1. Anthony West (Moto2)
When rain arrives in a Moto2 race, Anthony West is usually your go-to man and he proved it again at Assen with a virtuoso display. The Australian has had a tough time of late with a drugs ban seeing all 18 months’ worth of results expunged from the record books but Saturday brought a well-deserved highlight.
The dry qualifying session proved to be another painful experience for West on the QMMF Speed Up who could only manage 23rd but a heavy downpour minutes before the start of the race provided a golden opportunity and boy did he take it. Within a lap, West was up to seventh and it only took him a further four laps to take third, albeit five seconds adrift of Simone Corsi and Sam Lowes.
The leading duo would throw away their victory chance with crashes, Lowes at De Strubben and Corsi at Mandeveen, and suddenly a first win in eleven years was well within his grasp. Conditions were gradually improving though and as the circuit became drier and drier, the usual frontrunners came roaring back into play. Maverick Vinales and Mika Kallio were the pair to pile the pressure on West but the Australian held his nerve, and held the lead to clinch a hugely popular victory.
(Photo Credit: MotoGP.com)
