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***Malcolm*** · 06-11-2015, 01:13 PM

On Sunday Danny Kent (Leopard Racing Honda NSF250RW) hopes to score Honda’s second consecutive junior Grand Prix title. At the end of August the Briton was 70 points ahead of his closest Moto3 rival following a sixth win of the year at the British GP, but since then he has struggled to repeat his early season form and two crashes in the last four races have left him with a 24 point lead going into Valencia. All he needs on Sunday is 14th place, even if his only title rival Miguel Oliveira (KTM) wins the race.

Honda have been the dominant force in Moto3 this season, with 11 victories from the first 17 races. San Marino GP winner Enea Bastianini (Junior Team Gresini Moto3 Honda NSF250RW) had looked capable of helping Honda to a title one-two until he tumbled out of the Japanese and Australian rounds. Bastianini holds third overall, two places ahead of fellow Italian teenager Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold Honda NSF250RW), who still has fourth overall in sight.

Kent’s team-mate Efren Vazquez (Leopard Racing Honda NSF250RW) holds sixth and Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda NSF250RW) is eighth.

Honda Moto3 rider quotes

Danny Kent, Leopard Racing

“So after a great year we come to the final race of the season in Valencia! I really look forward to this weekend. Valencia has always been a circuit that I enjoy and I’ve had good memories there before. The goal for us is of course to leave as World Champions. For this we have to be clever and stay out of any trouble. I’m sure we will be fine, no pressure on my side as I only need a couple of points if Oliveira wins the race. Of course, I will go out there and try my best do to a great job for me and the team.”

Enea Bastianini, Junior Team Gresini Moto3

“Compared to the tracks where we’ve been racing recently, Valencia is very small, so we will need to get accustomed to it. Unfortunately in the last three races we were a bit unlucky, but we are determined to bounce back: we will not give up till the end because we absolutely want to end the season on a high note. Recently it took us a bit of time to find the right set-up, so this time it will be important to start well right from the first free practice session, in order to be prepared for the race and collect a good result to defend third position in the standings. Kent and Oliveira will fight for the title and Oliveira will definitely attack because he has nothing to lose. I hope to be able to fight for the top positions as well, and of course I will give the maximum!”

Niccolo Antonelli, Ongetta-Rivacold

“Now I’m just two points from Romano Fenati in the championship so we have to try and take fourth overall at Valencia. I like the track a lot. It’s definitely one where I feel really good on the bike so I hope to have a good last weekend in Spain.”

***Malcolm*** · 06-11-2015, 05:08 PM

Danny Kent ended the first day of Moto3™ Free Practice on top of the combined timesheets ahead of Isaac Viñales and Hiroki Ono.

Leopard Racing’s Danny Kent got his bid to become the first British World Champion since Barry Sheene (500cc) in 1977 off to the perfect start at the Comunitat Valenciana – Ricardo Tormo circuit by ending the first day of practice on top. The British rider leads the only man who can deny him the title, Miguel Oliveira, by 24 points with only 25 up for grabs on Sunday.

Kent set his fastest time in the morning as he headed FP1, as the majority of the leading riders failed to improve in the warmer afternoon FP2 session. Kent’s time of 1’39.930 was good enough to see him end Friday quickest, despite finishing down in fifth in a highly competitive FP2 that saw only a second separate the top 23 riders.

RBA Racing Team’s Isaac Viñales was only 0.036s behind the pace of Kent in second, as the Spaniard was the only other rider to break the 1’40 barrier. Kent’s teammate Hiroki Ono (+0.085s) completed the provisional front row as he looks to bounce back from two DNF’s in the last three races.

There were three Leopard Racing Honda’s in the top four as Efren Vazquez, who topped FP2, (+0.093s) set the fourth fastest time with less than a tenth of a second separating the top four riders.

Estrella Galicia 0,0’s Jorge Navarro (+0.131s) was fifth fastest as he improved on Friday afternoon, while Enea Bastianini (+0.174s) on the Gresini Racing Team Moto3 Honda was sixth.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira, who has won three out of the last five races, ended the day in seventh as he aims to become the first Portuguese World Champion, although he was only +0.180s off the pace of his rival Kent.

Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold), Romano Fenati (Sky Racing Team VR46) and wildcard Niccolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) completed the top ten.

Fabio Quartararo was in 14th on his return from injury, while Scotsman John McPhee (SAXONPRINT RTG) ended the day in 24th.

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