Moto3 Qatar: Kaito Toba at the top

During this first meeting of the season which was the Grand Prix du Qatar, certain events were to be marked with a white stone on the route of Losail. Certainly, the first fifteen classified in MotoGP were gathered in a record gap fifteen seconds. In Moto2, the pocket square was also in order between the first two. But Moto3 has not missed its appointment with history either. The entry category has in fact recognized, for the first time since its existence, a Japanese.

The latter which ended up at the top is a Kaito Toba whose success is also political. The Honda Asia team driver comes from the Asia Talent Cup. A championship created by Dorna in collaboration with Honda to enable the growth of young talents from this part of the world. Tuff reigned there in 2014. The young Tuff born in 2000 had made his debut on mini bikes from 2008 to 2011. Following his achievement, he went to compete in the Red Bull Rookies Cup alongside his commitment to the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3. A year later, he finished fifth and fourth respectively in these Championships.

In 2017 he arrived in the Moto3 world, to wear the colors of Honda Team Asia. Author of his first Top 10 in Argentina, Kaito Toba will score points. 2018 is off to a pretty good start, but its results are running out of steam. Ranked 22nd, he is therefore continuing a third year with his team… And it’s starting quite well! His best finish so far was a 6th place last year in Catalunya.

In Qatar, he qualified third. On arrival, he was jubilant: “ fantastic, it's fantastic. My team and I did a great job. The race was tough, a large peloton formed from the start and it was impossible to gain a little margin on the pursuer. But it is okay. We have won a great victory, we are strong and we must continue to work like this“. his manager Hiroshi Aoyama had difficulty containing his emotion: » Kaito has had two difficult seasons. Perhaps I am happier with this success as Team Manager than with my victories as a driver! "

Recognition also came from Casey Stoner : on his social networks, he posted a photo of himself with a little Toba 'Ducatista', adding his compliments.

Tuff added his name to a small group of Rising Sun riders who took the top step of the World Championship podium. This is'Hiroshi Aoyama, last Japanese world champion in 2009, from Yuki Takahashi, Shoya Tomizawa and Takaaki Nakagami, both winners in 125cc / Moto2. The last one to triumph in the entry category was Tomoyoshi Koyama in 2007 and in Catalonia.