Second podium for Kent

28/09/2014

Danny Kent takes third place at Aragon Grand Prix, fighting to the end for the win. Niklas Ajo takes risks in mixed conditions and places 25th after trip back to pits.

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The MotorLand Aragon circuit provided very difficult conditions for the Moto3 riders on Sunday morning, with a half-dry, half-wet surface. Danny Kent overcame the tricky circumstances to claim his second podium of the season, with a creditable third. The Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo rider fought for victory until the last moment, but was nevertheless able to add to his rostrum tally. Niklas Ajo, who started from 26th position, gambled with wet tyres but placed 25th after coming in to change to slicks.

The race was delayed because of fog early in the morning but got underway at 11.25am local time. The asphalt was neither wet nor dry, making things tricky off the start. Kent was the quickest off the line and took the holeshot, battling at the front in the early going. Despite running off track at Turn 1 later on, he rejoined the race and made a comeback from tenth place -consistently setting fast laps before reaching a podium spot with 7 laps remaining. In with a chance at victory, the Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo rider claimed third -just 0.283s behind the winner.

Niklas Ajo, starting from 26th on the grid due to a mechanical issue in qualifying, took a risk and used wet weather tyres from the get-go. His attempt to gain an advantage backfired, however, and he found himself riding on a dry track. Forced to return to the pits and change tyres, the Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo rider eventually crossed the line 25th.

With 93 points, Danny Kent lies ninth in the overall standings with 4 races remaining; Ajo is fourteenth with 45. The next race on the calendar takes place on October 12th in Japan.

Results – Race
1. Romano Fenati (KTM) 40:52.209
2. Alex Marquez (Honda) +0.057
3. Danny Kent (Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo) +0.283
4. Alex Rins (Honda) +11.631
5. Jakub Kornfeil (KTM) +18.382
25. Niklas Ajo (Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo) 1 Lap

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2014
1. Alex Marquez (Honda) 206 points
2. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 195 points
3. Alex Rins (Honda) 188 points
4. Romano Fenati (KTM) 165 points
5. Efren Vazquez (Honda) 154 points
9. Danny Kent (Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo) 93 points
14. Niklas Ajo (Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo) 45 points

Danny Kent >> Audio (solely for radio use)

“This has been our best weekend of the year, without a doubt. From the first session I felt great on the bike and was getting more comfortable and stronger every time I went out. Also this morning in the warmup we went fastest. We have adapted well to the mixed conditions of dry and wet and we have been fast. We knew that if we chose the right tyres for the race and made a good start, we had a great opportunity to be on the podium. I made a small mistake on the first corner and I dropped down to tenth position, which made the race that much harder.

Without that mistake I think that I could have been in the fight, but with less worn tyres and more grip. It was a shame not to fight for the win, although I tried to get there with a few slipstreams on the final lap. I’m still very happy to bring home another podium for the team, who are working well.”

Niklas Ajo >> Audio (solely for radio use)

“The whole weekend has been pretty tough. In yesterday’s qualifying session we had mechanical problems and could only put in one good lap. We started from 26th position, after being among the Top 5 during practice. That was a little disappointing. For the race we decided to take some risks because we were starting so far back, like putting the wet tyres on to see if we could move up some positions through that. However, it was a bad decision. I had to come in to change tyres in the end.

We are still not having much luck, but I hope that we get some soon because this situation is not good for me or for the team. Hopefully at the next race we will be in the position we deserve.”

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