Moto3 Le Mans: Miller scores a hat-trick, Fenati retires, great race from Bagnaia and Bastianini

Jack Miller won the Moto3 class French Grand Prix (third victory of the season), a race that highlighted the driving and fighting skills of the KTM Australian. A race run with grit and determination and which ultimately took him to the top step of the podium together with Alex Rins and Isaac Vinales.

Fenati's race should be forgotten, however, as after a great comeback he had to retire due to a technical problem on his Sky Racing Team by VR46 KTM. His team-mate Francesco Bagnaia fared better, finishing fourth. Enea Bastianini's race was also very good, finishing seventh, while his teammate Niccolò Antonelli crashed once again.

The San Carlo Team Italia drivers Matteo Ferrari and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (who replaced the injured Andrea Locatelli here) instead finished in twenty-first and twenty-third position.

Miller now leads the world championship standings with 104 points against Fenati's 74, Vazquez's 72 and Rins' 71.

Race report

Fifth round of the 2014 world championship for the Moto3 class, a category where the Italians are once again protagonists, after Romano Fenati's double (Argentina and Spain). The race takes place on the French track of Le Mans, the second European stage of the 2014 season. On pole we find Efren Vazquez, making his first start from the pole. The Team Honda SaxoPrint-RTG rider will have world championship leader Jack Miller (KTM Red Bull Ajo) and Alex Rins (Team Estrella Galicia 0.0 Honda) next to him on the front row.

Home rider Alexis Masbou (Honda Team Ongetta-Rivacold) opens the second row with the fourth fastest time, preceding the Finn Niklas Ajo (Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo) and the Spaniard from Team Calvo, Isaac Vinales (KTM).

The first of the Italian riders is Romano Fenati, tenth with the KTM of the Sky Racing Team VR46. The other Italians are Enea Bastianini 13th, his team-mate Niccolò Antonelli 15th, Alessandro Tonucci 16th, Francesco Bagnaia (Fenati's team-mate) 17th, Matteo Ferrari 28th and Michael Ruben Rinaldi 29th. The latter replaces the injured Andrea Locatelli in Team Italy, who will return to Mugello. All ready, 24 laps to go for 100.44 km, 21st in the air, 30th on the asphalt. The traffic lights go out, the fastest at the start is Jack Miller, who started ahead of Vazquez, who however took the lead at the first corner. However, the Australian responds to the S, taking the lead again, followed by Rins, Masbou, Ajo and Vinales. Romano Fenati is 12th.

First skirmishes, the first lap ends with Miller ahead of Vazquez, Rins, Masbou, Ajo, Vinales, McPhee, Khairuddin, Marquez, Bastianini, Fenati, Antonelli, Bagnaia and Hanika. Meanwhile, Juanfran Guevara falls.

Miller also ends the second lap in the lead, again followed by Vazquez, Rins, Masbou and Vinales. The Italians are in the second group and are trying to catch up. Vazquez takes the lead, but Miller doesn't have it and takes the lead again. The first three try to escape, but they can't keep up. Meanwhile, Danilò falls.

Romano Fenati is now in ninth position, while Marquez sets the fastest lap. Karel Hanika also falls. The first group is now made up of seven riders with Fenati eighth and trying to catch up. Bastianini and Bagnaia follow. Niccolò Antonelli is twelfth. Meanwhile, Bagnaia moves ahead of Fenati. Antonelli falls again! The Team Gresini driver can't even finish the French Grand Prix!

Meanwhile, Rins takes the lead up front, while Marquez is fourth. Another fall! this time it's our turn to Alessandro Tonucci, who was the protagonist in the warm up this morning.

Error by Vazquez, who takes Marquez out in the curve before the finish line. Miller and Vinales take advantage of this, moving into second and third position with Rins who seems to pull ahead.

Meanwhile, there is the great comeback by Fenati, now sixth and who has almost managed to catch up with the leading group. The rider from Ascoli is followed closely by his team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, who has achieved a positive race so far.
We have now reached the halfway point of the race, Rins is in the lead, Marquez is second, but the real protagonists are Fenati and Bagnaia, authors of the fastest lap of the race. Enea Bastianini also had a good race, finishing ninth.

The top ten are Rins, who has a slight margin, Marquez, Miller, Vinales, Vazquez, Fenati, Bagnaia, McPhee, Bastianini and Kornfeil. Behind the San Carlo Team Italia drivers Matteo Ferrari and Michael Ruben Rinaldi are in twenty-third and twenty-fourth position.

Fenati's race was difficult to decipher, as he lost two positions after catching up with the leading group. Victory for the Sky Racing Team VR46 driver is now far away, Rins is more than four seconds away. However, Vazquez, Marquez, Miller and Vinales can still do it. Bagnaia also tries to catch these possible winners.

Problems for Fenati, who loses many positions, is now thirteenth. There is obviously a problem, the rider turns to look at the rear of his KTM. A hard blow for the #5, which slows down noticeably and heads for the pits. A hard "zero" to digest, after a comeback race.

With five laps to go Vazquez takes the lead, but Rins doesn't have it and takes the lead again. The best of the Italians is Bagnaia, sixth. Bastianini's race was very positive, now seventh and behind Marquez, who in the meantime was passed by Bagnaia.

The last lap begins, Miller takes the lead, it will be a thrilling final lap. Vazquez tries, but the Australian resists. Vazquez makes a mistake, Miller goes on to win ahead of Rins and Vinales. Excellent fourth place for Bagnaia, who finishes ahead of Marquez, Vazquez and Bastianini. It is a "heavy" victory for the championship, especially after Fenati's withdrawal.