Moto3 Qatar 1 Race: Jaume Masia wins thrilling race down to the wire

After a relatively long winter season, the Moto3 category riders were in no hurry to get back on the track and compete for the first pole position of the year. Once the riders had made up their minds, the second half of Q2 saw much more action in favor of Darryn Binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40), the South African rider outperforming his rivals in the two qualifying sessions. After having to go through Q1, Darryn Binder broke the pole record at Losail and starts the first race of the season in first position. Almost as impressive, rookie Izan Guevara (GasGas, Gaviota Aspar Team, #28), who accompanied him throughout Q1 before giving him pole position by two tenths. He will still start his first Moto3 race from second place on the grid. John McPhee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #17) managed to squeeze onto that front row on the final lap, adding another Petronas Sprinta Racing machine to the front row.

Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52) qualified fourth on the grid, joined by Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) on the second row. gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2), Sergio Garcia (GasGas, Aspar Team Moto3, #11) and Riccardo rossi (KTM, BOE Owlride, #54) together form a solid third line, while Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) completes the top ten and opens the fourth row for the Red Bull Rookies champion Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) accompanied by Jason Dupasquier (KTM, CarXpert PruestlGP, #50).

Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) was another of the drivers to get out of Q1 but the Italian was unable to reproduce his time in Q2 and did not even complete a timed lap. However, his place of 18th on the grid will be less painful than that of Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #24), last year's pole sitter starting from last place on the grid after his only timed lap in Q1 was canceled for track limits violation.

The French pilot Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20) will start from 27th place.

Here is the table that refreshes our memory, before the start of the race…

Qatar 1 Moto3™	2020	2021
FP1	2'05.407 Sergio Garcia	2'05.809 Pedro Acosta
FP2	2'04.577 Raul Fernandez	2'04.839 Kaito Toba
FP3	2'05.465 Raul Fernandez	2'05.064 Sergio Garcia
Q1	2'05.254 Gabriel Rodrigo	2'04.834 Darryn Binder
Q2	2'04.815 Tatsuki Suzuki	2'04.075 Darryn Binder
Warm Up	2'05.701 Raul Fernandez	2'07.001 Darryn Binder
Course	Arenas, McPhee, Ogura	Masia, Acosta, Binder
All time lap record	2'04.561 Aron Canet 2019	2'04.075 Darryn Binder

 

In the middle of the afternoon, the air temperature was 23°C and that of the track 29°C. Before the race, the drivers of the 3 categories paid tribute to Fausto Gresini.

While night has not yet fallen on the Losail track, the Moto3 category enters the scene.

With the headwind in the long straight of the Qatar circuit, the spectacle will be at its height. Moto3 cars do not have a lot of power, so it will be difficult for a rider to overtake after taking the slipstream of a competitor.

The drivers are ready to set off for this 18-lap race, the first of the 2021 season. They have almost all chosen the Medium tire at the front and the Hard at the rear.

 

When the red lights go out,

Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) got an excellent start and kept the lead until the first corner. gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) also got off to an excellent start and was second. Izan Guevara (GasGas, Gaviota Aspar Team, #28) is third.

Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) crashed at turn 3, and Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) lost the front at turn 6. What a spectacle from the first lap, with many overtakes. The Moto1 category is as exciting as ever!

After the first round, gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) leads in front Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) and John mcphee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #17), but the ranking changes at every turn.

Riccardo rossi (KTM, BOE Owlride, #54), who was in the lead pack, fell at turn 10 of the 2nd lap.

A group of 10 drivers broke away at the end of the second lap, in which the battle raged, particularly between Darryn Binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) and Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37).

In the third round, John mcphee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #17), Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) and Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52) were hit by Xavier Artigas (Honda, Leopard Racing, #43). This incident will be studied by Race Direction at the end of the race.

Meanwhile, Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5), Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) and Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) are competing for the first 3 places.

Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #24), which started last, is in thirteenth position. With 14 rounds remaining, Carlos Tatay (KTM, Reale Avintia Moto3, #99) is penalized with a long lap for irresponsible driving. He brought down Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) in the first round.

Contrary to what one might expect, the suction phenomenon works very well despite the headwind, and the places move enormously on the long straight of the Losail circuit. Turn 1 becomes the place where many drivers can be seen head-on.

At this game, Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71) moved up from fifteenth position on the grid to the top3, in which he jostled with Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) and Darryn Binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40).

There are 10 rounds left, Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) leads in front Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) and gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2), but nothing is decided in this leading group, made up of 13 riders, where many contacts take place. Manly, but correct this race.

Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #31) is penalized with a long lap for exceeding the track limits more than 5 times during this race.

A group of 7 pilots stands out, composed of Pedro Acosta, Jaume Masia, Darryn Binder, Ayumu Sasaki, Gabriel Rodrigo, Sergio Garcia and Izan Guevara. Each of them can still claim victory.

gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) collides Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) braking and lost around ten positions. Neither of these 2 pilots crashed. Meanwhile, the rookie Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) leads the way.

Only 5 laps left before the checkered flag, and it's Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) who leads the race in front Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) and Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40).

Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71) takes control quite quickly. Great performance from the Tech3 driver!

With 3 laps to go, gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) has already moved back into the top 4, despite his incident which occurred a few laps previously. He is behind Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71), Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) and Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5). Difficult to predict a winner during this breathtaking race.

We arrive at the last lap, where 16 drivers are held within a second and a half.

The last lap is totally crazy, Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71) crashed at turn 2, and the rest of the riders overtook each other at every turn. Jaume Masià (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5), Pedro Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) and Darryn Binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) seem to be pulling away slightly from their pursuers.

Finally, it is Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) who wins ahead of the rookie Pedro Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) and Darryn Binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40).

Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) wins in front of his teammate Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37)

One thing is certain, we will hear about rookie Pedro Acosta this year.

Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) can be satisfied with this fine third place. The podium was impossible to predict during this race.

Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) was finally demoted one place for having exceeded the limits of the track.

Qatar Moto3 Grand Prix standings:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com