Moto3 Germany: Dalla Porta triumphs after frantic final lap

Lorenzo Dalla Porta came out on top after he took charge of the final turns of the Moto3 German Grand Prix, to claim his first win of the season.

The Leopard Honda rider goes into the summer break as championship leader by just two points after taking advantage coming out of the bottom of the Waterfall and then blocking both Marcos Ramirez and Aron Canet on the brakes to lead over the line and take his second career win after collecting second place on four different occasions this season.

His team-mate Ramirez had lead much of the race and after his attempted breakaway failed as his leg pain kicked in earlier in the race, he was a constant in the front group, the Spaniard slipped into second and pushed for the win but his final move for first ensured Canet finished third as it blocked his path.

Sterilgarda Max Racing Team’s Canet was almost the fairytale ‘comeback kid’ - after qualifying down in 22nd he worked his way up to the points places before tagging the back of Tony Arbolino saw him drop right back again.

The Spaniard attacked again, muscling his way into the lead group before surviving running into to the back of Ayumu Sasaki, and getting a track limits warning as he scuffled his way to first. Leading out of the popular overtaking point coming out of turn eleven was to be his downfall, and he was passed and blocked by both Leopard bikes coming into the final corner. He was the best placing KTM finisher.

A rejuvinated Romano Fenati lead briefly as he held his own for VNE Snipers in a return to his pre-season form on his way to fourth.

Raul Fernandez (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) had shown pace earlier in the weekend and the colder damp track conditions seemed to suit him as he came back for fifth.

One time leader John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) broke the in-race lap record to be in the lead group, he was confident and aggressive and was unlucky to miss out on a podium finish, taking sixth.

Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) made a mini comeback of his own to climb to seventh at the chequered flag, the top rookie finisher.

Tatsuki Suzuki was next to cross the finish line for SIC58 Squadra Corse, with their compatriot Ayumu Sasaki ninth for Petronas.

Jakub Kornfeil faded after the opening laps but had enough in the tank for a top ten finish for the Redox PruestelGP team at their home track.

His team-mate Sergio Garcia fought back to climb to eleventh at the close of the race, followed over the finish by Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) who took twelfth after qualifying one place ahead of him in 17th.

Filip Salac ensured both of the Pruestel bikes finiahed in the points at home when he took the flag 13th, his best result of the season.

The remaining points on offer went to Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Can Oncu in 14th and Assen winner Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) in 15th.

Home Wildcard Dirk Geiger (Kiefer Racing) finished his first world championship appearance in 23rd.

A crash in the middle of the track coming out of Omega could have been much nastier, but the rest of the field skilfully avoided the strewn bikes of Alonso Lopez and Gabriel Rodrigo on the very first lap, while Tom Booth-Amos spilled off his bike at the same corner on lap two. Lopez attended the medical centre, while Booth Amos rejoined for 24th.

Later in the race Albert Arenas and Kaito Toba slid out separately at turn one with twelve laps left to run.

Dennis Foggia and Celestino Vietti ended their race in the gravel as the final lap battle raged ahead of them.