Brad Binder is one win away from the Moto3 championship after victory in the San Marino Grand Prix Brad Binder can clinch the Moto3 world championship at the next round in Aragon after winning the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano. The South African denied Enea Bastianini after a race-long battle to extend his lead to 106 points, meaning a top two finish next time out will see him crowned Moto3 champion with four races to spare.
In 2016, Moto3 races have been characterised by large leading groups but Sunday’s race was slightly different as an accident for Jorge Navarro caused a split in a ten-rider pack. The Spaniard was running third when the rear end of his Estrella Galicia Honda stepped out at turn fourteen, high-siding him and taking him out of the Grand Prix.
Binder and Bastianini were on the right side of the split and opened up a one-second advantage over the chase group being led by Joan Mir and Nicolo Bulega. With no other rivals to worry about, a cagey battle between the two ensued with Bastianini hitting the front five laps from home. Binder’s superior tactics ultimately made the difference though as the Ajo rider waited until five corners from the chequered flag to make his move, diving past the Gresini Honda and fending off a last corner lunge to take victory number five of 2016.
The fight for third also went down to the wire and Mir looked to have missed his chance when race direction ordered him to let Bulega through, the Leopard rider having exceeded track limits one time too many. The Spaniard recovered though and regained third a lap and a half from home, ensuring he would beat his former CEV rival to the last rostrum spot.
Jakub Kornfeil rode an excellent race to fifth ahead of Andrea Locatelli on the second Leopard KTM while Aron Canet salvaged seventh on the sole remaining Estrella Galicia bike. Philipp Oettl was eighth ahead of Hiroki Ono while Fabio Di Giannantonio rounded out the top ten.