Julian Simon wins 125 Moto GP Championship
Spaniard Julian Simon made it to the title at Phillip Island yesterday and gave AXO a long awaited crown in the 125 class with two races to go!
The AXO rider needed a win to conquer the title at the Australian GP and “Julio” took the challenge: after a not so perfect start, Simon made a move with ten laps to go and got in amongst the leaders, before breaking away with teammate Bradley Smith. Three corners from the end of the final lap, a pass on the inside took him up to first place, and he blocked the slipstreaming attempts to take back the spot.
His Teammate Bradley Smith, who was second at the chequered flag, has now an important extra 20 points on the board and a fourth consecutive podium to his name, as his attention turns to the runner-up spot in the series.
Julian Simon: "What I most want to do now is to be with my team and enjoy this moment of happiness. What I felt upon crossing the line was frankly unexplainable, it was just amazing. The first thing that came into my head was the gratitude that I have towards the team, because their hard work has been the key to this title. When I signed the contract last year it was like taking a step back, as if I had never been able to be a frontrunner and that I was dropping back down. This year I got the opportunity to show my experience and quality. I want to thank Jorge (Martinez) and Gino (Borsoi) for giving me a chance, as they, my manager and my sponsors were behind me all the way. I think that this was the most risk-free and intelligent race that I have had all season. I was patient all time around, having learnt from the mistake I made in Estoril. When I passed Bradley, I knew it would be difficult to win, but I clinched my teeth, never losing concentration: I closed the doors and got the win, not only of the GP, but also of the World Championship, which makes me extremely happy!!!”