Watching what the beginners in a category are doing is always important because among them are perhaps the future great drivers of tomorrow. One day, Marc Márquez, Maverick Viñales or even Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi were among the beginners, and those who watched them at that time can proudly say today that they have the privilege of following them since their beginnings . In 2018, there are five of them to debut in Moto3. Overall consistent and improving in their first ever Grand Prix in Qatar, let's see everyone's results.
This year, five young drivers have beginner status and will perhaps establish their name before long. First of all there is Italian Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46), 17 years old. Reigning CEV champion, he raced three World Grand Prix last year. Then, its two Spanish rivals James Masia (Bester Capital Dubai), 17 years old, and Alonso lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0), 16 years old, second and third respectively in the CEV last year, are also arriving in the World Championship. To note that farmhouse ran four World Cup races in 2017.
They are followed by Kazakh Makar Yurchenko (CIP – Green Power), 19, who finished tenth in the CEV in 2017, and the winner of the Red Bull Rookies Cup, the Japanese Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider), 17 years old.
Overall, the free sessions were complicated for the rookies who had to familiarize themselves with the circuit and the particular conditions of Qatar, notably the night and the sand on the track. On combined times, they all finished quite far back: Alonso lopez 21nd, James Masia 23nd, Makar Yurchenko 24nd, Kazuki Masaki 26th and Dennis Foggia 28th and last.
Their results then improved in qualifying. farmhouse achieved a very good 13th place, while Masaki qualified 19th, Lopez 21nd, Yurchenko 23th and Foggia 24th.
At the end of the race, it is James Masia who finished as the best rookie with 12th position and his first points scored. It is followed by Kazuki Masaki, who finished 13th. The two drivers crossed the line respectively 8.026 and 8.829 seconds behind the leader, but less than two seconds behind the group fighting for the podium. The young farmhouse even finished ahead of his teammate Marcos Ramírez.
Behind, Dennis Foggia ranked 16th, close to the points but almost twenty-seven seconds behind first. Makar Yurchenko finished 19th and last, more than thirty-three seconds behind the winner, but on his wheels, which is always positive in Moto3, a category where the fight rages. Alonso lopez was not so lucky as he unfortunately fell.
The five rookies showed good things during this first weekend, notably consistency and a clear progression between the first free sessions and the race. They will be ones to follow closely throughout the season!
Jaume Masia #5
Kazuki Masaki#22
Dennis Foggia #10
Makar Yurchenko #76
Alonso Lopez#72
