Moto2: Morbidelli takes the win as Marquez crashes out

Franco Morbidelli has taken his second win in two rounds of the 2017 Moto2 championship in Argentina, after defending his position from teammate Alex Marquez until the Spaniard made a mistake with only a handful of corners to go.

Morbidelli made an early break in the race, leading by over a second for a long time, but careful tyre management allowed Marquez to bridge across to him in the closing stages. However, it wasn’t to be, with a nasty highside leaving him limping home in 21^st on a badly mangled Marc VDS Kalex.

“I was pushing really hard but Alex caught me, so I thought there was maybe going to be a fight. At the end I had a little bit more, so I knew I could push a little more, then I crossed the finish line with no one behind me. But it’s been two great results for me and I’m really happy.”

 

Miguel Oliveira inherited second place in an amazing debut podium for the KTM Moto2 machine in only it’s second race outing, while the far-distant Thomas Luthi took the final podium spot in third.

Lorenzo Baldassarri, Xavi Vierge on the Tech 3 machine and Simone Corse rounded out the top six, while rookies Pecco Bagnaia and Brad Binder found themselves closer to the sharp end in 7^th and 9^th, separated by Sandro Cortese.

Former Moto3 world champion Danny Kent crashed out of 16^th place half way through the race.