Moto3™ – Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia produces final corner heroics for thrilling victory.

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-49-36 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-49-17 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-49-05 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-48-37 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-48-09 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-47-46 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-47-02 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-46-53 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

Screenshot 2022-05-17 at 11-49-28 Moto3 Race SHARK Grand Prix de France MotoGP™

In typical barnstorming Moto3™ fashion, fans were out of the seats as a restarted lightweight class race went down to the wire at the SHARK Grand Prix de France in Le Mans. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia earned victory after a thrilling final corner move past Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) while Izan Guevara stole the final podium place with another dramatic final corner manoeuvre past poleman Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing).

The threat of rain loomed large over Le Mans on Sunday, and we saw the effects just a few spits of rain can have on the asphalt as the Red Flags were waving by the end of the opening lap. Initially, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) got a brilliant launch from the line to take the holeshot going into the Dunlop Curve, with a brilliant move on the outside seeing him take P1. Despite a good start, poleman Foggia had dropped to third behind teammate Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) while the Italian then had to contend with Masia, who recovered from a poor opening sector to move back into the top three places at the expense of his title rival.

Before we even completed the first lap, there was mayhem on track as the final corner Raccordement saw seven different fallers. Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) were the first to go before five riders went down in simultaneous but separate crashes. GASGAS Aspar duo Sergio Garcia and Izan Guevara were joined in the gravel by Sasaki, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Riccardo Rossi (SI58 Squadra Corse) as the spits of rain began to play havoc.

On the second lap, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) went down after making contact with Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) at Turn 3 while at the front Suzuki had hit the lead, but that was that as the Red Flags began to wave due to the rain, and offering those fallers a reprieve as a full race start procedure was signalled.

With a new race distance of 14 laps set, it was always going to be a tight affair with the sun shining again, and so it proved. In a carbon copy of the first race start, Moreira managed to push himself into the lead from the second row while a superb effort from Championship leader Garcia saw him move up into the podium places behind Foggia. Behind them, there was lots of chopping and changing as Suzuki battled with Migno and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) throughout the first lap.

Everyone made it safely over the line this time as the lead exchanged hands again, with Foggia getting the drive down the straight to take P1 while Masia and Suzuki rubbed elbows through the Dunlop Chicane. For Brazilian rookie Moreira, it was a miserable second lap as he crossed the line in 11th, and would soon be slapped with a Long Lap penalty for a track limits infraction, meaning his hopes of a top three were over.

The race began to settle somewhat by the time the third lap rolled around, while Masia was finding his groove, picking off Suzuki at Garage Vert before getting the better of Foggia on the next lap at the Turn 3 chicane. The Italian tried to return the favour one lap later, but Aki Ajo’s prized asset was in control of the race and fended him off. The race had lost Scott Ogden by this stage, with the VisionTrack rookie crashing out at La Chappelle.

Behind Masia, Garcia had moved up to second after getting past the Leopard Hondas, while Öncü in P4 had entered the podium conversation. All the chopping and changing at the front brought the leader of the second group, Sasaki, into contention.

Back at the front, Foggia pushed himself back into second at the expense of Garcia. The GASGAS man tried to respond into the chicance, but got it wrong and was forced wide, costing him his drive out of the corner and dropping him the sixth overall. That gave Masia a couple tenths of breathing space out front, but it didn’t last long as he was soon reeled in by Foggia and Sasaki at S Bleu with just over three laps to go.

Coming into the endgame, Foggia led Sasaki ahead of Masia with Suzuki, Garcia and Guevara just behind. However, a move at Garage Vert returned Spaniard Masia to P2. Coming over the line for the penultimate time, it was anybody’s race. The Dunlop Chicane is always a popular overtaking spot and Masia lined up a successful attempt for the lead. La Musee is another hot spot for overtaking, and that’s where Sasaki picked off Foggia, relegating the poleman to third. Having bided his time all race, the Japanese rider looked like he would steal the win with just two corners to go, taking the lead on the flick back left at S Bleu. The drama was still far from over, with Masia producing a sensational last corner lunge up the inside to take the win, while Guevara had done something similar to Foggia to deny the pre-season Championship favourite a podium.

Garcia recorded a P7 finish, meaning his title lead has been cut to 17 points as Masia took the maximum to move into second overall, leapfrogging Foggia. Suzuki finished fifth ahead of Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing Pruestel GP), whose teammate Xavi Artigas recorded a DNF with three laps to go. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) ended the day eighth, ahead of Öncü with Migno rounding out the top 10.

Holgado, John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing), Riccardo Rossi, Diogo Moreira and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) are your other points finishers.

Next up for Moto3™ is a date in the rolling Tuscan hills of Mugello for the Italian Grand Prix.

Top 10:

1. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
2. Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) + 0.150
3. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.220
4. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.322
5. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 0.529
6. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrustelGP) + 1.594
7. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 2.007
8. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) + 2.275
9. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 2.502
10. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 2.917.

Le Mans

, May 15th 2022

21º C

Cloudy

Track condition: Wet

Humidity: 66%

Ground: 23º

1	25	5 JaumeMasia Red Bull KTM Ajo	KTM	146	24’04.1190
2	20	71 AyumuSasaki Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max	Husqvarna	146	+0.150
3	16	28 IzanGuevara Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team	GASGAS	146	+0.220
4	13	7 DennisFoggia Leopard Racing	Honda	146	+0.322
5	11	24 TatsukiSuzuki Leopard Racing	Honda	146	+0.529
6	10	99 CarlosTatay CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP	CFMOTO	145.8	+1.594
7	9	11 SergioGarcia Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team	GASGAS	145.8	+2.007
8	8	6 RyuseiYamanaka MT Helmets – MSI	KTM	145.8	+2.275
9	7	53 DenizÖncü Red Bull KTM Tech3	KTM	145.8	+2.502
10	6	16 AndreaMigno Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	145.7	+2.917
11	5	96 DanielHolgado Red Bull KTM Ajo	KTM	145.7	+3.025
12	4	17 JohnMcPhee Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max	Husqvarna	145.7	+3.193
13	3	54 RiccardoRossi SIC58 Squadra Corse	Honda	145.7	+3.330
14	2	10 DiogoMoreira MT Helmets – MSI	KTM	145.2	+7.993
15	1	27 KaitoToba CIP Green Power	KTM	145	+9.891
16		23 EliaBartolini QJMotor Avintia Racing Team	KTM	145	+10.134
17		82 StefanoNepa Angeluss MTA Team	KTM	145	+10.444
18		48 IvanOrtola Angeluss MTA Team	KTM	144.9	+10.530
19		18 MatteoBertelle QJMotor Avintia Racing Team	KTM	144.9	+10.812
20		31 AdrianFernandez Red Bull KTM Tech3	KTM	144.8	+12.382
21		98 Jose AntonioRueda Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	144.8	+12.435
22		64 MarioSuryo Aji Honda Team Asia	Honda	144.7	+12.552
23		20 LorenzoFellon SIC58 Squadra Corse	Honda	144.7	+12.697
24		87 GerardRiu Male BOE SKX	KTM	144.3	+17.016
25		72 TaiyoFurusato Honda Team Asia	Honda	143.3	+26.961
26		70 JoshuaWhatley VisionTrack Racing Team	Honda	143.3	+27.278
27		22 AnaCarrasco BOE SKX	KTM	142.8	+32.200

Non-classified riders

ScottOgden

VisionTrack Racing Team

Honda

141.8

3 Laps

XavierArtigas

CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP

CFMOTO

145.4

11 Laps

1	11 Sergio Garcia	Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team	GASGAS	112
2	5 Jaume Masia	Red Bull KTM Ajo	KTM	95
3	7 Dennis Foggia	Leopard Racing	Honda	95
4	28 Izan Guevara	Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team	GASGAS	89
5	71 Ayumu Sasaki	Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max	Husqvarna	75
6	53 Deniz Öncü	Red Bull KTM Tech 3	KTM	70
7	16 Andrea Migno	Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	58
8	99 Carlos Tatay	CFMOTO Racing PrustelGP	CFMOTO	52
9	24 Tatsuki Suzuki	Leopard Racing	Honda	38
10	27 Kaito Toba	CIP Green Power	KTM	37
11	43 Xavier Artigas	CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP	CFMOTO	37
12	10 Diogo Moreira	MT Helmets – MSI	KTM	34
13	54 Riccardo Rossi	SIC58 Squadra Corse	Honda	32
14	6 Ryusei Yamanaka	MT Helmets – MSI	KTM	32
15	96 Daniel Holgado	Red Bull KTM Ajo	KTM	28
16	17 John McPhee	Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max	Husqvarna	15
17	66 Joel Kelso	CIP Green Power	KTM	14
18	48 Ivan Ortola	Angeluss MTA Team	KTM	14
19	19 Scott Ogden	VisionTrack Racing Team	Honda	14
20	23 Elia Bartolini	QJMOTOR Avintia Racing Team	KTM	13
21	82 Stefano Nepa	Angeluss MTA Team	KTM	8
22	31 Adrian Fernandez	Red Bull KTM Tech 3	KTM	7
23	18 Matteo Bertelle	QJMOTOR Avintia Racing Team	KTM	6
24	20 Lorenzo Fellon	Sic58 Squadra Corse	Honda	3
25	64 Mario Suryo Aji	Honda Team Asia	Honda	2
26	72 Taiyo Furusato	Honda Team Asia	Honda	0
27	22 Ana Carrasco	BOE SKX	KTM	0
28	38 David Salvador	Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max	Husqvarna	0
29	87 Gerard Riu Male	BOE SKX	KTM	0
30	70 Joshua Whatley	VisionTrack Racing Team	Honda	0
31	67 Alberto Surra	Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	0
32	98 Jose Antonio Rueda	Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	0
33	63 Syarifuddin Azman	Rivacold Snipers Team	Honda	0
34	80 David Alonso	GASGAS Aspar Team	GASGAS	0