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+--- Thread: Joan Mir closes in on MotoGP title (/showthread.php?tid=29913)
Joan Mir closes in on MotoGP title - Malcolm - 13-11-2020
![[Image: SuzukiBoysValencia.jpg]](http://www.ttwebsite.com/gifs/2020/MOTOGP/SuzukiBoysValencia.jpg)
Joan Mir and Alex Rins celebrate a Suzuki 1-2 at Valencia.
Joan Mir closes in on MotoGP title after maiden premier class win at Valencia
Joan Mir has one hand on the 2020 MotoGP world championship after becoming the ninth different winner in 12 races with a sensational victory at the European Grand Prix.
It was the 23 year-old Spaniard’s maiden win in the premier class when he headed an Ecstar Suzuki 1-2 at Valencia, the first Suzuki 1-2 since 1982 in Germany.
The victory extends his championship lead to 37 points over French Petronas Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo, who had another nightmare race, crashing out at Turn 14 on the opening lap with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.
He did remount to finish a frustrating 14th just behind fellow Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales, who had to start from pit lane.
It was Mir’s team mate Alex Rins who hit the front on lap two after getting past KTM pole-setter Pol Espargaro with Mir, who started from the second row, third. By lap four however the young Spaniard had managed to make his move for second stick and began closing the gap to the race leader.
With the ‘blue bullets’ out front it was who would make the first mistake. Eleven laps from home it was Rins who made a mistake at Turn 11, missing a gear and running wide, Mir didn’t miss the opportunity and slipped into the lead for the first time.
When he got his head in front he consistently opened the gap at one point holding over a second of a lead. Rins and Espargaro had no answer to the race leader who at the end of the 27 laps had 0.651 seconds over his nearest rival.
Rins crossed the line second with Espargaro completing the rostrum ahead of a hard-charging Takaaki Nagagami on the LCR Honda, who was the best independent rider on the day. With only two rounds remaining the 2017 Moto3 world champion, Mir, could wrap up his second championship this weekend, again at Valencia before the season wraps up at Portimao on November 22.
“It’s amazing. I don’t have words to describe the moment, it’s amazing that the victory came at the perfect moment,” said Mir.
“Obviously I would have liked to win in Austria too but it wasn’t the day. Today was the day! I’m happy but I was already happy before the race because we did a super good weekend. We found something in morning warm up on Sunday. That was the key to the victory today.”
It was a disappointing day for British riders Sam Lowes in the Moto2 class and John McPhee in Moto3.
Lowes led the championship on the Marc VDS Kalex going into the Valencia race but a crash on lap 16 while holding second blew his chances of winning and more importantly lost him the lead in the title race.
He now lies second six points behind Enea Bastianini who finished fourth in Sunday’s race.
Marco Bezzecchi claimed only his second ever win as he beat Jorge Martin and Remy Gardner in the 25-lapper.
Scotland’s John McPhee qualified fastest on the Petronas Honda for the Moto3 race but his season came to an abrupt end as far as the championship is concerned as he slid out of the race on lap five. The race was eventually won by 20 year-old Red Bull KTM rider Raul Fernandez.
Albert Arenas did not complete the race but still leads the title, three points clear of Ai Ogura who finished third behind Sergio Garcia.
![[Image: newletterlogo.jpg]](http://www.ttwebsite.com/gifs/newletterlogo.jpg)
Maurice Montgomery
It was the 23 year-old Spaniard’s maiden win in the premier class when he headed an Ecstar Suzuki 1-2 at Valencia, the first Suzuki 1-2 since 1982 in Germany.
The victory extends his championship lead to 37 points over French Petronas Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo, who had another nightmare race, crashing out at Turn 14 on the opening lap with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.
He did remount to finish a frustrating 14th just behind fellow Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales, who had to start from pit lane.
It was Mir’s team mate Alex Rins who hit the front on lap two after getting past KTM pole-setter Pol Espargaro with Mir, who started from the second row, third. By lap four however the young Spaniard had managed to make his move for second stick and began closing the gap to the race leader.
With the ‘blue bullets’ out front it was who would make the first mistake. Eleven laps from home it was Rins who made a mistake at Turn 11, missing a gear and running wide, Mir didn’t miss the opportunity and slipped into the lead for the first time.
When he got his head in front he consistently opened the gap at one point holding over a second of a lead. Rins and Espargaro had no answer to the race leader who at the end of the 27 laps had 0.651 seconds over his nearest rival.
Rins crossed the line second with Espargaro completing the rostrum ahead of a hard-charging Takaaki Nagagami on the LCR Honda, who was the best independent rider on the day. With only two rounds remaining the 2017 Moto3 world champion, Mir, could wrap up his second championship this weekend, again at Valencia before the season wraps up at Portimao on November 22.
“It’s amazing. I don’t have words to describe the moment, it’s amazing that the victory came at the perfect moment,” said Mir.
“Obviously I would have liked to win in Austria too but it wasn’t the day. Today was the day! I’m happy but I was already happy before the race because we did a super good weekend. We found something in morning warm up on Sunday. That was the key to the victory today.”
It was a disappointing day for British riders Sam Lowes in the Moto2 class and John McPhee in Moto3.
Lowes led the championship on the Marc VDS Kalex going into the Valencia race but a crash on lap 16 while holding second blew his chances of winning and more importantly lost him the lead in the title race.
He now lies second six points behind Enea Bastianini who finished fourth in Sunday’s race.
Marco Bezzecchi claimed only his second ever win as he beat Jorge Martin and Remy Gardner in the 25-lapper.
Scotland’s John McPhee qualified fastest on the Petronas Honda for the Moto3 race but his season came to an abrupt end as far as the championship is concerned as he slid out of the race on lap five. The race was eventually won by 20 year-old Red Bull KTM rider Raul Fernandez.
Albert Arenas did not complete the race but still leads the title, three points clear of Ai Ogura who finished third behind Sergio Garcia.
Maurice Montgomery