Moto3 Austin: Alex Rins wins a five-lap sprint race due to a red flag

The Moto3 race at COTA, Circuit Of The Americas, was characterized by a red flag, which came during the twelfth of the eighteen scheduled laps. A bad fall by Jasper Iwema, victim of a very bad high-side, effectively interrupted the race which was a two-man fight between Alex Rins and Maverick Vinales, with Salom further behind. The pilot was first taken to the medical center and then by helicopter to the more equipped hospital.

We then set off again for a mini five-lap race with the line-up mirroring that of the lap on which the race was interrupted. The "sprint" race was won after a good battle by Alex Rins, who preceded Maverick Vinales and Luis Salom. For Rins this is the first victory in the world championship. Now in the world championship Salom and Rins are tied at 41 points, followed by Maverick Vinales at 1 point. Here is the updated ranking.

Race report

Second race of the 2013 season for the Moto3 class, a category which has replaced the "old" eighth-litres since last year. In pole position in Austin, theater of the Red Bull Grand Prix Of The Americas, we find the Spaniard of KTM Alex Rins, rider of Team Estrella Galicia 0,0. Rins will be joined on the front row by compatriots Luis Salom (Red Bull Ajo) and Maverick Vinales (Team Calvo), also on KTM.

Second row for the Australian Jack Miller (FTR Honda), for the German Jonas Folger (Kalex KTM) and for the second KTM of Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 of Alex Marquez. First of the Italian riders is Alessandro Tonucci, sixteenth with the Honda of Team La Fonte Tascaracing. The former Team Italia rider precedes his former teammate Romano Fenati, riding the FTR Honda. The other Italians are Niccolò Antonelli 23rd and Lorenzo Baldassarri, Matteo Ferrari and Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia 29th, 30th and 31st respectively. All ready, eighteen laps to go in Austin. The traffic lights go out, the fastest at the start is Luis Salom, who takes the lead of the race. Poleman Rins is out of the mix and takes the lead ahead of Salom, M. Vinales, Folger, A. Marquez, Miller, Ajo, Kornfeil and Binder.

Vinales moves into second position; the first lap ends with Rins, M. Vinales, Salom, Folger, A. Marquez, Ajo, Sissis, Kornfeil, Khairuddin, Binder. Tonucci and Alt out, the two once fallen try to get back on the track. Rins, M. Vinales and Salom have already made the gap. Folger is over two seconds away. Behind Folger are A. Marquez, Niklas Ajo, Khairuddin, Kornfeil, Sissis and Miller. Fenati is the first of the Italians and is 14th with the FTR Honda of Team San Carlo Team Italia.

The first three have already made a gap, all of them are riding KTMs, from Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Rins, from Team Calvo Maverick Vinales and from Team Red Bull Ajo Luis Salom. Meanwhile, Niccolò Antonelli retired, having crashed after having collided with Baldassarri at the start and attempting a comeback. A trip to forget for the Team Gresini rider.

KTM dominates with the first eight riders powered by the Austrian company's engine (which supplies the complete bike to some teams like those of the first three). Meanwhile, Fenati has climbed up to twelfth position behind him and is therefore in the points.

After a third of the race Rins leads ahead of Maverick Vinales, Luis Salom, Jonas Folger, Alex Marquez, Zulfahmi Khairuddin, Niklas Ajo, Jakub Kornfeil, Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira. Fenati is twelfth. Toni Finsterbush, rider of Kiefer Racing, who was in the rear, slips.

The pace of the first three is unsustainable for everyone, they are lapping in 2'16 against the 2'18 of those chasing. At the moment, in addition to Fenati in twelfth, we have Matteo Ferrari 24th, Lorenzo Baldassarri 25th, Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia 27th and Alessandro Tonucci, good last after his crash at the start of the race.

Halfway through the race, Alex Rins and Maverick Vinales managed to break away from Luis Salom, who is now almost two seconds behind. Meanwhile, Alan Techer falls. Perhaps there are some technical or physical problems for Salom, who laps two seconds slower than previous laps.

Meanwhile, there was a big fight for sixth position, currently in the hands of Niklas Ajo. Red flag! A rider on the ground after a crash. The race may have ended here but what interests us are the conditions of the rider who remained on the ground, who appears to be Jasper Iwema.

The race will restart for 5 "sprint" laps, they have not yet decided the re-start time. The grid will be that of the order of the lap on which the race was interrupted, with Rins ahead of Maverick Vinales and Luis Salom. Once the information has arrived, we will start again at 18 pm Italian time, the pilots are lining up again. Romano Fenati will not start again, having had a technical problem with his FTR Honda, thus ending the weekend for San Carlo Team Italia.

New reconnaissance lap, the drivers ready for the five-lap mini-race. All ready, the traffic lights go out, off we go! The fastest at the start is Salom who laps ahead of Rins and Maverick Vinales, followed by Folger, Alex Marquez and Niklas Ajo. Error by Vinales, the Spaniard from the bald Team goes wide and also takes Rins out a little, still second and now ahead of Ajo and Folger. Maverick Vinales is looking for a comeback, having moved back to fourth position, while Alex Marquez "jumps". Maverick Vinales is very fast, he is now third and sees his compatriots Salom and Rins again, with the latter taking the lead. Meanwhile, comforting information arrives for Jasper Iwema, who moves all his limbs, including his legs! This is wonderful news!

Last two laps, Maverick Vinales is still a little behind but is giving 110%. Meanwhile Salom follows Rins. Last km of the race, M. Vinales caught up with the first two, now there will be three of them fighting for the victory. Salom's attack, the Red Bull Ajo Team driver is in the lead, very little left to the end. Overtaking by Rins, the Spaniard from Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 is back in the lead. Rins goes on to win ahead of Vinales, who mocked Salom at the end. For Rins this is the first victory in the world championship.