The first Moto3™ showdown of the season gets decided by hundredths as 2022 starts as it means to go on.
Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) is back on top! The veteran Italian is a Grand Prix winner for the first time since 2017 after taking victory in the Grand Prix of Qatar, just staying ahead of a late attack from Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team). The two were split by just 0.037 over the line, with Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) completing the podium.
Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) took the holeshot from pole, the Japanese rider promoted to the front of the grid as fastest qualifier Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), Dennis Foggia and Leopard Racing teammate Tatsuki Suzuki were all sent to the back of the grid for being slow on the line exiting pitlane in qualifying. Each also had a Long Lap to take, and Foggia two as the Italian was also found to have made abrupt changes of direction on the main straight.
The classic freight train formed as Foggia, Guevara and Suzuki tried to slice back through, with Sasaki at the front of the field holding station and with quite a gap. The three on the fight back made some good progress and then took the Long Lap, but drama struck for Suzuki not long after as Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) made contact with the Japanese rider. That was after contact between Garcia and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) that saw the former get given a Long Lap penalty and the latter forced to retire. The next? A tangle between Toba and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with the latter crashing out but no further action taken.
At the front, Sasaki pounded on. But heartbreak then struck as the number 71 suffered a huge moment and lost much of his three-second gap. He was then swallowed by the pack, and soon enough forced to pull into pitlane with an issue.
That left a group fight for the win heading the field, with Migno, Garcia, Toba and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) key players at the front. The Snipers machine was a rocket in a straight line, so it looked like attack would be the plan for Garcia, and attack the Spaniard always does…
On the final lap, Toba struck early but Garcia fought back, and the number 11 then put the hammer down to tag back onto Migno. And the two managed to pull out a sliver of daylight, making it a duel for victory into the final few corners. Garcia went for it but found the door shut, and the duo thundered onto the main straight with Migno ahead. The Italian moved over to try and limit the slipstream and that just did the trick, the Honda just staying ahead over the line and the veteran taking his first win in five years and second ever victory – by just 0.037. Garcia takes second despite earlier serving his Long Lap, starting his campaign off with a solid 20 points, with previous Qatar winner Toba beating Öncü to third.
Behind the Turk, John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) had a solid opener to take fifth, ahead of an impressive debut for Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI). The Brazilian rookie produced a superb ride to claim P6 in his first Moto3™ race, 0.4s ahead of the hard-charging Foggia by the flag. Foggia 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 single Long Lap. The Saturday hero ended the Qatar GP in P8, so the pair made it a good day for damage limitation at the very least.
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. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was given a time penalty and lost out.
That’s it from Doha, now the field get ready to saddle up at Mandalika. It’ll be first touch for the lightweight class, so who will come out on top? We’ll find out in just under two weeks!
Moto3™ PODIUM
1 Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) – Honda – 37’59.122
2 Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.037
3 Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) – KTM – +0.573
Andrea Migno: “It’s incredible. I’m really, really happy. I tried to do my best during the whole race. I saw Sasaki was really fast and I didn’t have more, the only thing I could do was push and see what happened, and fight for the second place. Then in the moment I saw he lost something, so I said ‘come on let’s push’, and in the end he had a problem. I’m really, really happy because we did a great job. I have to say thanks to the team because they worked well this weekend and to VR46, they are at home, to everyone, they helped me always a lot. I have to say thanks to my family, friends and fans, to everyone. Thank you! I’m really, really happy, I can’t describe the sensation, I still have to realise the moment.”
For more Moto3 info checkout our dedicated Moto3 News page
Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com
