Schrötter lets dream of podium finish come true

Unprecedented performance also by Xavi Vierge, who attacks with a hand injury, finishing in tenth place.

He has earned it for a long time, but so far it just wasn't supposed to be. In the Grand Prix of San Marino, in his 151st Grand Prix race and 105th Moto2 start, Marcel Schrötter has finally made the dream of the first podium reality.

Since some races Marcel Schrötter has always been one of the top guys and a podium contender in the races. This weekend in Misano, he was again fastest on Friday, second in free practice and secured the second place in the front row on Saturday.

While World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia built up a gap in the front right from the start of the 25-lap race, Marcel Schrötter fought with Miguel Oliveira and Mattia Pasini for further podium finishes. After two-thirds of the race distance local hero Pasini lost connection and could not intervene in the top 3 battle. From this moment on, Marcel Schrötter hunted for second place behind Oliveira. But an attack of the German in the last lap did not quite succeed. Regardless, the joy over the third place and first podium was huge.

He takes home 16 points from Italy. With that, the 25-year-old remains in seventh place in the Championship and the gap to Alex Marquez in front of him shrank to only six points.

Xavi Vierge also successfully defended his eighth place in the Moto2 Championship by proving incredible fighting spirit in the San Marino Grand Prix. His operated right hand still prevented the 21-year-old from attacking with full force, yet he stormed from eleventh to seventh at the beginning and finally crossed the finish line as an excellent tenth.

The penultimate round of the season on European soil will take place in Aragon in two weeks, from the 21st to the 23rd of September. Then it's time for four races in Asia, before the grand final of the 2018 season takes place in Valencia in November.