Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jack Miller rode a masterly race in the final round of the 2014 Moto3 World Championship to take the win but narrowly missed the title by just two points. KTM took its third consecutive Manufacturer’s World title in the Moto3 class, finishing on equal points to Honda but winning by virtue of more race wins.
Jack Miller´s epic ride on his KTM RC250 GP was an all-or-nothing dash for the title but his rival Alex Márquez finished in third place to take the glory. The Australian, a Red Bull-sponsored athlete had started the race with a deficit of 11 points but it was clear from the start that he was going to do everything possible to try to take the advantage.
Clearly very disappointed Miller said at the finish: “I am completely disappointed. We worked very hard all season and I think today was the best race of my life. We did what we could and in the end it came down to one crash in one race that wasn’t my fault.”
Miller was at the top end of the action on Sunday throughout the 24-lap race. He got away well from the second place on the grid and immediately took the lead. He stayed out in front for the first 10 laps then shared the lead for the remaining laps with KTM rider Isaac Viñales of Spain for the rest of the race. Viñales, scored a career best second place finish on Sunday.
Behind them the rest of the action was shared between Márquez, Britain’s Danny Kent who finished fourth, and the Spanish duo of Alex Rins and Efren Vázquez. The only time Miller was out of the lead group was in Lap 16 when he was pushed wide in the hard fight for the front positions and drifted back to fifth. He charged back into the action in the next lap, tucked in behind Viñales and made the pass in the final lap.
Miller, who now moves straight up to MotoGP next season, missing the customary step into the Moto2 class, has still had a stellar season and won more races than any other rider.
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Jack Miller: “We tried extra hard today to try to win the world title. We did our maximum and I pushed like hell right through the races. I didn’t leave anything on the table. I cannot thank the team enough. They did an amazing job all year long. Red Bull KTM, Ajo Motorsports, I thank them a lot.”
Miller’s young teammate Karel Hanika of the Czech Republic wrapped up his first season in the senior class in tenth place after starting from a sixth place on the grid. Hanika moved up to Moto3 as the 2013 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup champion.
Results Moto3 Valencia
1. Jack Miller (AUS), KTM, 40:10.983 min (24 laps)
2. Isaac Viñales (ESP), KTM, +0.155 sec
3. Alex Márquez (ESP), Honda, +0.955
4. Danny Kent (GBR), Husqvarna, +1.572
5. Alex Rins (ESP), Honda, +2.251
6. Efren Vázquez (ESP), Honda, +2.508
7. Niccolò Antonelli (ITA), KTM, +3.620
8. Miguel Oliveira (POR), Mahindra, +4.216
9. Brad Binder (RSA), Mahindra, +4.248
10. Karel Hanika (CZE), KTM, +4.363
Other KTM
11. Enea Bastianini (ITA), KTM, +5.462 (Rookie of the Year 2014)
13. Jakub Kornfeil (CZE), KTM, +5.959
14. Romano Fenati (ITA), KTM, +6.209
16. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), KTM, +11.775
23. Hafiq Azmi (MAL), KTM, +40.784
28. Albert Arenas (ESP), KTM, +1:29.792 min
DNF Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG), KTM, 23 laps
Final standings Moto3 after 18 of 18 races
1. Márquez, 278 points (2014 Moto3 World Champion, 3 race wins)
2. Miller, 276 (6 race wins)
3. Rins, 237 (2 race wins)
4. Vázquez, 222 (2 race wins)
5. Fenati, 176 (4 race wins)
6. Alexis Masbou (FRA), Honda, 164 (1 race win)
7. Viñales, 141
8. Kent, 129
9. Bastianini, 127
10. Oliveira, 110
Other KTM
12. Kornfeil, 97
14. Antonelli, 68
16. Bagnaia, 50
18. Hanika, 44
28. Azmi, 3
31. Eric Granado (BRA), KTM, 2
32. Remy Gardner (AUS), KTM, 1
Final Manufacturer’s Standings Moto3 after 18 of 18 races
1. KTM, 384 points (2014 World Champion, 10 race wins)
2. Honda, 384 (8 race wins)
3. Mahindra, 168
4. Husqvarna, 143
via KTM
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