Sergio Garcia stormed his Santander GasGas to a nail-biting photo-finish victory at Spielberg on Sunday, securing the AustrianGP Moto3 win by just 0.027s over Deniz Öncü.
The Tech3 KTM rider displayed race-long determination at the front of the field before the Spaniard denied his efforts in the final seconds. Dennis Foggia created further heartbreak for the home talent by stealing third from Pedro Acosta by a similar margin while John McPhee completed the second race at the Red Bull Ring in seventh.
Gabriel Rodrigo’s hopes of a strong result were all but over as the 23-lap race prepared. The Argentinian starting the AustrianGP from pitlane, after his part in Ryusei Yamanaka’s injury-inducing crash during FP3, with another long lap penalty added after a Q2 incident at turn nine resulting in Tatsuki Suzuki being sent to the medical centre. The SIC58 rider, however, had been cleared to take his place, from second, on the grid.
Romano Fenati launched from pole as the lights released the 26 eager riders, the Italian maintaining control as the pack squabbled behind. Öncü up to second, from fifth almost instantly before he set his sights on the Husqvarna ahead. Tech3 teammate Ayumu Sasaki wasn’t far behind as he claimed third, Acosta likewise getting the better of Suzuki as Andrea Migno’s race ended after just nine corners - seemingly at the hands of new teammate David Salvador.
Öncü continued his run at the front until the championship leader arrived, Acosta sweeping by two positions in as many corners before taking the lead with two laps complete. A three-rider-fight for domination began as Fenati returned to the front. Garcia sitting patiently at the back of the battle having fought his way through from 13th on the grid with Foggia narrowly behind.
The Turk was back in charge as the fifth lap got underway, Jaume Masia making his way into he top-five as Sasaki dropped back to seventh, Jeremy Alcoba, Darryn Binder and Suzuki rounding out the top-10 with McPhee narrowly adrift. Fenati was back out front at turn three one lap later, his rival letting him take his turn as the five-rider-group circulated as one.
Contact from Binder saw the end of Sasaki’s race at turn 10, the Petronas pair having promoted themselves to seventh and eighth in the process, Filip Salac joining the second group as he made his way to ninth.
It was a KTM one-two at the front as lap eight wound up, Öncü leading Acosta with Masia joining the fun next time around. Fenati was forced down to fifth after a strong move from Garcia, Foggia still sitting on the edge of the leading group, in sixth, as the Petronas duo continued to circulate together, less than a second adrift.
Masia took charge on lap 10, the Turk dropping to fourth as Fenati once again swept through, with the aggressive Italian storming to the lead with his personal best lap of the race as they crossed the line. Carlos Tatay receiving the first long lap penalty due to track infringements with Alcoba suffering the same fate moments later.
Binder was on a charge as he looked to break the gap to the front, the South African dragging his teammate with him as McPhee saw his chance. Sliding up the inside of the second SRT machine to take seventh, with his fastest lap of the race and just five-tenths off the Leopard ahead.
Öncü returned to the lead briefly before Fenati once again struck down the home straight, the KTM’s making the most of the opening corners to retain control as Öncü, Masia and then Acosta demoted him as the mid-race unfolded.
The Ajo riders continued to bicker as Öncü broke free out front, four-tenths the lead as Fenati made the most of the fight, bettering the rookie for third as, further back, Binder did likewise on McPhee.
The Italian was keeping the pressure high on the KTM trio with positions continuing to switch as the race neared its final stages. Garcia keeping his eye on the situation as he looked to profit when the opportunity arose. The final six laps allowed exactly that and the GasGas machine joined the party, climbing to third next time around with Acosta now in his sights.
McPhee sat seventh with four to go, just over a second now the gap to the leading group. Izan Guevara rising to take the position as the lap continued, with the battle out front intensifying.
The five rider fight fired up as the laps counted down, hard moves, contact and last second lunges repeatedly swapping the positions as Öncü maintained his lead. Acosta and Garcia fighting Foggia and Fenati before the rookie broke free and aimed for the front.
It was anyone’s guess as the last lap began, Garcia taking the advantage for second as Acosta almost high-sided, the Santander machine making a swift move to challenge for the lead and holding out by a mere 0.027s to take the intense victory. Öncü settled for second despite a determined fight, with Foggia stealing the final podium position in the dying seconds as he too beat the KTM by the most marginal of times - 0.048s denying Acosta the rostrum celebrations.
Fenati finished fifth from Masia and McPhee with Guevara bettering Binder for eighth and ninth. Kaito Toba completed the top-10 from Suzuki and Salac with Stefano Nepa, Alcoba and Andi Izdihar collecting the final points on offer.
