The home talent gear up to try and take back the Moto3 momentum at MotorLand Aragon.
The British Grand Prix belonged to one rider in Moto3: Sterilgarda Max Racing’s Romano Fenati. The Italian topped every single session, took a second pole in as many races and then pulled clear by the finish line to make a serious statement, on a tough weekend for the two riders ahead of him in standings: Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team). But now it’s time to saddle up for the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon, and that’s home turf for the two title fight protagonists so far. So is it a chance for another all-change at the top?
Silverstone seemed a venue likely to prove tougher for rookie sensation Acosta, and so it was but now we head to MotorLand. A track where the number 37 has already been on the top step, twice, in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup last season. Despite taking just five points after an almighty duel with Garcia at Silverstone, the pressure still remains off for Acosta as his lead actually grew to 46 points.
Garcia will be gunning for some revenge after said duel. The number 11 suffered a late shuffle back to score zero at Silverstone but the more familiar turf of Aragon will see him back on his mission to win, win and keep winning… or at least cut the gap as a minimum. Can he showcase the same step forward at Aragon as he has at most venues this season? His teammate could be one to watch too…
After qualifying for the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship races at the track last season, Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) found himself outside the top twenty on the grid despite fighting for the title – and as a rookie in the class too. But once the lights went out, the Spaniard fought through the field not once, not twice, but three times in a row to take a goosebumps-inducing three victories from three. Coming into MotorLand off the back of his best Moto3 finish so far with a fourth at Silverstone, and two fastest laps in a row – new records no less – Guevara will likely be thinking big for Aragon.
The same can probably be said of the rider who just denied Guevara’s rookie podium aspirations last time out, although in a different way: Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia. The Italian was once again both top Honda and on the rostrum, taking some solid points. And with his Leopard machine always impressing on top speed, he’ll be rubbing his hands to take on that long, long back straight at MotorLand. The main aim, to take some points back from Fenati as his compatriot pulls clear in the fight for third overall. Fenati is in serious form though, and took a fourth last year.
The fast faces from last season will be gunning for glory too. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia took two wins and will be looking to get back in the fight for the podium, while Petronas Sprinta’s Darryn Binder, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) all stood on the box at Aragon last year.
Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) will be an interesting presence too, with the Italian saying his incredible escape with Fenati at Silverstone helped him fight through the pain barrier. Can he do that again? The likes of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull TKM Tech3), who took eighth on new turf at Silverstone, and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse), back in the top five in the British GP, will want to play a key role at Aragon too.
There’s also Syarifuddin Azman making his Moto debut for Petronas Sprinta Racing to keep an eye on, the Malaysian already a race winner in the 2021 FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship. He’s in for John McPhee, who in turn heads for Moto2.