The Moto2 Championship leader mounted a splendid comeback to win ahead of Andrea Iannone and Roberto Rolfo at the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland on Sunday, thus opening up a 42-point lead at the top of the standings.

Toni Elías’ third win of the season came at Sachsenring on Sunday as the Gresini Racing rider triumphed in the Moto2 class at the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, giving the Spaniard a further grip on the Championship lead.

An opening-lap crash involved Raffaele De Rosa (Tech 3 Racing), Héctor Faubel (Marc VDS Racing Team), Ricky Cardús (Maquinza-SAG Team), Joan Olivé (Jack&Jones by Antonio Banderas) and Lukas Pesek (Matteoni CP Racing) as the tight nature of the Sachsenring track claimed the five, the first two managing to rejoin the race. Clear of the trouble at the front were Fimmco Speed Up pair Gabor Talmacsi and Andrea Iannone, with Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) chasing them in third.

Another faller came in the shape of Yuki Takahashi (Tech 3 Racing), and shortly after Simón’s participation was ended early when he slid out whilst pushing hard to keep on the tail of Talmacsi. Home rider Arne Tode (Racing Team Germany), who had qualified in second position, Alex Debón (Aeroport de Castelló-Ajo) and Sergio Gadea (Tenerife 40 Pons) also fell, with an early end to a frustrating weekend following shortly after for Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Racing).


With 11 laps remaining Elías was well on the way to recovering his start that had seen him drop from his starting position of third, charging up the order and through on Talmacsi – who started to drop as his tyres went off – with Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) also passing. The Italian’s race ended on lap 20 however when he lost the front of his machine at turn 12 when in third position.

The experienced Elías was closing in all the while on race leader Iannone and six laps from the end the Championship leader made his move, taking first position. Roberto Rolfo (Italtrans STR) was passing up the order too and went through on the by now frustrated Talmacsi, who was unable to do anything.

A fantastic last-lap battle for third was played out between Rolfo and Fonsi Nieto (G22 Holiday Gym), eventually being won by the Italian, after Elías had crossed the line 3.297s clear of Iannone for his third win of the season.

Nieto took fourth, with Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) fifth and Talmacsi sixth. A fantastic ride from stand-in rider Damian Cudlin for the Tenerife 40 Pons team handed the Australian seventh.

Elías now has 136 points at the top of the standings, 42 clear of second-placed Lüthi after his DNF. Iannone moves into third, just four points off the Swiss rider thanks to his third podium of the season.