The former MotoGP™ man had 0.821 to pull in to catch Baldassarri at the front of the race and with just a lap left, he had managed to cut that advantage down to nothing and was all over the rear of the Italian’s Kalex. Baldassarri held off Lüthi’s charge for three-quarters of the lap but Lüthi looked favourite going into the final sector, applying huge pressure to the man who finished second at Qatar this time last year. Somehow, Baldassarri’s defensive riding was enough to keep Luthi at bay and as the pair exited the final Turn 16 they were side-by-side with Baldassarri holding on by just 0.026 of a second to take victory.

Gardner stole third place from Schrötter on the final lap, but the German slipstreamed his way past the Australian to take the final step on the box by two thousandths of a second, completing a Dynovolt Intact GP double podium finish. Flexbox HP 40’s Augusto Fernandez came from row four of the grid to take fifth place, narrowly ahead of Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2).

Marquez eventually had to settle for seventh, over two seconds clear of SKY Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini in a lonely eighth place. Italtrans Racing Team’s Enea Bastianini was one of the rides of the day to take ninth on his Moto2™ debut fighting off Vierge, who slipped down to tenth after a strong start.