2012 Silverstone Moto2 Race Result: Dominant Victory And Hard Podium Battle

Results and summary of the Moto2 race at Silverstone:

Pol Espargaro has taken victory in the opening race of the day, capping a dominant weekend with a victory that was not in doubt after the halfway mark. After the disaster at his home race in Barcelona two weeks ago, Espargaro's title challenge is now firmly back on track, helped in no small part by Scott Redding holding off Marc Marquez to take 2nd.

It was clear right from the start that the British riders would play a big part in their home Grand Prix. Bradley Smith and Scott Redding elbowed their way to the front at the start, the race commencing with a battle between the two Brits with no quarter either taken nor given. Pol Espargaro sat patiently watching Smith and Redding taking chunks out of each other, while behind,  Andrea Iannone and Marc Marquez were on a charge as well. Smith did what he could to hang on, but could not stay with the front group, soon dropping back with Simone Corsi and Claudio Corti.

With Smith gone, it was Redding's turn to take over at the front, but it was clear that his lead would only be temporary. Pol Espargaro, who had dominated practice, was the fastest man on the track, and starting to get impatient to get past. The pass would happen on the way into Stowe, just before the halfway mark, and once Espargaro got past, he would prove impossible to catch. Though the Spaniard's advantage would never be huge, it was more than sufficient, and easily managed by Espargaro to secure the win.

The other podium places were not so easily settled. Andrea Iannone seemed set on a podium, but he could not hold on to the end. From lap 12, it was clear that Scott Redding and Marc Marquez would be scrapping over 2nd and 3rd, and the battle would grow more intense as the race neared its conclusion. Marquez looked like he would get away with two laps to go, but Redding soon closed the gap and started piling on the pressure. The British rider barged past at The Loop, only to have Marquez come back again at Stowe, but the race would only be settled in the final chicane. In a display of courage, skill and determination, Redding stuffed his Kalex inside Marquez' Suter at Vale, then held the outside line, squeezing off any chance for Marquez to come back underneath in the final corner. Redding held on to 2nd, demoting Marquez down to 3rd.

Espargaro's victory puts him up to 2nd in the championship, 6 points behind Marquez, but a time penalty still hangs over Marquez for the incident at Catalunya. If the FIM upholds that ruling, then Marquez will drop well down the standings, leaving Espargaro tied with Thomas Luthi at the top of the table.

Results: