GasGas Aspar’s Izan Guevara was in a class of his own for the Moto3 German GP as he met the flag almost five seconds clear of the pack.
Leopard’s Dennis Foggia and Aspar teammate Sergio Garcia battled to the flag for the final podium positions with Sterilgarda’s Ayumu Sasaki completing a heroic ride in fourth.
The first race of the day found a scorching Sachsenring with air temperatures already in the 30’s for the morning action. GasGas’ Guevara headed the lightweight grid after his own fierce performance across the German weekend, securing a new all-time circuit record despite the challenging conditions at the tricky 3.7km track.
Foggia and Red Bull KTM rookie Daniel Holgado joined the front row with VisionTrack’s Scott Ogden and Sterilgarda’s John McPhee lining up 10th and 13th respectively for the 27-lap race.
Lights out saw Guevara maintain control as the Leopards of Foggia and Tatsuki Suzuki swept through to second and third. McPhee running through the gravel as PruestelGP’s Carlos Tatay and Sic58’s Riccardo Rossi crashed out at the opening corner. Ogden circulating 11th after the mid pack chaos with BOE’s David Muñoz, Garcia and Holgado battling for the top six.
MT Helmets’ Ryusei Yamanaka was issued his long lap penalty for causing the Catalunya crash as McPhee recovered in 28th. His Husqvarna teammate Sasaki circulating in seventh with CIP Green Power’s Joel Kelso for company before he advanced on series leader Garcia.
Holgado returned to third as lap four began before claiming second as the lap counted down. Tech3’s Deniz Öncü penalised with a double long lap penalty following a jumpstart with CIP’s Kaito Toba doing likewise.
Sasaki advanced to fifth on lap five as Ogden suffered a vicious highside at the high speed turn seven, Avintia’s Matteo Bertelle skittled out with nowhere to go as Yamanaka run wide following contact with Öncü ahead. Holgado leapfrogged by both Leopard riders next time around with Garcia into the top five.
Guevara held an eight-tenth lead by lap seven as Kelso succumbed to turn three. Foggia maintaining control over his teammate in second with Garcia heading Sasaki and Holgado while Muñoz led the way in the second group albeit almost four seconds adrift of the front runners.
Garcia was into third with a third’s race distance dispatched, but with a track limits warning in the process. Foggia receiving a similar warning shortly after as the podium battle intensified.
Over a second and a half was the gap between first and second at the halfway stage as Guevara continued to dominate, teammate Garcia firmly on Foggia’s wheel in the podium battle with Sasaki and Suzuki bickering for best of the rest. VisionTrack’s rookie Josh Whatley retiring from the action after 14 laps.
Holgado headed a quartet of KTMs as the Ajo rider led Tech3’s Öncü and Adrian Fernandez with Jaume Masia neatly behind. The Turk having recovered from a double long lap penalty, a near crash and a 24th place grid start to sit seventh with ten laps to go.
Foggia continued to defend hard from the championship leader as the laps counted down. McPhee advancing to 19th as he continued his fightback after the opening lap drama but with almost 20 seconds between him and the points scoring positions ahead, the task was a mammoth one.
Guevara’s dominance stood at over four seconds with five laps to go. Rivacold Snipers’ Andrea Migno entering the top ten fight, in ninth as he dispatched Masia with the pair continuing to fight as the late laps played out. The Spaniard dropping to 12th as Angeluss’ Ivan Ortola and Muñoz bettered next time around.
Foggia was under threat with four to go, as Garcia took a look at his title rival. Sasaki firmly on the back of the battling duo and patiently waiting to pick the perfect moment despite riding with a broken collarbone following his monster Mugello accident.
Guevara claimed his third victory of 2022 and his second in succession following Catalunya by an impressive 4.8s to secure his fifth podium in a row. Teammate Garcia briefly bettering Foggia for second before the Italian struck back across the line with Sasaki completing the top four.
Suzuki crossed the line fifth ahead of Holgado, Öncü, Fernandez and Muñoz with Ortola rounding out the top ten. Migno, Masia, CF Moto’s Xavi Artigas, Avintia’s Elia Bartolini and MTA’s Stefano Nepa completed the points scorers with McPhee cutting the gap to just 12 seconds in the final laps from 19th.
