The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup action boiled over in Misano and Ayumu Sasaki took home the 25 points, ahead of Aleix Viu and Kaito Toba. That was the order on the podium - but not over the line.
Six KTM RC 250 Rs battled race long for the lead and it was 15-year-old Spaniard Viu who took the chequered flag, in front of Toba and 16-year-old Spaniard Rufino Florido. The trio, of Viu, Toba and Florido were all then penalised for exceeding track limits by Race Direction. Thus Sasaki, the 15-year-old Japanese rider who had crossed the line fourth, was promoted to winner.
It was Viu who did most of the leading, as he has in other races, and he crossed the line first or second on each of the 17 laps. Around him the positions changed at every turn with 15-year-old Raúl Fernández also having plenty of time in front.
Sasaki actually decided not to cross the line first: “I started with the idea of winning but I changed my mind half way through the race. I realised that it was all so crazy that if I tried to win I would probably crash. So I was happy to race with Rory (Skinner) and Florido as they were being more sensible and it was OK to be fifth."
Florido thought he would be on the third step but his penalty left him fourth, a tough pill to swallow after he had worked very hard to catch the lead group from P8 on the grid.
Sasaki now has a 31 point lead over Viu, with Fernández a further 15 behind and still with a mathematical chance of Cup glory. The final two races of the tenth Rookies Cup season are at Aragon on September 24th and 25th.