MOTOR CYCLING: Danny Kent fails to fire in San Marino (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Tetbury racer Kent has to settle for 12th place at the Misano circuit

5:33pm Monday 17th September 2012 in Sport

TETBURY'S Moto3 rider Danny Kent finished a disappointing 12th at the San Marino Grand Prix at the Marco Simoncelli Misano circuit at the weekend, writes Alannah Fellows.

Kent, 18, went out on Friday in tricky weather and finished in the top six in free practice. Saturday brought better conditions and Danny qualified in fourth, his fourth second row start of the season.

The Red Bull Ajo Motorsport rider got an amazing start and was second going into the first corner. However, by lap three he had slipped down to eighth position and failed to make the places back up.

He found himself fighting with fellow KTM riders Arthur Sissis and Zulfahmi Khairuddin, before eventually crossing the line in 12th position.

“I made a few mistakes and ran wide on the opening laps," said Kent. "In the end I managed to find a good rhythm again but by this time I ran out of chances to gain better places.”

Danny’s team-mate and world championship leader Sandro Cortese won the race, ahead of Luis Salom and Romano Fenati.

Despite his lull in results, Kent managed to stay eighth in the championship standings with five races to go. Moto3 returns in two weeks' time for the Spanish Grand Prix at Aragon.