Miller Makes It the Double in Moto3 GP of the Americas
OutdoorHub 04.14.14
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jack Miller of Australia pulled off an amazing pole to flag victory on Sunday at the Moto3 GP of the Americas in Austin Texas, the second round of the 2014 World Championship.
Miller won his first GP in Qatar in the opening round and picked up his first pole position on Saturday, which he converted to the victory on the sweeping Texas circuit.
Miller also became the first-ever Australian rider to take consecutive victories in the small cylinder class, formerly 125cc and now Moto3.
Miller had a great start from his pole position and with the threat of rain hanging over the circuit, decided to make an early break. Initially it was only Efren Vazquez of Spain who went with him.
While Miller never relinquished the lead throughout the 18-lap race, the two front riders were joined in the early stages by Alex Marquez and began to pull away from the following pack. They were caught in the last laps by Romano Fenati on the KTM and the group extended the gap to three seconds.
Vazquez and Fenati were poised to make a challenge in the last laps but Miller hung on to the advantage. Then Marquez crashed out, leaving the three front-runners to go on and seal the top three places. Miller and Fenati made it 1-2 for KTM.
Miller said he couldn’t have asked for a better race. “The KTM RC 250GP was running perfectly and with a setup that allowed us to preserve the tires and have enough grip to push on in the final laps,” he said. “I was made to fight through to the end, but it was really good. Achieving a second consecutive win is amazing. We must continue in this way and progress with each GP.”
It was also a great race for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s rookie rider Karel Hanika of the Czech Republic. The 2013 Red Bull Rookies MotoGP Cup champion finished tenth, his best result since joining the team.
Miller leaves the USA with a perfect scorecard of 50 points while Hanika is thirteenth in the standings and is in front in the Rookie of the Year standings. KTM riders took five of the top ten places.
The championship continues on April 27 when it travels to the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina.
Red Bull GP of the Americas
Moto3
Results Rd. 2
- Jack Miller, AUS, KTM 41’06.659
- Romano Fenati, ITA, KTM +0.069
- Efren Vazquez, SPA, Honda +0.172
- Alex Rins, SPA, Honda +7.182
- Jakub Kornfeil, CZE, KTM +7.264
- Alexis Masbou, FRA, Honda +20.107
- Francesco Bagnaia, ITA, KTM +20.381
- Danny Kent, GBR, Husqvarna +23.981
- John McPhee, GBR, Honda +24.032
- Karel Hanika, CZE, KTM +24.222
Other KTM
- 13. Enea Bastianini, ITA, KTM +34.955
- 18. Eric Granado, BRA, KTM +49.325
- 24. Hafiq Azmi, MAL, KTM +2’04.082
Standings after Rd. 2
- 1, Miller 50
- 2, Vazquez 32
- 3, Fenati, 24
- 4, Rins, 24
- 5, Kornfeil 21
Other KTM
- 8, Bagnaia, 15
- 12, Vinales, 8
- 13, Hanika, 8
- 14, Antonelli, 7
- 17, Bastianini, 3
