McPhee narrowly misses Mugello winposted in OTHER04 | 06 | 2017

SCOT JOHN McPHEE narrowly missed out on his first Moto3 GP win of the year in Italy after a thrilling race at Mugello.

The 23-year-old from Oban, who started from pole position on his British Talent Team Honda, led early in the 20-lap race.

But the Scot eventually had to settle for sixth, just 0.419secs behind the KTM of winner, Andrea Migno, after a manic last lap.

“The whole race was just amazing,” McPhee, who has twice finished on the podium this season, said today. “I think I looked behind me at one time with about seven or eight laps to go, and I’m sure I could see last position. He was just round the corner behind me.

“It was one of those races which ended up being a bit of a lottery. The last few laps I tried to manage it the best I could. If the second last lap had been the last lap, we could have had a win.

“It is literally a lottery going town into Turn 1; you don’t know if there’s five guys going to be coming passed you or you’re going to get to the front.

“I think, as far as actually managing the race, we did a good job. There’s a lot of the guys ahead of me in the championship who finished behind me in the race, so we’re now only 11 points off of second in the championship.

“It’s closed everything up and I need to say a big thank you to the team. The bike’s been mega all weekend. Now I’m just looking forward to the next three races because they’re all just one after the other.”

In what is acknowledged as the most highly-contested Moto3 GP field for years, McPhee heads to Barcelona for next weekend’s race (June 11) sixth in the title race, 11pts behind the Honda of Spain’s Aron Canet.

Related: McPhee starts from Moto3 GP pole at Mugello

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Jim McGill