Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) put in a stunner at the Motul TT Assen, taking his first victory of the season and making serious gains on Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who failed to score. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was just denied at the last corner once again but takes yet another podium as his roll continues, and likewise German GP winner Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Turkish rider completed the rostrum at Assen.
Polesitter David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) took the holeshot from Joel Kelso (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), but the Aussie was through soon after as the two went side by side. It didn’t take long for those on the chase to get back into the groove though, and the drama was amping up elsewhere.
After a disastrous qualifying that left him last on the grid, Championship leader Holgado was already facing a mountain to climb – and on the first lap it only got worse. Crashing and off into the gravel early on, losing a whole chunk of time, the race was on for him to try and recover the impossible.
Meanwhile fellow Championship challenger Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), who qualified well down the order too, was on a mission. He was straight into the top ten, then into the top three, and despite serving his Long Lap given on Saturday for not respecting a black and orange flag, right in the fight at the front in a seriously impressive performance under pressure.
And so, with Ortola back in the mix and a top group of ten escaping the rest, the freight train to decide the podium rolled on. As ever, it all went down to the final chicane, and Sasaki was at the head of the group – one week on from the Japanese rider just losing out at the final corner at the Sachsenring. This time around, an attack came again as Masia shot up the inside into the Geert Timmer chicane, and the number 5 made the move stick, and made it cleanly. The drag to the line saw Masia just hold onto it by 0.081, with Sasaki forced to settle for second but both making big strides in the standings.
Likewise does Öncü, who held onto third for another podium finish – just edging out Ortola after the Angeluss MTA Team rider’s stunning charge from 20th. Muñoz, after a late tangle with Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team), takes fifth, ahead of Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and fellow rookie Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) on his home turf. Fenati was forced to settle for eighth after the late shuffle, with Kelso ninth and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), after straightlining the chicane, completing the front group and the top ten.
That’s a wrap on Assen and it’s next stop Silverstone for the Monster Energy British GP. Holgado now heads Masia by 16 points, with Sasaki 26 off the top and both Ortola and Öncü 31 in arrears. Join us for more once Moto3™ has recharged!
1. Jaume MASIA – SPA – Leopard Racing – 34’14.619
2. Ayumu SASAKI – JPN – Liqui Moly Husqvarna… – +0.081
3. Deniz ÖNCÜ – TUR – Red Bull KTM Ajo – +0.276
4. Ivan ORTOLÁ – SPA – Angeluss MTA Team – +0.324
20. Scott OGDEN – GBR – VisionTrack Racing Team – +26.301
DNF. Joshua WHATLEY – GBR – VisionTrack Racing Team –
Moto3 Top 4 – Championship Points after – Dutch GP
1. Daniel HOLGADO – SPA – Red Bull KTM Tech3 – 125pts
2. Jaume MASIA – SPA – Leopard Racing – 109pts
3. Ayumu SASAKI – JPN – Liqui Moly Husqvarna… – 99pts
4. Ivan ORTOLÁ – SPA – Angeluss MTA Team – 94pts
16. Scott OGDEN – GBR – VisionTrack Racing Team – 20pts
27. Joshua WHATLEY – GBR – VisionTrack Racing Team – 1pts
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