#moto32023

Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) has done it. He is a Grand Prix victor in 2023 – and he did in style! The Japanese rider put on quite some show as he fought tooth and nail in a five-rider scrap for victory at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana. The final race of 2023 went down the wire in typical Moto3™ fashion as David Alonso (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) left everything he had out on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo as he pushed Sasaki right until the final corner. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) was very much in the mix as well. The Spaniard came home in P3 after getting his elbows firmly out on the last lap, almost snatching second from Alonso in a close drag to the line. The riders lined up on the grid for the final race of the 2023 Moto3™ season, and with the Championship decided it promised to deliver barnstorming lightweight action. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) started from pole position but it was Sasaki who took the hole shot down in Turn 1 as the Moto3™ bikes barrelled in. The Japanese rider had Veijer and Öncü for company as the riders scrapped for position in the opening sector. We lost a couple at Turn 2 as Vicente Perez (BOE Motorsports) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) went down and out of the race. Xavi Artigas (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) was later awarded a double long lap penalty after causing the incident. The top three remained line astern throughout the first lap as Joel Kelso (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) and Ortola looked keen to threaten the podium spots. Veijer then took over the lead from his teammate one lap later as he dived up the inside at Turn 2. Veijer, Sasaki, Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Kelso, Ortola was the order as the race began to settle with 17 laps still remaining.

The 2023 FIM Moto3™ World Championship has been decided in dramatic fashion after an action-packed Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar saw Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) fight his way to victory in one of the most eventful races of the season. The Spaniard did not have it easy by any means as rookie sensation David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) was snapping at his heels on the final lap, but the Colombian couldn't quite find a way through and neither could Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who came third the hard way: fighting his way through the pack after a jump start for the Turk saw him serve a double Long Lap penalty. The race made some headlines for a number of moves in the title battle, however... Tensions were high as the Moto3™ riders lined up on the grid ahead of the first match point of 2022. The pressure was weighing down on the shoulders of Masia as he prepared for his first chance to become a World Champion, and with Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) six places ahead on the grid, The lights went out and it was Öncü took the holeshot but an obvious jump start for the Turk would come back to haunt him later on. The elbows were firmly out on the first lap as Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) led across the line the first time around. The Spaniard had Öncü, Sasaki, Alonso, and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets -MSI) for company. Öncü was then awarded a double long lap penalty for that Jump Start, serving his first straight away as he dropped down the order. But he would be back. Meanwhile, Masia was on a charge from 10th place on the grid and put himself well within the mix. The chaos continued to unfold as positions were swapping and changing from corner to corner. A harsh move came from Masia early on as he forced himself and Sasaki wide, with both losing out but the latter most definitely more. It was deja vu with 10 laps remaining as Masia made the same move again on Sasaki as he tried to stuff it up the inside but sent the pair of them wide once again as they dropped down the order to fifth and seventh. For that, the #5 got a conduct warning too. Still, it didn’t take long for the pair to climb their way back to the front before Sasaki reaped his revenge and pushed Masia wide to line up behind the now-leading Holgado. As the laps ticked the bar-bashing continued as Holgado, Masia, Sasaki, and Alonso swapped and changed positions. David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) joined the party ahead of the final six laps with 15 bikes still in contention for victory.

Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) got the job done in qualifying at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar as the Spaniard took his KTM machine to the top of timesheets to secure himself a clear run into Turn 1 on Sunday. Holgado's 2:04.732 saw him steal the show from Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) by just 0.003s as the young Brazilian was forced to settle for 2nd place. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will join them on the front row after his flyer took him to P3, the Turk has looked in fine form all weekend as he aims to keep his title hopes alive on Sunday. The title battle is wide open in Moto3™ as Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) prepare for battle under the floodlights. It was Sasaki who won the qualifying fight as he took fourth place with Masia down in 10th. Whilst the Spaniard does have the opportunity to take the title on Sunday, he'll have to fight his way through from the fourth row of the grid if he is to seal the deal. Sasaki will be on row two alongside his teammate Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), who rounded out the top five ahead of Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team). Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) will line up just behind as he's set to head Row 3 after finishing 0.003s ahead of Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) to take 7th. The pair will be joined by Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) on the third row as the Spaniard finished Q2 in P9. The fourth row will feature a frustrated Masia with work to do, and he has Fillipo Farioli (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Vicente Perez (BOE Motorsports) for company in 11th and 12th respectively. Will Masia claim the title, or are we heading to a final showdown in Valencia? Don't miss any of the action when it commences at 17:00 local time (GMT +3)!

The Netherlands has a new Grand Prix winner, and the first since 1990 as Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) defeated teammate – and title challenger – Ayumu Sasaki in the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia. Championship leader Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) completed the podium in a close race to the finish that went right to the final corner. It’s now likely a two-horse race for the crown too, with some big drama for three of the five contenders on the way into the weekend at Sepang. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) got the best start from Row 2 and looked like he was going to take the holeshot before Veijer shot through and somehow kept it nicely in line, with Masia then able to grab second too. It didn’t take long for the Leopard rider to grab the lead though, and the number 5 then started to seriously push. Who could go with him? Initially the answer was Sasaki, Veijer and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), but the small group couldn’t break away. It quickly became a freight train once again, but there was drama coming. After a dramatic weekend before the lights went out, with the Buriram winner suffering some crashes including in qualifying, David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) started well down the order. By 13 laps to go, he was already into the top ten. But then came the drama as he suddenly crashed out in the group, taking, among others, fellow contender Dani Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) out of the race – all riders ok, but the group split and two key members of the Championship fight out of the race. The group became Masia, Sasaki, Veijer, Öncü, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team). As the laps ticked down the tension was high but no one was able to make a difference – until a difference was made for some. Rueda got it wrong at the final corner when going for a move on Bertelle, making contact with the Italian then unable to save it and going down – in a nightmare, also tagging and taking down his teammate Öncü just ahead. Again, all riders ok – Bertelle staying upright and Öncü getting back in it, but that left a trio fighting for victory: Masia, Sasaki… and Sasaki’s teammate, Veijer.

Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) absolutely smashed it out the park in qualifying for the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia as the #5 set the first-ever 2:10 lap on a Moto3™ machine. Masia's 2:10.846 sits as the new all-time lap record at Sepang and secured the Leopard rider pole position by an incredible 0.906s. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) will line up alongside the polesitter after the Dutchman finished best of the rest in P2. Rounding out the front row will be Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) who finished just 0.026s behind the Husqvarna machine. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) took 4th place after missing out on the front row by 0.121s. The Spaniard is set to head Row 2 ahead of title challenger Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Joel Kelso (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) is next up in 7th place. The Aussie will be joined on row three by David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), the latter riding to keep his title hopes alive. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) rounds out the top 10. Championship hopeful Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) suffered from a mid-session crash and could only manage P15. The Moto3™ riders' attention now turns to the race on Sunday, make sure not to miss any of the action as it commences at 11:00 local time (GMT +8). For more Moto3 info checkout our dedicated Moto3 News page Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

Epic action and a maiden victory were the main ingredients for a classic Moto3™ race at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) took his first Grand Prix victory after fending off the big hitters in an intense race-long scrap for the win. David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) was also in the mix as he got elbows out to take second place in an epic last lap scrap with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), who rounded out the podium. Moreira’s victory is the first Grand Prix win for a Brazilian rider in any class since Alex Barros won at the 2005 Portuguese GP! There was drama before the riders even lined up on the grid in Indonesia as Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) hit the deck on the sighting lap. The IntactGP team then rushed to get the Japanese rider's Husqvarna ready to race and did manage to get it done in time. The lights then went out and Moreira took the hole shot through Turn 1 but the nightmare continued for Sasaki, who struggled off the line and dropped all the through to the back of the pack. The typical Moto3™ freight train then formed as Moreira led the way. The Brazilian had his hands full with the likes of Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Alonso, and Championship leader Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) with several other Moto3™ big hitters keeping themselves in contention. It was an all-out war on the circuit as the gloves were off and the riders proceeded to swap and change positions with the laps ticking away. Whilst the battle raged on, a shortcut from Holgado wasn't received lightly by the stewards as the Spaniard flew past Moreira to take the lead with seven laps to go. The Tech3 rider saw red after taking his tour through the Long Lap loop. Now down in P10, Holgado bit the screen and pushed on to set the fastest lap of the race as he carved his way through the pack. With two laps to go Holgado hit the front again. The last lap quickly came around and it was Moreira who led the way as he had Muñoz, Holgado, and Alonso directly in his rear view, with Masia also keeping himself in contention. The group swapped paintwork and bashed bars as the lap went on and the Brazilian also had a scare as he exceeded track limits – but he then dropped anchor, let Holgado very purposefully past, and then tucked back in. In other words: a ready made case study in exactly what to do. And he was still glued right to the number 96’s rear wheel, so he attacked again – and held it for that stunning maiden win. A brilliant last-corner move from Alonso consolidated his second place as he demoted Muñoz to the final rostrum spot, with two rookies – Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – taking fourth and fifth. Holgado? He was relegated to P14 after failing to take the last Long Lap in time, gaining a time penalty in lieu. Championship leader Masia is therefore even more so as he finished in P6 in the Mandalika mayhem, and with his closest rival Sasaki failing to recover from his early race drama in 18th, the Spaniard extends his lead to 16 – with Holgado still in the hunt 17 adrift. It could not get any closer in Moto3™! It's game on in the 2023 title race as attentions now turn to the next round on the Grand Prix calendar. The MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix will take place in just one week's time at Philip Island. Join us for more! For more Moto3 info checkout our dedicated Moto3 News page Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

Qualifying at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia went the way of Diogo Moreira(MT Helmets - MSI) as the number 10 put down a 1:39.085 to top Q2 and take his first pole of the season. Championship leader Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) put in a clinical performance to bag another front row as he looks to increase his lead, however, and rounding out the front row will be David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) who ended the session +0.225s away from pole position in 3rd. From one rookie to another, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) just missed out on the front row by 0.053s as he's set to head row two ahead of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia).  Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) fronts row three in 7th place as he's joined by Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) rounding out the top 10. So where's Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui oly Husqvarna Intact GP)? It was a tougher day at the office for the Japanese rider, currently second in the standings, and he'll be looking to move forward from P11. See if he can on Sunday as the Moto3™ riders' attention now turns to the race, with lights out at 12:00 local time (GMT +8)!