace that I didn’t drop until I crossed the line. I hope to finish the season well in Valencia, to celebrate with my family and friends, with the Espargarins [the Espargaro fan club] and all fans in general. And then I want to start working hard again so that 2013 will be my year.
TITO RABAT
I was fighting for 4th place until the last lap but I couldn’t hang on to it because three riders, out of the group of seven, overtook me. The bike had little grip and when accelerating I just couldn‘t go the pace. But despite this I am reasonably happy. The weekend started as a disaster and little by little I progressed and in the end I could ride home 8 points. With a bit of luck now, I will be ahead of Smith in the championship standings, I will have to work hard in Valencia to make sure I’ve got more points than him.
AXEL PONS
I’d like to know why some riders just ignore blue flags and put other riders in danger. I was riding a good race, once again in the points and fighting with Simón, when we caught up to a lapped rider during a phase of braking and I was thrown to the ground. I’m more than angry because I was having a good race and it’s not fair that I’m losing everything thanks to someone who’s a full lap behind.
The weekend had been difficult but it looked like I could finish it on a high note, but instead of going home happy, I’m leaving without points and a bruised body because of the recklessness of others.
SITO PONS, Team Manager
Pol had an incredible race and showed that he’s been a worthy opponent to Marc Márquez, whom we congratulate for being the deserved world champion. We secured the runner up place in the championship, and I hope next year we return to being at the front, with Pol as well as with Tito and Axel, which would be the compensation for all the great work of the team and all the efforts of everyone and all companies that make team Tuenti Móvil 40 HP possible.
Source: Pons Racing
