The Italian comes home ahead of Masia, with Guevara third and taking the points lead as Garcia crashes out.
Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) put in another stunner at Misano, the Italian taking his third win at the track and becoming the first Moto3™ rider to achieve the feat at one venue. Just beating Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) to the flag, Foggia and his fellow podium finishes made some big gains at the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino a della Riviera di Rimini as former points leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) crashed out.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took the early lead from pole, but it remained a freight train in the first couple of laps. There was early drama for Austria winner Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) as he got caught out on Lap 1, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) was the next key faller, and then even more drama hit as former Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) slid off. The number 11 gave teammate and closest challenger Guevara a huge chance to capitalise as the number 28 was already up into the lead, with Garcia rejoining but well down the order.
As the laps ticked down, four contenders emerged. Guevara was leading from Foggia, with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Masia on the chase. Then there was a gap back to another group headed by former Misano winner Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and Öncü, with ninth place marking the beginning of another freight train.
By eight laps to go, it was a sextet at the front with Foggia leading. Guevara was next with Masia and Holgado on his tail, and Suzuki and Öncü had cut the gap right down to battle it out for the podium. A lap later, the fuse was suddenly lit. Guevara attacked Foggia at la Quercia, and Masia slotted straight past both in s stylish two-for-one. Foggia hit back before Guevara followed him through, but it was now game on and Holgado and Suzuki started to get dropped from the group.
Guevara tried one move to take over and got shuffled back to fourth, with he and Öncü then hustling to find a way past on the penultimate lap. But they couldn’t and Foggia led Masia led Öncü led Guevara onto the final lap.
Öncü went for an absolute divebomb on Masia and seemed tempted to try and take Foggia too, but the Turk slotted back into second as his KTM bucked under him. Masia and Guevara pounced, and Foggia had just enough breathing space at the front after the shuffle. Could he hold on? He could. The Italian becomes the first Moto3™ rider to win three times at the same venue, and both he and Masia, who came home second, gain some big points in the standings.
Guevara, however, takes over at the top. Holding onto third means he takes the Championship lead from Garcia, now 11 points clear as we head onto a track at which he’s enjoyed some serious glory in the junior ranks…
Öncü will likely be frustrated with a fourth but rode through the pain barrier of his shoulder he hurt in training, and nearly pulled off the move of the race. Holgado was eventually fifth and just stayed ahead of Suzuki, ahead of another bigger group.
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) was at the head of that in P7, ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI). Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) had a lonelier ride to P14, with Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) taking the final point on home turf.
That’s it from Misano and another twist in the tale. Tune in for Aragon in two weeks’ time to see the lightweight class take on MotorLand as a crucial part of the Championship gets in gear!
Moto3™ PODIUM
1 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 39’21.864
2 Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM – +0.289
3 Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.334
Dennis Foggia: “It was incredible, man. Especially the last five laps, my tyre was completely done, but I’m really, really happy. To win again here in my home, third time in a row here, I’m really, really happy, so I would like to thank all my team, all my family that are here for me!”
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