Massive Masia comeback in Austin

Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. Austin, Texas. 10th April/2022

Qualification:

Quali was the reserve of the more established riders in Moto3 with Andrea Migno on pole, championship favourite Dennis Foggia P2 and Xavier Artigas P3. Looking on form was Deniz Oncu in P4 and Jaume Masia P5.

The Race:

The first lap saw Deniz Oncu pull a forceful move on polesitter Migno to take the lead with the sensational rookie Diogo Moreira following Oncu and slotting into P2, leaving Andrea Migno P3. Ex top motocrosser Moreira briefly held the lead until Oncu took him on the straight, weaving too much towards the young Brazilian Moreira, Oncu risking the wrath of the stewards, as he was banned for similar tactics last season. Unfazed by Oncu’s tactics, Diogo took the lead once more, and this time with a slight gap; early indications that this was going to be one of those roller coaster Moto3 races. Izan Guevara was given a long lap penalty for a jump start.

Twelve laps to go and Xavier Artigas had been leading for a few laps when Diogo Moreira once again took the lead, but it was brief as Deniz Oncu took both riders under braking and into P1. Izan Guevara took his long lap penalty and around the same time, Sergio Garcia was clipped by Daniel Holgado and hit the tarmac, ruining Garcia’s recent good form, then Holgado went down, both riders re-started. Guevara then had to take another long lap penalty as he did not take the first one in the time allocated; by this stage in the race, it was hard to know what was going on.

Ten laps to go and Jaume Masia hit the front, with Sasaki P2 and Oncu P3. It was then Tatsuki Suzuki in P1 but again not for long as we came to lap 10 with 8 to go Jaume Masia was in P1, with Oncu P2 and Sasaki P3. Lap by lap there was a new leader as a group of seven riders were scrapping it out at the front, no holds barred. Seven laps to go and Dennis Foggia made it to the front, and leading the championship at that moment as Garcia was now out of the race, he also managed to gap the other riders and it looked like this was another well-planned race from Dennis. Masia had his own plan, and with six laps to go he used the slipstream to pass Foggia, but it was a brief foray as Foggia was soon in P1 again, then Masia!

On the last lap, this crazy race just went ballistic, as Andrea Migno who had been leading was overtaken by Masia with a textbook slipstream move, leaving Migno P2 and Foggia P3. Migno took Masia again but the move left him nowhere to go and he went wide allowing Foggia to slip through to chase down Masia. So, it was Jaume Masia over the line for the win, with Dennis Foggia P2 and Andrea Migno P3. As Masia was claiming victory Daniel Holgado and Kaito Toba came together and crashed out of the race.

The Results:

Jaume Masia, Red Bull KTM Ajo, P1. Dennis Foggia, Leopard Racing, Honda, P2. Andrea Migno, Rivacold Snipers Team, Honda, P3.

The race win was a huge comeback for Jaume Masia, his talent was never in doubt, but his recent form left some wondering if he was able to shake off his seeming lack of confidence after his teammate Pedro Acosta trounced him and all others winning the Moto3 World Championship in 2021, and now racing in Moto2.