Runaway series leader Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) won the 125cc race from Mika Kallio (KTM) who snatched second from Mattia Pasini (Aprilia) at the final turn on the last lap. Bautista has now registered four wins so far this season and looks in unmatchable form at this stage of the season. Kallio led into turn one followed by Pasini and Bautista, but it only took three laps for the Spanish series leader to establish himself at the front with a series of fastest laps – and from then on the race was his barring any mishaps – and he made no mistakes.
His margin of victory after 25-laps was 3.45 seconds but this is scant evidence of his domination here today. He now leads the World Championship on 185 points to Mika Kallio in second with 133. Sergio Gadea (Aprilia) lies third with 114 and Pasini fourth with 112.
Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) finished eighth and said, “That was a hard race, a really hard race. I had a small problem with front-end chatter in three fast corners and lost time but I made up a lot for that on the brakes. I feel fine now so it proves I’m back to my best physically, only my hands are a little stiff.”
Fifteen-year-old British rider Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda RS125R) scored a 12th place finish and said, “I’m really, really happy, I scored my first points. I’d given myself the opportunity with that 13th place on the grid and everything was looking absolutely positive to do a good race. It was a tough race and it took a long time to find my pace.”
Thomas Luthi, Elit Honda: 8th"That was a hard race, a really hard race. I got a good start and was in the second group but I made a mistake braking to hard for a slow corner. The rear wheel was off the ground so I had to let the brake go and run straight on. I lost four or five places and had to fight hard to get a good finish. I had a small problem with front-end chatter in three fast corners and lost time but I made up a lot for that on the brakes. I feel fine now so it proves I'm back to my best physically, only my hands are a little stiff."
Gabor Talmacsi, Humangest Honda: 10th“It has been one of the most difficult races of the season, most of all physically speaking. I had to make hard braking in the final part of the track in order to keep the pace of the riders in front of me and so I was very tired at the end of the race. I’m a bit disappointed about the tenth place as I know that our potential is higher. We have to show it in the next GPs”.
Fabrizio Lai, Seedorf Racing World: 11th“I started well and I tried not to lose the contact with the leaders. But it was impossible to maintain the same pace as the fast group ahead of me. I found myself in a group of Hondas. With six laps to go we had to lap a rider but I almost crashed out trying to overtake him. Luthi and Talmacsi made up ground on me.My team and I don't want to finish in this manner the championship. But Honda will do something?"
Bradley Smith, Repsol Honda: 12th"I'm really, really happy, I scored my first points. I thought that I would be able to finish fifteenth or fourteenth but I never expected to finish twelfth so it's a really nice feeling for me. I have to say that I didn't obviously expect to finish in such a good position though I really wanted it so bad. We'd had such a good weekend; I had given myself the opportunity with that thirteenth place on the grid and everything was just looking absolutely positive to do a good race. It was definitely a tough race and it took a long time to actually find my pace. But then I had the chance to wait a little bit, take my time to pass people one by one. Then in the end, with ten laps to go I passed them, carried on my way, and just kept my head down chasing Fabrizio Lai, but I wasn't able to catch him. But it was still a good result."
Sandro Cortese, Elit Honda: 14th"That was really hard work. I got a perfect start and was running fast my bike was really good today. I was with the group but just before the middle of the race Zanetti and DiMeglio out-braked me, and themselves into the hairpin. They were in the middle of the track and I had to close the gas and ride around them. It cost me a lot of time and a few places at the finish. A hard race but fun early on. I'm sweating more than normal and my mouth is really dry, its so hot out there."
Mike Di Meglio, FFM Honda: 16th“This morning for the warm up, we had different weather conditions; we wanted to test a tyre harder but it rained last night and the track was drying. So I started the race with this tyre and I didn’t know if it will last the whole race. I made a good first lap and I reached the 16th position; after few laps, I could reach the 13th place. During the entire race, I tried to push harder butit was too slippery. After 18 laps raced Lorenzo Zanetti pushed me out of the track. I finish the raceon my own, close to the points, but the positive things are that the chassis was good and the engine too. I also improved my lap time of 7 tenth.”
Lorenzo Baroni, Humangest Honda: 27th“I made a good start and my rhythm was okay but unfortunately I made a small mistake and went wide. So, I lost a few positions and I couldn’t recover anymore. I was losing much at T1 and T2 – in the fast part of the track like it happened in the practices. In the final part the bike was moving too much and I didn’t feeling very safe on it”.
Tito Rabat, Wurth Honda BQR: dnf - crash"I got a good start and quickly found my rhythm and was racing with Tunez, Iannone, Ranseder and Rodriguez for 17th to 20th place. But on lap 11 at the chicane I gave it too much gas and crashed. I have hurt my right hip but its only bruised and I will race in the Spanish Championship next weekend."
Joey Litjens, Molenaar Honda:Did not race due to cracked elbow sustained in practice.
MotoGP 125cc Round 09 at Donington Park:1 Alvaro BAUTISTA / Master - MVA Aspar Team
2 Mika KALLIO / Red Bull KTM GP 125
3 Mattia PASINI / Master - MVA Aspar Team
4 Hector FAUBEL / Master - MVA Aspar Team
5 Sergio GADEA / Master - MVA Aspar Team
6 Joan OLIVE / SSM Racing
7 Lukas PESEK / Derbi Racing
8 Thomas LUTHI / Elit - Caffe Latte
9 Nicolas TEROL / Derbi Racing
10 Gabor TALMACSI / Humangest Racing Team
11 Fabrizio LAI / Valsir Seedorf Racing
12 Bradley SMITH / Repsol Honda
13 Simone CORSI / Squadra Corse Metis Gilera
14 Sandro CORTESE / Elit - Caffe Latte
15 Lorenzo ZANETTI / Skilled I.S.P.A. Racing Team
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