Spain’s Joan Mir won Sunday’s European MotoGP in Valencia on Sunday, his first victory in the premier category, to close in on the title after rival Fabio Quartararo crashed on the opening lap.
Mir took advantage of Quartararo’s spill to widen his lead to 37 points with just two races left as compatriot Alex Rins ensured a one-two finish for Suzuki, the first for the Japanese manufacturer since 1982.
Frenchman Quartararo recovered to trail home in 14th but saw his championship hopes suffer a potentially fatal blow. He is level on 125 points with Rins after losing considerable ground on Mir, who is top on 162.
“I’m super happy. This (a victory) is what I was missing and it came at the perfect moment,” said the 23-year-old Mir, the Moto3 champion in 2017.
Mir became the fifth first-time winner at MotoGP level this season and the ninth different rider to take the chequered flag in 12 races.
A podium finish for Mir on the same Ricardo Tormo circuit at next week’s Valencia MotoGP would secure the title, ending the injured Marc Marquez’s four-year dominance.
“We’ve had a very good weekend,” said Mir.
