Johann Zarco ends Valencian GP in seventh place and sets a new record for points earned in a season in the intermediate category.

Zarco, Moto2 race, Valencia MotoGP 2015

The 2015 Moto2 season came to an end in Valencia this Sunday, with Johann Zarco taking seventh place in the season finale. Already crowned World Champion at the flyaway rounds last month, the Ajo Motorsport rider’s result at the Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana helped him to set a new record for points in a single intermediate class season: 352.

The last GP of the season began with a multiple-rider crash, which resulted in a red flag. The race was resumed later at a reduced duration of 18 laps. Zarco, who started from second on the grid, did not get off the line well and lost four places early on.

After the opening laps, the Moto2 World Champion slotted into the head of the third group, in eighth. After an entertaining duel with Sandro Cortese, the Frenchman was able to escape and cross the finish line in seventh position.

Following eighteen Grands Prix in 2015, Zarco completes the season with 352 points to his name -118 more than his nearest rival. During his amazing year, he claimed a total of 8 victories and 6 podiums, plus 7 pole positions. From next week, during two days of testing at Cheste, Zarco will start preparing for next season -in which he will attempt to retain his title with Ajo Motorsport.

Race – Results
1. Tito Rabat (Kalex) 28:48.831
2. Alex Rins (Kalex) +0.309
3. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) +3.347
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) +3.644
5. Sam Lowes (Speed Up) +5.140
7. Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) +9.834

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2015
1. Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) 352 points
2. Alex Rins (Kalex) 234 points
3. Tito Rabat (Kalex) 231 points
4. Sam Lowes (Speed Up) 186 points
5. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) 179 points

Johann Zarco,
“It’s positive to finish the season with a record number of points, even though I was seventh today, because all weekend I did not have enough pace. I had a great qualifying session, but a few quick laps are not enough to have a good race. Also today we had two starts; on the second one I made a bit of a mistake and going into the first corner I had to fight with other riders. My feeling today was not good enough and it was a shame, because I tried to follow keep up but the other riders were faster. I’ve had other races like this and it is all experience for the future; the main thing was to finish.

My thanks again to the team, because they have always given me their all throughout the season. It was great to ride here with the new chassis, so we could begin to get information for next year.”

Aki Ajo,
“We have to be very pleased with the great season Johann Zarco has had. I’m sure that, after winning the World Championship, it was not easy for Johann to concentrate on this race. It has been a long project, after twelve months of hard work, and in which we have won a race after becoming champions, so there is reason to be happy. You can’t win every time. It is good to start next season with a first test this month, in which we will start focusing on the 2016 World Championship.”