Máximo Quiles has secured his sixth win of the season and Marco Morelli has returned to the podium after fighting his way back to third place
The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team has enjoyed one of its best weekends of the season. Máximo Quiles once again put on a masterclass in riding and race management at the Dutch Grand Prix to secure his sixth win of the season – the team’s 50th in Moto3. Furthermore, his team-mate Marco Morelli returned to the podium, finishing third after battling in the pack for much of the race. David Almansa was unable to keep up with the Spaniard’s pace on the final lap and crossed the finish line in second place.
The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team riders gave it their all at Assen. Máximo Quiles, who started from pole position on Sunday, focused his strategy on waiting for the right moment to try and pull away from the leading group. The Moto3 leader regained the lead at the halfway point of the race and began to gradually increase his pace, reducing the battle for victory to just two riders. Just when it looked as everything would be decided in the final metres, the rider from Murcia still had an ace up his sleeve and rode even faster, meaning Almansa was unable to stay on his tail through the final corners. Quiles secured an undisputed victory at one of the championship’s most legendary circuits – his sixth this year and the team’s 50th in the lightweight class. Furthermore, this win allows him to extend his lead in the overall standings, with the gap to second place now standing at 90 points. Marco Morelli also put in a great performance on Sunday, although he faced some difficult moments. The Argentine held his own among the front-runners during the opening laps, although shortly afterwards he began to struggle with his front tyre, causing him to drop back to tenth place. With five laps to go, Morelli turned the situation around and began to feel more comfortable, entering the final lap in third place and holding on to that position until he saw the chequered flag. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider has returned to the podium, something he hadn’t achieved since the Brazilian Grand Prix, when he finished second and secured in Goiania his best result in the category.
Win Máximo Quiles: “It’s always special to win at Assen. It’s a historic circuit and whenever I watched it on television I used to think, ‘I hope to win here one day’. It’s been a great day for the team; we’re making a good name for ourselves, especially with this one-two finish alongside my team-mate. I’m looking forward to more weekends like this. I knew it was going to be a good race. I was on different tyres to most of the riders, but I felt very comfortable right from the start. I saved my energy for the end and started to push harder until I saw they were struggling a bit to keep up with me. On the final lap I pushed even harder and managed to win. I was sure Almansa was going to try and overtake me, but I pushed as hard as I could on that last lap. I think it was a well-deserved victory and we have to enjoy it. I’m absolutely delighted with today’s result; we’re going to keep fighting to go for more.”
3rd Marco Morelli (+2.433): “This podium was very important for me and for the whole team. It was a very difficult race, especially at the start when I was trying to get into the leading positions. The first few laps were the hardest for me, and we’ve improved on that today, but halfway through the race I started to feel the front tyre deteriorating. It was bouncing a lot and I lost grip, mainly on the right-hand corners. At that point, I tried to hang on and make sure the second group didn’t catch me. I thought, ‘It’s all down to me’, and I realised that if I changed my riding style, I’d feel better. I adapted and was able to ride fast again. That motivated me to do my best and not give up, as Nico Terol always tells me. Today I put that into practice and managed to get on the podium. I’m really happy; I want to thank the whole team for believing in me. It’s been a tough few weekends, but this podium is a great reward.”
