Izan, a masterclass performance for the win and the championship

October 17, 2022

Moto3 – Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix

Qualification:

On form, Ayumu Sasaki took pole position at the scenic Phillip Island circuit. Sergio Garcia was P2, a very needed result to try and get some points back after recent bad luck and mishaps. Youngster Iva Ortola was P3. Championship leader Izan Guevara was P7, and a good result here could be the championship tied up early.

The Race:

There had been a lot of rain before the race and many parts of the track were still very wet, so the start was going to be difficult and tricky. The conditions did not seem to bother Sergio Garcia as he shot away from the line, but soon he lost the lead to a charging Diego Moreira, Ivan Ortola slotting into P3. One rider who was taking no risks was Izan Guevara, with so much at stake and 23 more laps to go, so he sat in P8.

As the race settled with 22 laps to go Ayumu Sasaki was in the lead, he had shown good form over the whole weekend. P2 was Ivan Ortola with Sergio Garcia P3, very aware of the championship and the need to chase down Guevara on points, Izan was now steady in P6. Daniel Holgado and Taiyo Furusato both crashed out on lap 3, seemingly caught out by some wet patches, a warning sign for all the riders, and most especially Izan Guevara, who must have been thinking about the championship every lap.

With fifteen laps to go Sergio Garcia had been leading, but then teammate Izan Guevara took the lead, and in doing so, having enough points to win the championship, but he had all those laps ahead of him and with Garcia P2 and Deniz Oncu P3, nothing was written.

With six laps to go, it was a tight pack of four riders who had broken away with Izan Guevara in the lead but not having an easy time with Ayumu Sasaki P2, Sergio Garcia P3 and Deniz Oncu P4. It must have been a stressful time for Guevara, with the ever-present danger of a rider taking him out of the race, the pace being so intense in the group of four.

On the last lap, Deniz Oncu took the lead, and the four riders were so close it could be any one of them for the win, but Guevara needed it the most and took the lead, and some space, which he needed to prevent a disaster by another rider taking him out.

Izan Guevara took the win and the championship in Phillip Island, and it was a masterclass in riding. With all the pressure of the importance of the race, he held his nerve and outclassed a very feisty competition.