Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex) rode another superb Moto2 race, until he fell with just five corners to go on the final lap.
The 20-year-old from Tokyo was all set to end the German Grand Prix as top rookie and equal his best Moto2 result with a fifth-place finish. However, Sachsenring is incredibly tough on tyres, leaving riders with little grip in the final stages, which is why Ogura was one of three riders to crash on the last lap of the 28-lap race.
Ogura’s team-mate Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex) was also going well, trying to get himself into the points, until he ran off the track at Turn One on lap 16. The 22-year-old Thai rider ended the race in 18th place. Without that excursion through the gravel trap he would have finished inside the top 15 for another points score.
The race was dominated by Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex), son of Wayne Gardner, who in 1987 became the second rider to win the premier-class World Championship for Honda.
The 23-year-old Australian took the lead in the early stages from team-mate Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex) who soon crashed out, leaving Gardner with a huge lead over his pursuers. Also on the podium were runner-up Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2 Boscoscuro) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46 Kalex).
The Moto2 World Championship continues next weekend with the Dutch TT at Assen.