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Jaume Masia was a constant at the forefront of a highly competitive race and made his finishing moves count as he led the final lap to win the season-opening Moto3 Qatar Grand Prix.
With the wind as a factor, lap after lap, the leader changed hands on the line, as the wake was key. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider worked his way to avoid being overtaken on the final lap to claim his fourth career victory.
He was joined on the podium by his 16-year-old rookie teammate Pedro Acosta. Joining the paddock as Red Bull Rookies champion and only beaten by Masia in tests on the same track, he was also secured in the group and was unlucky enough not to win a trailer up front, finishing just 0.042 seconds behind, achieving his first podium. finish in his first appearance in a world championship race.
On any other lap, Darryn Binder’s tactic of sitting just early would have worked, as his various rehearsals on the play indicated, but on the run to the line, the gap was too much to recover after Sasaki’s crash in the third Red. Bull. The Petronas Sprinta rider was ready for third place in his first outing as a Honda rider.
Sergio García was less than half a second adrift when the gaps finally appeared; for much of the race, the leading group was inseparable and covered all the points. Aspar’s man gave GasGas a great start to the world championship in fourth place.
Gabriel Rodrigo was a regular leader and was in the fight for victory until he was forced to open up in the final stages – he bounced back from colliding with Masia’s rear end to finish fifth for Gresini in an emotional weekend for the team after the paddock paid tribute. Fausto Gresini before the race.
Niccolo Antonelli found himself in front of the race at just the right time at the wrong time on the penultimate lap and was dragged back by rivals sliding down to sixth place for Avintia Esponsorama at the checkered flag.
An impressive day for the rookies saw Izan Guevara secure seventh, just behind the Italian in the second GasGas inning.
Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) was another short-term leader on his way to eighth place. Tatsuki Suzuki made a strong recovery after missing testing due to a positive Covid test and stayed off the pace during practice and qualifying, putting him last on the grid.
Digging deeper, the Sic58 Squadra Corse pilot ran hard to claim ninth place. Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PruestelGP) had a slightly different line than most and found enough pace for the 10th, his best result to date.
A double long lap penalty did not affect Romano Fenati’s points chase – the Sterilgarda MAx Racing Team driver rallied for eleventh place.
Carlos Tatay also received a penalty: his lunge on the first lap caused Dennis Foggia to fall. With his long lap of irresponsible driving penalty served, the Avintia driver returned in twelfth place.
The remaining points went to Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers) in 13th place, Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PruestelGP) in 14th and Max Kofler (CIP Green Power) in 15th.
Adrián Fernández received a long lap penalty for exceeding the limits of the track. That saw him drop to 18.
Deniz Oncu crashed on the first lap and did not fully complete his charge back to the points – he took 20th place.
There was no return attempt from John McPhee, Andra Migno or Jeremy Alcoba. The trio was picked up by an overly ambitious move by Xavier Artigas with sixteen laps to go. The incident will be reviewed after the race.
Riccardo Rossi did not manage to go all the way either, starting a previous lap.
