Just three weeks after his first Moto3 victory, Ayumu Sasaki had his next triumph at the Austrian GP. But on the way to victory, the Husqvarna driver from the Max Racing Team had to overcome a number of hurdles.
In his sixth Moto3 season Ayumu Sasaki achieved his first triumph in the smallest World Championship class in Assen. The Japanese from the Max Racing Team had to wait 93 races for his first GP victory. Only three weeks later, the second victory followed at the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring.
But the way there was rocky for the 21-year-old. At the last race in Silverstone he went down and took World Championship leader Sergio Garcia out with him. Sasaki then received a double lon lap penalty for his “irresponsible driving style”, which he had to complete in the race in Spielberg.
From second on the grid, Sasaki took the lead at Turn 9. On lap 3 he completed his first long lap which cost him around three seconds and dropped out of the top 20. But the Husqvarna driver burned one fastest race lap after the other into the Austrian asphalt, so that on lap 13 after the second long lap he was back in contact with the leading group.
“I didn’t give up the whole weekend and always believed in my chance,” said the Japanese combatively. He admitted: “I made a mistake at Silverstone. The injury and the penalty didn’t make it easy in the race.”
But Sasaki defied the pain and crossed the finish line in first place, 0.064 seconds ahead of compatriot Tatsuki Suzuki. “I came to Spielberg knowing I had to be better than everyone else. I had a good attitude to the job all weekend and had incredible pace. Luckily I didn’t make any mistakes in the race. My last lap was incredible.”
Thanks to the 25 World Championship points for the win, Sasaki climbed up to 4th place overall. He is 55 points behind World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) with seven races to go.
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Welcome to racing at the Red Bull Ring
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start of the race
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Sea Pioneer
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Be Guevara
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Ayumu Sasaki
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Tatsuki Suzuki
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Jaume Masia
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Andrea Migno
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Ayumu Sasaki
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Sea Pioneer
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Sergio Garcia
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Tatsuki Suzuki
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Be Guevara
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John McPhee
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Dennis Foggia
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Ayumu Sasaki wins the race
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Sieger Ayumu Sasaki
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Suzuki, Sasaki, Muñoz
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Sieger Ayumu Sasaki
Moto3 result, Spielberg (21 August):
1. Sasaki, Husqvarna, 23 Rdn in 39:03,516 min
2. Suzuki, Honda, + 0,064 sec
3. Muñoz, KTM, + 0.292
4. Pioneer, KTM, +0.344
5. Garcia, GASGAS, +2,453
6. Moreira, KTM, + 2,636
7. Guevara, GASGAS, +3,074
8. Baggy, KTM, +3,109
9. McPhee, Husqvarna, + 7,474
10. Toba, KTM, + 7.713
11. Ortola, KTM, + 7,786
12. Foggia, Honda, + 8.855
13.Yamanaka, KTM, +8,952
14. Artigas, CFMOTO, +9,143
15. Nepa, KTM, + 9,260
Moto3 World Championship standings (after 13 of 20 races):
1. Garcia 193 Points. 2. Guevara 188. 3. Foggia 144. 4. Sasaki 138. 5. Masia 127. 6. Deniz Öncü 127. 7. Suzuki 114. 8. Migno 84. 9. Father 70. 10. Artigas 64. 11. Toba . Bartolini 23. 22. Kelso 22. 23. Ogden 20. 24. Bertelle 16. 25. Fellon 11. 26. Aji 5. .
Constructors’ Championship:
1. GASGAS 246 points. 2. Honda 226. 3. KTM 210. 4. Husqvarna 167. 5. CFMOTO 103.
Team World Cup:
1. GASGAS Aspar Team 381 Punkte. 2. Leopard Racing 258. 3. Red Bull KTM Ajo 183. 4. Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max Racing 178. 5. Red Bull KTM Tech3, 156. 6. CFMOTO Racing PrüstelGP 134. 7. MT Helmets – MSI 116. 8. CIP Green Power 85. 9. Rivacold Snipers 84. 10. Angeluss MTA Team 68. 11. SIC58 Squadra Corse 65. 12. BOE Motorsports 48. 13. QJMotor Avintia Racing 39. 14. Vision Track Racing Team 20. 15. Honda Team Asia 5.