Masia wins a Moto3™ classic in COTA

For the first time since the 2021 Qatar GP, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is a race winner after coming out on top of a classic Moto3™ battle at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) takes the World Championship lead after a second place finish, he beat compatriot Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) to the second step on the podium, as former title leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) suffers a DNF.

Timely return to victory for Masia as the Championship lead changes hands again

Polesitter Migno was able to hold onto P1 as the lightweight class field piled into the tight Turn 1, but Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was soon the race leader with an aggressive move at Turn 7. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), after contact on the home straight with Öncü, was then the race leader on Lap 2 as Garcia picked his way through to P8 from P15 on the grid. Foggia was going in the wrong direction – the Italian had been shuffled down to P10.

Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) took his turn leading for a couple of laps as we then witnessed drama for Garcia. On Lap 6 at the exit of Turn 13, there was contact between the Spaniard and compatriot Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Garcia was down and out of the running for points, as Holgado himself then tucked the front at Turn 20. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), after jumping the start, had to take two Long Lap penalties.

A lead group of seven had formed at the front: Masia now led from Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), Öncü, Moriera, Artigas, Foggia and Migno with nine laps to go. With seven to go, Foggia hit the front for the first time, but a lap later, Masia was back through.

A costly Turn 12 reared its head for Foggia with five to go, the Italian was now P4 behind Masia, Migno and Sasaki after running slightly wide. It was all to play for with two laps to go in Austin, the top seven all locked together.

Heading onto the last lap, Moreira highsided out – the Brazilian later declared unfit for a poli contusion – at the final corner, as Masia and Migno scrapped for the lead. Foggia was P3, Sasaki P4, Öncü P5 – it was between these five riders for victory. Migno led onto the back straight but Masia grabbed a nice slipstream and made a move stick into Turn 12.

It was advantage Masia heading into the final sector. Migno dived up the inside at the penultimate corner but the Italian was wide, allowing both Masia and Foggia through. Masia made no mistake at the final corner and took victory ahead of Foggia and Migno, as Sasaki missed out on a podium by 0.096s in P4.

The points finishers in Texas

Öncü was in the fight for victory throughout but just lost touch on the last lap, as the Turkish rider came home in P5. Artigas also lost touch in the closing stages, the Spaniard finished P6 ahead of Guevara who does well to recover to P7 from his two Long Lap penalties. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) rounded out the top 10.

Rookies Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) and Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) produced great rides to pick up P11 and P12 on their first visits to COTA, the duo finished ahead of Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and the final point scorer Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) - that’s the Frenchman’s first World Championship point. 

With Garcia eventually retiring after his crash, Foggia takes a 16-point lead to Portimao as the European leg of the season now rears its head.

Top 10:
1. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
2. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.172
3. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.394
4. Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) + 0.490
5. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 1.113
6. Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 1.576
7. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 2.887
8. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 8.208
9. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 8.370
10. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 8.478