125: Vinales wins at Le Mans

Maverick Vinales wins the French 125cc Grand Prix at Le Mans with last-turn pass.
Terol and Vinales, French 125 MotoGP 2011
Terol and Vinales, French 125 MotoGP 2011
© Gold and Goose

16-year-old rookie Maverick Vinales ended Nico Terol'♛s unbeaten 2011 run with a stunning last-turn victory in Sunday's French 125cc Grand Prix.

Terol was ma꧙king his 100th grand prix start at the event, and l🌃ooking to take his fourth win in as many races, while Vinales came into Le Mans with a best finish of fourth from his three previous GPs.

Vinales was the only rider able to stick with pole sitter T🌄erol and the pair had pulled seven-seconds clear of the field by the midway point of🔯 the 24 laps.

Vinales then continued to cling doggedly to the back of Terol - before grabbing the lead with eight laps to go. But the Paris Hilton Racing rider was unable to shake-off his experienced opponent, who retaliated with three laps 𒁏remaining.

Terol must have hoped he could then break away from Vinales, or that the rookie would happily settle for💧 a debut rostrum, but the determined Vinales had his sights set firmly on victor🔥y - which he claimed in dramatic style by diving for the inside at the very final turn.

Terol's Aspar Aprilia team-mate Hector Faubel, who hasn't finished higher than eleventh this year due to r✨ace accidents, led a five-rider battle for third for much of the race - buꩵt lost out to Ajo Derbi's Efren Vasquez in the closing stages.

Vasquez thus took his first podium of the year while team-mate and home rider Johann Zarco claimed fift🅠h place behind Faubel.

Race results - Le Mans:

1. Vinales (Aprilia) 24 laps
2. Terol (Aprilia) +0.048s
3. Vazquez (Derbi) +6.836s
4. Faubel (Aprilia) +8.298s
5. Zarco (Derbi) +8.590s
6. Folger (Aprilia) +10.236s
7. Cortese (Aprilia) +10.667s
8. Gadea (Aprilia) +15.642s
9. Oliveira (Aprilia) +22.838s
10. Salom (Aprilia) +30.901s

17. Kent (Aprilia) +57.763s
22. Mackenzie (Aprilia) +1m 25.418s

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