Moto3 Austria Race: Crazy race and victory for Ayumu Sasaki!

Daniel Holgado qualified on pole position for the first time in Moto3, becoming the 50th different pole-sitter since the introduction of Moto3 in 2012. His best result until then was P6 in Germany and the Dutch TT. This is the sixth pole position for a KTM rider in Moto3 at the Red Bull Ring. Only two riders have won from pole position at the Red Bull Ring in Moto3: Joan Mir (2016) and Marco Bezzecchi (2018), both on a KTM.

Ayumu Sasaki, who has two long laps remaining from Silverstone, qualified second, which is the fourth time this year he has qualified in the top three. The last time was at Assen when he took his first victory from pole. Deniz Oncu qualified third, which is the fourth time since the start of the season that he has qualified in the top three. He will aim for victory for the first time in his GP career. He scored his first podium of the season at the last British Grand Prix.

Riccardo rossi qualified fourth for the second consecutive time after the British GP, where he finished 14th. These were his best qualifying results so far this season with Argentina when he finished P4 on race day, which is his best result of the year so far.

Third in the championship, Dennis Foggia is fifth, which is the 10th time this year he has qualified in the top six. He will be aiming to achieve back-to-back Moto3 victories for the second time in Aragon and San Marino last year. In pole position at the British GP for the first time, Diogo Moreira qualified sixth, which is the fifth time so far in his rookie season that he has qualified in the top six. He will aim for his first podium in Moto3.

What will this Austrian Grand Prix have in store for us, which is the thirteenth round of a season where the title is being played out between the two drivers GasGas Garcia and Guevara with Dennis Foggia on his Honda in ambush? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far

Moto3™ Red Bull Ring	Austria 2021	Austria 2022 (New chicane)
FP1	1'36.215 Darryn Binder	1'50.378 Andrea Migno
FP2	1'36.752 Darryn Binder	1'41.774 Dennis Foggia
FP3	1'35.838 Izan Guevara	1'41.285 Deniz Oncu
Q1	1'36.451 Riccardo Rossi	1'41.971 Sasaki, Suzuki Munoz
Q2	1'35.850 Romano Fenati	1'41.234 Daniel Holgado
Warm-up	1'36.181 Deniz Öncü	1'41.711 Ayumu Sasaki
Course	Garcia, Öncü, Foggia (See here)	Sasaki, Suzu
All time lap record	1'35.778 Tony Arbolino 2019

 

It's 19° in the air and 21° on the track, the sky is overcast.

It took 22 laps and it was Oncu who escaped in the lead ahead of Sasaki and Holgado. Remember that Sasaki has 2 long laps to complete.

The Japanese takes the lead. He is asked to perform his 2 long laps: he has 3 laps to complete them.

Suzuki takes control while Sasaki makes his first long lap, he comes out 1th

Holgado takes Suzuki's hand having missed. Oncu comes back into the lead: 20 laps from the goal, the top10 is the next tee; Oncu, Holgado, Munoz, Suzuki, Garcia, Guevara, Nepa, Moreria, Migno and Foggia.

Munoz takes the lead but is taken by Suzuki, who is very incisive, but Munoz fights back and regains control.

Straight from Oncu but he doesn't fall, he leaves 9th

2nd long lap for Sasaki, he is in 20th position.

Guevara whips and takes the lead. Suzuki, very lively, persists and regains control. Garcia is in 3rd position, Holgado and Munoz complete following this provisional top5! Guevara responds, he goes back to the front.

Long lap for Rossi, he is in 27th place.

Great pace imposed by Guevara, he keeps his distance from his opponents...and thereby tries to widen the gap. Suzuki nevertheless remains very fast and watches over the grain…

Despite his 2 long laps, Sasaki struggles to come back

With 14 laps to go, Sasaki is 7th!

Tatay falls in turn 3

Sasaki easily passes the championship leader, Garcia: he is now 5th. There are 13 laps left to complete.

Long lap for Migno

With 12 laps to go, the top5 is as follows: Guevara, Suzuki, Sasaki, Oncu and Garcia 

Sasaki takes leadership and is in the process of escaping.

Top10 with 9 laps to go: Sasaki, Suzuki, Garcia, Oncu, Guevara, Munoz, Moreira, Holgado, Masia and Ortola

Masia falls in turn 3

So many calls to order...for the championship leaders who are struggling.

At 5 laps, Sasaki held on in front of Suzuki, Oncu, Munoz and Garcia who was behind.

Last round..

Sasaki leads ahead of Suzuki and Munoz. 

Victory for Sasaki ahead of Suzuki and Munoz

       Moto3 Austria Race: classification

 

Credit classification motogp.com