With nine laps to go, Toba tried to take the lead away from Arenas. Turn 1 was the Japanese rider’s chosen place, but he was slightly wide. Arenas was aggressive on the switchback into Turn 2 and held P1, as Toba lost momentum and slipped from a potential race lead to P6 in a matter of three corners. Arenas really was looking awesome out front as Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) came to play from 28th on the grid, but despite the best efforts of Masia, Arenas didn’t want to give up P1.

Masia was using the Honda grunt down the back straight but Arenas kept biting back at Turn 1. The Aspar rider was supreme on the brakes and was riding like a man possessed, but Masia wasn’t allowing him to get away. After his moment, McPhee was back in the hunt for victory and was up to P4 and with three laps remaining, a battle royale kicked into overdrive. Masia made a move stick at Turn 1 on Arenas but the latter was back through at Turn 7. Toba was up the inside of both Binder and McPhee but the Petronas rider was back into third through Turn 10, with Masia aiming to get Arenas down the back straight.

However, Arenas continued to get a great run down the 1km straight. With two laps to go, Masia got payback at Turn 7 to grab the lead. Masia then found himself P3 though as both Arenas and McPhee carved past at Turn 12, but Masia got McPhee back down the straight. Arenas led onto the last lap but Masia forced his way through at Turn 1, with Toba making McPhee’s life difficult just behind. Sasaki followed his compatriot through on McPhee as Sasaki eyed his maiden Grand Prix podium. Arenas, on the other hand, was eying another win. Turn 7 saw Arenas squeeze past Masia once more as Vietti made his way up to P4 – the title challenger seeing Arenas at the front.

Turn 9 saw Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Garcia crash on the last lap, with Arenas braking late at Turn 12 to shut the door on Masia. So, it was all down the back straight. Could Arenas hold it? Once more he got a great run out of Turn 15 but Masia was reeling him in. The two KTMs of Toba and Sasaki were tucked in behind Masia’s Honda and heading into the braking zone, all three soared past Arenas. The latter was out of shape on entry as Masia stole the lead with two corners to go. Toba was second but ran slightly wide, allowing Sasaki to power through into P2. Masia got the power down and took the chequered flag in P1, Sasaki grabbed P2 as Toba held off Arenas for his first podium of 2020. Arenas slipped to P4 in the last two corners but crucially, he beats the likes of Vietti and Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia).