On Lap 6, Fernandez’ lead was up a couple of tenths to 1.7 seconds as Arbolino remained the rider to lead the chase, polesitter Binder was tucked up behind the Honda rider. Arenas, despite having a title on the line, wasn’t looking nervous as both he and fastest man on circuit Garcia carved their way past Binder. Migno, Ogura and Masia were being cut adrift of the battle for second place, not good news for Ogura who could see Arenas – and the others – starting to break away from him.

On Lap 8, after making phenomenal progress from way down on the grid, Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) were down at the final corner, riders ok, as Fernandez’ gap at the front was back up to 1.8 seconds having seen it drop to 1.4 seconds. The three-rider gaggle of Migno, Ogura and Masia were a second back on Binder’s rear wheel, the South African was at the back of the five-rider scrap who had their eyes pinned on Fernandez.

1.6 seconds was then the gap with 11 laps left on the clock. The riders in the battle for second weren’t chopping and changing in the mid-stage of the race, a good tactic for now, with Masia then getting the better of Ogura eventually. Migno, Masia and Ogura still weren’t attaching themselves onto the back of Binder and the group ahead, and they were dropping. That was 1.6 seconds too as Masia finally got the better of Migno, with Ogura then following through at Turn 4 with 10 laps to go. Something had to come from Masia and Ogura now, the gap was two seconds and Arenas was still in that fight.

Fernandez’ lead with 10 to go was 1.4 seconds, it was coming down ever so slightly. Masia then made a small mistake at Turn 11 and it was now Ogura who led the trio, with Öncü mixing it with Arenas at Turn 2 – the Championship leader bit straight back though. Nine laps to go and Arbolino had cut Fernandez’ gap to 1.2 seconds now, it was starting to heat up nicely in Valencia. With eight laps left, Arbolino was now within a second of Fernandez; Arenas, Binder and Öncü were just dropping back slightly from Arbolino and Garcia. Ogura was now nearly four seconds behind the chase now, unless something drastic happened, Ogura wasn’t going to challenge Arenas in the race.

Arenas, Öncü and Binder were now over a second behind Garcia, but at the front, Garcia and Arbolino had reeled in Fernandez. The gap was now nothing and Arbolino knew that this was huge for the Championship. As things stood with Arbolino P2 and Arenas P4, the gap between them was 16 points heading into the final race. And at this stage, Arenas, Öncü and Binder were 1.5 seconds away from the podium fight and it looked like it was Fernandez vs Arbolino vs Garcia for the 25 points. Incidentally, Fernandez – with a win and Arenas 4th – would sit 27 points off. If something happened to Arenas, Fernandez was still a title contender.

Garcia then made his move. The Spaniard was up to P2 at Turn 2 to shove Arbolino down to P3 – this was critical in the Championship. A few big laps were coming for the Italian and he was back through on Garcia at the final corner, before Garcia drafted him down the straight but Arbolino held it into Turn 1. Arenas still had Öncü climbing all over his back wheel, Binder was patiently waiting just behind the Turkish rider.