Moto3 Le Mans: Fly the tricolor! Fenati wins a fantastic race ahead of Bastianini and Bagnaia

Moto3 2015 Le Mans – Historic result in the Moto3 class French Grand Prix, which saw an all-Italian podium. Romano Fenati (KTM Sky VR46) in fact won a hard-fought race (sixth victory for him in the world championship and first of the season) ahead of Enea Bastianini (Honda Team Gresini) and Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra Team Aspar), on his first podium in the world championship.

This hasn't happened in the "Cinderella" GP class since 17 September 2004, when Andrea Dovizioso, Fabrizio Lai and Simone Corsi got on the podium in Motegi (in the 125cc class). Niccolò Antonelli also did well, finishing fifth on the Honda of Team Ongetta. Also noteworthy is the great comeback of world championship leader Danny Kent, who started from the penultimate row and was fourth at the finish line.

His leadership continues also thanks to the falls of local idol Fabio Quartararo and team-mate Efren Vazquez. Kent now leads the standings with 104 points against Enea Bastianini's 67, Efren Vazquez's 60, Fabio Quartararo's 52 and Romano Fenati's 51.

Now everyone's thoughts are turned to Mugello, where our "boys" will look for an encore in front of the home crowd, which is expected to be very numerous on the fantastic Tuscan track.

Race report

The riders of the Moto3 class are ready to compete in the French Grand Prix, the fifth stage of the 2015 world championship, which takes place on the historic Le Mans track. Starting from pole will be home idol Fabio Quartararo (Honda), in his second consecutive pole position. On the front row with him is teammate Jorge Navarro (Honda) and our Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra).

Second row for the Czech Jakub Kornfeil (KTM), for Romano Fenati (KTM) and for Jules Danilo (HOnda), French rider of the Ongetta Rivacold Team. Niccolò Antonelli will open the third row, riding the second Honda of Team Ongetta. The rider from Cattolica will be joined by the KTM of the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira and the Husqvarna of the Spaniard Isaac Vinales.

Matteo Ferrari, rider of the San Carlo Team Italia, brought his Mahindra to the fourth row, where he will start together with Suzuki and Maria Herrera. Fifth row for Andrea Locatelli (Honda) and Stefano Manzi (Mahindra), sixth for Andrea Migno (KTM) and Enea Bastianini (Honda) and seventh for Alessandro Tonucci's Mahindra. All ready, twenty-four laps to go for 100.44 km. The traffic lights go out, the fastest at the start is Fabio Quartararo, but at the first chicane, Niccolò Antonelli, rider of Team Ongetta Rivacold, takes the lead. The rider from Cattolica precedes his compatriot Francesco Bagnaia, Quartararo (who finished third), Fenati, Navarro and Oliveira.

Quadruple fall! On the ground Gardner, Vazquez, Brad Binfer and Rodgrigo; all unharmed. The first lap ends with Antonelli in the lead ahead of Bagnaia, Quartararo, Fenati, Kornfeil, Oliveira, Navarro, Migno, Vinales, Locatelli, Bastianini and Jules Danilo. Stefano Manzi is thirteenth. Antonelli continues to lead, but after the second pass Bagnaia attacks with the Mahindra of Team Aspar and takes the lead. A few bends later Antonelli responds and Fenati also passes Bagnaia.

Exciting start to the race, with the riders running at very respectable times. On the third lap, Enea Bastianini sets the fastest lap, which allows him to make up ground on the top positions. Meanwhile, Fenati takes the lead and the group is now compact.

Three Italians now lead the French Grand Prix, in order Romano Fenati, Francesco Bagnaia and Niccolò Antonelli. Bastianini, author of an amazing comeback, is close to Quartararo and continues his comeback, which sees him rewarded with 16 laps to go, when he takes the Team Gresini Honda into the lead of the race.

Also noteworthy is the great recovery of world championship leader Danny Kent, who started from the back and is now in the top ten, while Jorge Navarro is down, the Spaniard's race ends here.

We have now reached the halfway point of the race, at the head of the race we find Romano Fenati, who has regained the top of the race ahead of Enea Bastianini, Fabio Quartararo, Miguel Oliveira, Niccolò Antonelli and Francesco Bagnaia. Kent continues to recover, not so much the positions, but the gap from the top, which is now just over two seconds. Fall (rider ok) for Matteo Ferrari! The race of the Team Italia rider ends here.

Romano Fenati is trying to pull ahead, taking advantage of the fight between Enea Bastianini and Fabio Quartararo, while a wild Kent is eighth and ever closer to the top. Crazy comeback by the Leopard Racing driver, who started from the eleventh row, thirty-first time.

The group is compact again, the top nine, in order Fenati, Bastianini, Quartararo, Bagnaia, Oliveira, Antonelli, Kornfeil and Kent, are enclosed within less than two seconds. Andrea Migno, tenth, is over eight seconds away and precedes Masbou, Ajo, Ono and Guevara. Thirteenth and seventeenth position for Locatelli and Manzi.

Plot twist! Home idol Fabio Quartararo falls! race over for Honda's protégé, who gets up in despair. Meanwhile, Fenati, Bastianini and Bagnaia make the Italian people dream, with Bastianini attacking and taking the lead. Meanwhile, Kent is close to Bagnaia, while Fenati regains the top.

Last three laps of a fantastic race, Fenati aims for the sixth victory in the Moto3 class, but Kent passes Bastianini and aims for a historic result, while Bagnaia takes the lead. The last lap begins, Fenati takes the lead again, resists and goes on to win ahead of Bastianini and Bagnaia! All-Italian podium! Great result for our "boys"!