Things started to happen in the final 10 laps. Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) highsided on the exit of Turn 3 on Lap 9, but then drama unfolded for one of the title favourites. The bumpy Turn 10 had looked a troublesome corner for Suzuki for the whole race and with nine laps remaining, the Japanese star was down. The front washed away from underneath him and Suzuki was out of the race, a catastrophe for his title credentials.

With seven laps to go, the top 10 riders were 2.5 clear of 11th place Darryn Binder (CIP Green Power). Foggia was still leading from compatriot Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team), with Masia and McPhee now ahead of Arenas in third and fourth. Just behind the leading five, ready to pounce at any moment, were Ogura, Fernandez, Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – it was anyone’s to win with five to go.

Heading into the final three laps, Foggia was still holding onto the lead and was looking incredibly strong heading into the braking zones. Arbolino kept looking but couldn’t make anything stick, but then suddenly the latter was at the back of the leading group. Why? The Italian got a good old fairing bashing from Arenas at Turn 1, but he wasn’t out of the equation. Leopard’s Foggia and Masia were then 1-2 but at Turn 11, a disaster for Masia. The Spaniard slipped out of contention with just over two laps to go as Ogura then made his move up into P2 past Arenas as the last lap then started – Foggia led from Ogura and Arenas, Antonelli and McPhee in 4th and 5th.

Ogura then swept through at Turn 3 but Foggia held the outside line and got the cutback into Turn 4, with Arenas then getting a good run down the hill to grab second. Ogura was back up to second moments later though but Foggia was holding firm. Could Ogura make a move at Turn 11? Not quite, but then Arenas shocked the Japanese rider by slotting his KTM up the inside of Ogura at Turn 12. Ultimately, this cost Ogura a chance to get a good run up horsepower hill, with Foggia a good few bike lengths clear. The Italian rounded the final two corners without hassle from behind to take the chequered flag in P1, with Arenas holding on to snatch P2 from Ogura as the top two in the Championship went toe-to-toe on the last lap. What a ride from Arenas, who picks up 20 precious points despite riding with a badly bruised leg after his Andalucia GP crash.