Aron Canet and Alonso Lopez end season empty-handed in chaotic Valencia GP

Estrella Galicia 0,0 Moto3 riders Aron Canet and Alonso Lopez closed the 2018 season at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo on Sunday, on a rainy morning with cold temperatures.

Canet had set the seventh best time in a wet warmup, and in the race itself he was among the frontrunners, only to get caught up in a crash that involved fellow riders Tatsuki Suzuki and Lorenzo Dalla Porta and be eliminated from the race. This result leaves Canet sixth overall in the World Championship with 128 points.

Lopez had suffered a crash in the warmup at Turn 8, after clocking the eighth fastest time of the session. Having dislocated his shoulder, it was put back in place for him to take the start from eleventh on the grid. Up into fifth during the first lap, he would crash again, suffering another crash when he remounted. This result leaves him twenty-third in the final standings with 31 points.

The Qatar Grand Prix, the first round of the 2019 Moto3 World Championship, will be held on March 8-10th.

Aron Canet
DNF
“It was a pity about the crash. I was knocked down at Turn 4, which was a shame because I was feeling strong for this race. My pace in the warmup would have allowed me to fight for the victory. Without a doubt, I would have preferred a better result to end the season and my collaboration with the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Moto3 team, but I’ll take away all the positives from this season.”

Alonso López
DNF
“The track condition was critical from the warmup, but I was feeling comfortable and very confident. My shoulder was dislocated in my crash in the warmup, but I was fine for the race. At the start I gained six positions and was comfortable in fifth, but I crashed at Turn 6. That put me in last place, and at Turn 9 I fell again. I’m going to take away what I’ve learned from today’s race; in situations like this, you have to be a bit more conservative on the opening laps.”