DANNY KENT'S world title aspirations took a slight dent on Sunday when he could finish only sixth in the San Marino Grand Prix after falling foul of a rule technicality.

But for most of the 92,000 fans at the Misano circuit on the Adriatic coast it was the perfect result as 19-year-old Italian rider Enea Bastianini recorded his first Moto3 victory at his 31st attempt.

Bastianini, who is Kent's only serious rival for the world title, closed the gap on the British ace at the top of the standings with five races remaining.

Kent, from Tetbury, was slightly detached from the leading group of five but well clear of the chasing pack when he was forced to take place penalty for repeatedly straying over the track limits at turn six.

In having to ease back from sixth to seventh, Kent lost almost four seconds on the leaders and all chance of a podium finish on his Leopard Racing Honda.

Kent insisted he had everything under control ahead of his penalty.

“Of course this was not the race that we were hoping for because we definitely had the pace to win today," he said.

"But I had to drop back one position and the rider behind me was more than three seconds adrift, so we lost the race due to that.

"Until that point I was following and watching the hard battles in front of me, but at the same time I was confident about catching them all as long as the race went.

"In the end it is a really bad outcome to the weekend and of course not the result we were looking for.”

The Moto3 calendar resumes back in Aragon in Spain on September 27.