Moto3™: Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) wins Moto3™ by 0.037s.

Polesitter Sasaki got a wonderful getaway as the lights went out for 2022. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Migno were inside the top three early on, as Garcia collided with Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) – the latter crashing at Turn 7.

With 15 laps to go, Sasaki had stretched out a lead worth 1.1s. The Japanese rider was inch-perfect in the opening exchanges, as Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and teammate Foggia completed their Long Lap penalties. Guevara was up to P12, Foggia was P23, as Suzuki then crashed at Turn 16 in an incident involving Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) – Suzuki taking the Frenchman out.

Garcia was handed a Long Lap Penalty for his incident with Tatay, which shoved him down to P11, as Sasaki extended his lead to 1.4s. 10 riders were chasing, but the squabbling wasn’t helping anyone but race leader Sasaki. Toba, Migno, Öncü, and Masia were the quartet battling away at the front of the chasing pack, and as the clock ticked down to 10 to go, Sasaki held a 2.7s lead.

With nine to go, Guevara was P12 and Foggia P13. That was soon P11 and P12 as Masia crashed out unhurt at Turn 12 when Toba came flying up the inside – was there contact? Difficult to tell, but Masia’s race was over. Then, suddenly, Sasaki’s lead was diminishing. Rapidly. On Lap 11, Sasaki lost over two seconds as we then saw why. Sasaki’s fairing was loose after a near highside at Turn 6. From total control to losing the lead in a matter of minutes, Migno soon swept through.

It all came down to the last corner. Migno vs Garcia. The latter threatened with a move up the inside, but Migno closed the door. Then it was a run to the line. Garcia tried, but Migno held on to claim victory in Qatar. Garcia will be happy with P2 after his Long Lap Penalty, as Toba held off Öncü for the final podium spot. 0.5s covered the top four. Welcome back Moto3™. McPhee was only a second away from victory in P5 as he gets his season off to a good start with his new team. Moreira produced a superb ride to claim P6 in his first Moto3™ race, the Brazilian finished 0.4s ahead of the hard-charging Foggia. The Italian did all he could after a back of the grid start and two Long Laps, as did Guevera after his back of the grid start and one Long Lap. The Saturday hero ended the Qatar GP in P8.

Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) rounded out the top 10, just ahead of rookie Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team). Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and rookie Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) were the final point scorers.

British rookie Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) crashed out unhurt in the early stages.

Migno is crowned the first winner of 2022 in the lightweight class, five years after his Mugello triumph. Next up is a trip to Indonesia!

Top 10:
1. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team)
2. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.037
3. Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) + 0.573
4. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.594
5. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 1.064
6. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) + 1.481
7. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 1.951
8. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 2.545
9. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) + 2.742
10. Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 6.055.

1	25	16 Andrea Migno	IT	Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	152.9	37’59.5220
2	20	11 Sergio Garcia	ES	GASGAS Aspar Team	GasGas	152.9	+0.037
3	16	27 Kaito Toba	JP	CIP Green Power	KTM	152.8	+0.573
4	13	53 Deniz Öncü	TR	Red Bull KTM Tech 3	KTM	152.8	+0.594
5	11	17 John McPhee	GB	Sterilgarda Max Racing Team	Husqvarna	152.8	+1.064
6	10	10 Diogo Moreira	BR	MT Helmets – MSI	KTM	152.8	+1.481
7	9	7 Dennis Foggia	IT	Leopard Racing	Honda	152.8	+1.951
8	8	28 Izan Guevara	ES	GASGAS Aspar Team	GasGas	152.7	+2.545
9	7	6 Ryusei Yamanaka	JP	MT Helmets – MSI	KTM	152.7	+2.742
10	6	43 Xavier Artigas	ES	CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP	Kalex	152.5	+6.055
11	5	48 Ivan Ortola	ES	Team MTA	KTM	152.5	+6.08
12	4	54 Riccardo Rossi	IT	SIC58 Squadra Corse	Honda	152	+12.933
13	3	82 Stefano Nepa	IT	Angeluss MTA Team	KTM	152	+12.974
14	2	31 Adrian Fernandez	ES	Red Bull KTM Tech 3	KTM	152	+12.989
15	1	66 Joel Kelso	AU	CIP Green Power	KTM	152	+13.084
16		96 Daniel Holgado	ES	Red Bull KTM Ajo	KTM	152	+12.999
17		18 Matteo Bertelle	IT	QJMOTOR Avintia Racing Team	KTM	151	+29.098
18		23 Elia Bartolini	SM	QJMOTOR Avintia Racing Team	KTM	151	+29.128
19		64 Mario Aji	ID	Honda Team Asia	Honda	150.9	+29.497
20		22 Ana Carrasco	ES	BOE SKX	KTM	150	+43.108
21		Gerard Riu Male	ES			149.7	+47.964
22		70 Joshua Whatley	GB	VisionTrack Racing Team	Honda	149.7	+48.272

Non-classified riders

		24 Tatsuki Suzuki	JP	Leopard Racing	Honda	149.2	3 Laps
		20 Lorenzo Fellon	FR	Sic58 Squadra Corse	Honda	149.3	3 Laps
		99 Carlos Tatay	ES	CFMOTO Racing PrustelGP	Kalex	123.4	3 Laps
		71 Ayumu Sasaki	JP	Sterilgarda Max Racing Team	Husqvarna	152.5	12 Laps
		67 Alberto Surra	IT	Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	150.9	9 Laps
		19 Scott Ogden	GB	VisionTrack Racing Team	Honda	150.8	6 Laps
		5 Jaume Masia	ES	Red Bull KTM Ajo	KTM	152.5	9 Laps