Dennis Foggia showcased a phenomenal fightback to secured his second Moto3 win in Misano, his third of 2021 on home soil, in the Emilia Romagna GP.
The Leopard rider rose from 16th on the opening lap after a disappointing start to keep his championship challenge alive. Reducing the gap to just 21 points with two races left to run for his fifth victory of the year.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia and Pedro Acosta joined the podium celebrations, with the championship leader openly frustrated with his race from Parc Fermé.
Niccolò Antonelli headed the grid for the ninth time in his Moto3 career, but his first since 2019. The Avintia rider, however, also claimed the Misano front row for last month’s visit, in which he scored third as part of the trio of front running Italians. The winner of the San Marino GP, Foggia lined up a disappointing 14th but in need of a strong result to keep his title hopes alive.
Antonelli secured the holeshot as the lights released the pack, Ricardo Rossi briefly in second before COTA winner Izan Guevara took over with Stefano Nepa following him through. Filip Salac ran fourth as the first lap neared its conclusion with the KTM duo of Masia and Acosta behind.
Nepa challenged for the lead halfway round the second lap, the Avintia rider fighting back before the BOE Owlride man made the move stick. Guevara and Masia bickering for position with the KTM winning out next time around. Acosta had Darryn Binder for company as Rossi dropped to eighth, Ayumu Sasaki and Xavi Artigas completing the top 10 with Foggia rising back to his original grid position from a poor start and on the wheels of John McPhee.
Despite dominating in the opening sessions of the weekend, the Rivacold Snipers duo of Alberto Surra and Andrea Migno ran 11th and 15th respectively on lap four. Adrian Fernandez bettering the rookie for position moments later as back out front Antonelli returned to the lead.
Masia sat second from Nepa and Salac with Acosta up to fifth as Guevara slipped down the front group, Artigas finding his way through on Binder as Foggia did likewise on McPhee on his way to 12th.
The lead flickered as lap six continued but the local rider was not giving up without a fight, Rossi crashing out at turn 10 after a tangle with McPhee. The Scot able to continue but down in 16th.
Foggia was on the front of the second group as lap seven got going, the Leopard rider facing a 1.2 second gap to bridge to the all-important gaggle ahead. Acosta up to fourth as Nepa and Masia continued their podium fight.
Less than seven-tenths covered the top six riders after eight laps of action, Acosta back in fifth as the group continued to fight before bettering his teammate half way round the next lap.
McPhee down and out at the first corner after a difficult weekend.
Guevara was challenging Antonelli for control on lap 10, Nepa sliding into the mix before the GasGas rookie struck back as the lap concluded. Acosta and Binder circulating fourth and fifth as Masia dropped to sixth ahead of Sasaki, Artigas and an ever-approaching Foggia - now firmly in contention.
Tatsuki Suzuki was the next to fall, at turn 15, in an early end to a disappointing weekend. Antonelli being swallowed up by the leading group after a mistake, leaving him down in seventh with Foggia striking through to fifth, then third by the close of lap 13. Migno crashing out at the final corner.
Guevara took charge after the shuffle, before Masia came through, Foggia now in second with Acosta down in fifth. The Leopard rider hit the front down the home straight with nine laps to go, Masia, Binder and Guevara in pursuit with Acosta six-tenths adrift.
Nepa moved past the championship leader next time around as the KTM Ajo looked to run the slowest pace of the top 10, Antonelli the next in line to capitalise with Sasaki, Salac and Artigas behind.
Guevara crashed out of third place at turn eight, rejoining just outside the points in 16th with six to go.
The pace out front ramped up in the final five laps, Foggia, Masia and Binder breaking free from the group behind with the South African struggling to maintain the momentum.
Masia hassled hard to disrupt the Italian’s progress ahead, in a bid to assist his teammate’s title chances but Foggia had his head down once again.
Romano Fenati’s fightback from 19th found him in eighth with four to go before taking Sasaki as the next lap began. Yuki Kunii the next to fall at turn eight.
It was a two horse race as the penultimate lap fired up, Masia just a tenth behind as he waited for an opportunity to strike. Binder circulating three seconds back with Nepa reeling him in, from fourth.
The final lap saw the pair inseparable for an edge of seat finish, Binder being demoted to fifth halfway round as Acosta swept through to third, for the final podium position.
Foggia claimed the victory with his fastest lap of the race from the KTM duo of Masia and Acosta with Binder regrouping for fourth at the final stages. Nepa settled for fifth from Antonelli, and Fenati with Sasaki, Artigas and Salac completing the top 10.
Ryusei Yamanaka, Guevara, Fernandez, Jeremy Alcoba and Andi Farid Izdihar completed the points finishers.
