Sasaki breaks through for his first Grand Prix victory amid last-lap drama
Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max’s Ayumu Sasaki has become a Moto3™ race winner in a frantic finish at the Motul TT Assen. The ‘Crazy Boy’ converted pole position into victory on team owner Max Biaggi’s 51st birthday, although it was a triumph which he had to work extremely hard for. The GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara led for the bulk of the 22-lap race around the TT Circuit Assen and managed to finish second despite being shuffled as far back as fifth on the final lap, while his team-mate Sergio Garcia held onto the World Championship lead by beating Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) to the podium by just 0.007 seconds.
David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) took Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) out as they battled for the podium in the last half a lap, with John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) having his own crash just behind them, while Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) had highsided just laps earlier after fighting back from a Long Lap Penalty to be mixing it with the leading group again.
Guevara takes an early lead – again
When the lights went out, it was Suzuki who swept into the lead at the first corner, with Muñoz jumping well from Row 2 to P2. Sasaki, who is still far from full fitness after an ugly practice crash at May’s Italian Grand Prix, got back in front on the run down the back straight before Suzuki reclaimed the lead into the Ramshoek. The Japanese riders were first and second at the end of the standing lap, with Guevara running third, where he had qualified.
Sasaki passed Suzuki again at the start of Lap 2, with the Leopard Honda rider shuffled back several positions as Guevara took up second position. The Spaniard then challenged Sasaki into the Ramshoek and completed the pass through the Geert Timmer Chicane. That would be the start of a sustained period in the lead for Guevara, who had run away with the last two races, but there was all of the usual Moto3™ action going on just behind him.
Sasaki keeps in touch despite plenty of challengers
Suzuki was back up to second when they ran through De Bult on Lap 3, but had dropped back to fifth again when Sasaki passed him on the run to the Ramshoek, with Muñoz and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) following them through. As Guevara continued to…