Rivacold Snipers’ Andrea Migno claimed the opening Moto3 victory of 2022 as disaster struck long-time leader Ayumu Sasaki in Qatar.
A determined five-rider battle for the first podium of the season saw Sergio Garcia and Kaito Toba join the Italian for the desert celebrations after a highside disrupted the Japanese rider’s commanding rhythm with seven laps to go.
The first race of the year began with controversy before the lights had even gone out as penalties were handed out to three of the lightweight class big hitters. Both Leopard riders, Dennis Foggia and Tatsuki Suzuki and debut poleman Izan Guevara were forced to start from the back of the grid before serving a long lap penalty as the 18-lap action unfolded. ‘Being slow on the line and disturbing another rider when exiting pitlane’ during Saturday’s qualifying session the charge. Foggia collected a double penalty ‘for moving abruptly on the front straight’ in Moto3’s Q2 with last season’s runner up practicing the long lap loop during morning warm up on his way to topping the session. Gaviota Aspar’s Sergio Garcia had been rumoured to be in line for a penalty before stewards proved he hadn’t impeded the riders around him.
As the new grid formed, Sterilgarda Husqvarna’s Ayumu Sasaki took control with Jaume Masia and Migno alongside, teammate John McPhee promoted from seventh to fifth in the Q2 fallout as he prepared for his 170th Grand Prix start. Two British rookies, Scott Ogden and Josh Whatley lining up for VisionTrack Honda in 17th and 26th respectively.
Sasaki claimed the holeshot as the lights released, Migno sliding into second before Masia hit back, McPhee dropping to 11th as the group swallowed him up and Carlos Tatay crashed out after contact with Garcia at turn seven.
Impressive rookie performance from Ivan Ortola found the MTA KTM rider in fourth then third as the first lap concluded, Garcia sliding into the final podium position as Masia dropped into the clutches of Tech3 KTM’s Deniz Öncü in fifth and sixth. The Aspar rider continued to climb as he took second halfway round, Diogo Moreira and Ryusei Yamanaka circulating in tandem on the MT Helmets machines in seventh and eighth ahead of Kaito Toba and the regrouping McPhee.
Matteo Bertelle was issued a jump start as the initial penalties began to come into play, the Avintia rider receiving a double long lap from 14th.
Sasaki sat one-second clear at the front of the race as Migno, Öncü and Masia bickered for the best of the rest places behind. McPhee bettering Yamanaka for ninth as Toba did likewise on Ortola ahead. As Garcia was hit with a long lap penalty for his part in Tatay’s earlier accident.
Leopard’s fortunes went from bad to worse as Suzuki crashed out at turn 16 alongside Lorenzo Fellon, the number 24 retiring to the pits moments later with Foggia circulating in 22nd after his two trips round the loop.
A KTM battle out front saw Öncü advance on Masia, Migno sitting narrowly ahead in second as Toba joined the fun with a late lunge for third and McPhee improved to seventh. Foggia began to carve his way through the field, running 18th and on podium pace with 13 laps to go.
Two seconds the gap as Sasaki continued to control the opening action, a six-rider battle for second building behind with a further four riders aiming to join the back of the train. Disappointment for Ogden after the young Brit crashed out of 19th at turn 15 with 11 laps left to run.
Foggia hit the points with a fastest lap and 10 to go as McPhee claimed sixth. Podium positions swapping intently as Toba, Migno, Masia, Öncü and the Scot battled at the front. The Turk dropping to tenth as he tripped over the Red Bull KTM at the opening corner of lap ten.
Guevara and Foggia sat 11th and 12th two laps later as Masia crashed out at turn 12, the incident with Toba under investigation and Alberto Surra the next to retire on the Rivacold Snipers.
Sasaki’s three-second lead halved with seven laps to go as the Husqvarna looked to struggle with a loose fairing after saving a highside and Toba began to reel him in. Migno battling for second as the victory came closer and the ‘crazy’ dream faded fast.
Migno took charge as lap seven concluded, with Sasaki swallowed by the group and instantly dropped to tenth on the front straight. Garcia up to second next time around with Öncü pushing through in the final sector. Toba and McPhee running fourth and fifth with five laps remaining.
Artigas was up to seventh with four to go, Foggia sitting menacingly in tenth as the Aspar rider dropped behind him with his former teammate Xavier Artigas ahead.
Migno maintained control with Garcia firmly on his wheels as the race counted down, the top five inseparable throughout the opening corners as lap three began with Moreira digging deep to keep hold of the battling group from sixth.
The Honda’s speed provided the advantage down the home straight as the attacks kept coming, the pack four abreast at turn one as McPhee dropped off the back.
Garcia pushed hard in the final sector, Migno finding the flag just 0.037s ahead as Toba claimed the final podium position by an equally fine 0.021s margin from Öncü. McPhee secured fifth from Moreira, as Foggia secured a stellar fightback to seventh from would-be pole sitter Guevara. Yamanaka, Artigas, Ortola and Ricardo Rossi completed the top 12 while Stefano Nepa, Adrian Fernandez and Daniel Holgado collected the final points of the 2022 season’s first race.
