Moto3: Dominant Fenati win denies Mir the championship

A dominant victory by Rivacold Snipers rider Romano Fenati has denied Moto3 title favourite Joan Mir the chance to lift the 2017 championship at the Japanese Grand Prix, as the Italian racer led almost from start to finish in horrible conditions at the Motegi circuit.

The Italian led almost from start to finish, dispatching Niccolo Antonelli in the early stages and immediately pulling clear a lead that he eventually extended to four seconds at the chequered flag in a repeat performance of his dominant Misano win last month in similar conditions.

Antonelli held on to second to finish on the podium, ahead of a delighted Marco Bezzecchi, taking his debut podium position for the CIP Mahindra squad in one of the final races for the Indian manufacturer.

Local star Tatsuki Suzuki was fourth, while the battle for fifth was won by Aron Canet, leading Philipp Oettl, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Jakub Kornfeil and Bo Bendsneyder, while John McPhee ruled out the top ten on the British Talent Team Honda.

It was a disastrous day for Mir, though, who came home outside the points in a distant 17^th place, able to take only the damage limitation of not injuring himself from the performance. However, with 75 points left to play for, he still maintains a healthy 55-point lead over Fenati.