Nico Terol claims final 125cc World Championship

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Nico Terol claims final 125cc World Championship

Valencia's season finale also marked the last ever 125cc world championship race, with the category being replaced by 'Moto3' in 2012
November 7, 2011 10:19 AM AEDT
Valencia's season finale also marked the last ever 125cc world championship race, with the category being replaced by 'Moto3' in 2012. Ahead of the race, the championship battle was down to two riders - Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar) and Johann Zarco (Avant-Air Asia-Ajo). Terol held a 20 point lead over Zarco ahead of the Valencia round, so a win from Frenchman Zarco and DNF or close to a non-points result from Terol would be required to overturn the championship table.

Nico Terol claims final 125cc World Championship

The final race of the two-stroke era got underway with Danny Webb (Mahindra Racing) starting from pole position for the first time, holding the lead until lap two when Hector Faubel (Bankia Aspar) took over from the Brit, but all eyes were on the fight for the Championship between Terol and Zarco. Starting from the front row of the grid, Zarco got away well as Terol rode cautiously from his ninth place start, the Spaniard needing only to finish 11th or better to claim the title regardless of the Frenchman's result. But after finishing every race in the top six this season, Zarco's championship hopes were dashed as he crashed out on lap three while pushing to get to the front on the race.

With first and second in the Championship decided following Zarco's retirement, the battle for third between Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) and Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing) was on, though it was decided before the conclusion of the race when Cortese crashed at the halfway point. The race for top three positions was then down to Vinales, Faubel and Terol, as the new Champion made his way to the front to join the fight for the win, the three trading order as they stretched the gap to the rest of the field to over five seconds. Viñales moved to the front with six laps to go, and crossed the line first to score his fourth win of his remarkable debut GP season, with Terol second and Faubel third as Terol claimed the last-ever 125cc crown.

Fourth place went to Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo), with Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) claiming fifth ahead of Alberto Moncayo (Team Andalucía Banca Cívica) in sixth. RW Racing GP's Luis Salom placed seventh from his second row start, Finnish rider Niklas Ajo (TT Motion Events Racing) was eighth with Luigi Morciano (Team Italia FMI) and Matteoni Racing's Louis Rossi completing the top ten.

Australia's 125cc entrant at Valencia, Jack Miller (Carretta Technology), was amongst the many riders to crash in the damp conditions.

2011 125cc World Championship
GP Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana
1. Maverick VINALES - Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing 41'44.138
2. Nicolas TEROL - Bankia Aspar Team +3.216
3. Hector FAUBEL - Bankia Aspar Team +7.460
4. Efren VAZQUEZ - Avant-AirAsia-Ajo +14.560
5. Jonas FOLGER - Red Bull Ajo MotorSport +18.451
6. Alberto MONCAYO - Andalucia Banca Civica +36.472
7. Luis SALOM - RW Racing GP +52.614
8. Niklas AJO - TT Motion Events +1'00.138
9. Luigi MORCIANO - Team Italia FMI +1'00.253
10. Louis ROSSI - Matteoni Racing +1'03.258

Final Championshup Standings - after Rd 17 of 17
1. Nicolas TEROL - 302
2. Johann ZARCO - 262
3. Maverick VINALES - 248
4. Candro CORTESE - 225
5. Hector FAUBEL - 177
6. Jonas FOLGER - 161
7. Efren VAZQUEZ - 160
8. Luis SALOM - 116
9. Sergio GADEA - 103
10. Alberto MONCAYO - 94

Images: motogp.com

 

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