Spanish rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Ajo celebrates on the podium after winning the Moto3 race of Tissot Grand Prix of Doha at Losail International Circuit yesterday.
Doha: It was an incredible battle from lights out to chequered flag in the Moto3 class at the Tissot Grand Prix of Doha. Rightly stealing the headlines in Moto3 was wonder kid rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
The 16-year-old became the first Moto3 rider to start from pitlane and win. A truly astonishing ride from the young Spaniard left everyone speechless as the number 37 beat Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) by 0.039s, with Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) completing the podium. For the second time in seven days, it was lights out at Losail International Circuit for the Moto3 riders and making the best start was Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) from P3 on the grid, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Binder making electric getaways from the second row to claw themselves up to P2 and P3.
Binder was wasting no time and was into the lead at Turn 4, polesitter Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was down to P4 but then found his way past Suzuki for P3 on the opening lap.
Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) then led on Lap 2 but it was slipstream city down the 1km down the home straight every lap.
Binder was back at the front briefly before Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Suzuki interchanged P1 on Lap 4, with the pitlane starters still six seconds adrift of 21st place Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) – the latter taking his two long-lap penalties.
The Moto3 script was the same as always as the riders entered Lap 7: constant fairing bashing and awe-inspiring racing. Leading was Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) from Toba and Masia, with rookie Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) getting properly stuck in.
Further back, the pitlane starters of Acosta, Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) and Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) were starting to penetrate the top 20, just over six seconds off the fight for the race win. There were 10 laps to in Doha, 1.5 seconds split 18 riders.
With five laps to go, the top 21 were covered by 1.6 seconds.
Drama then unfolded at Turn 1 between two race leaders. Alcoba and McPhee were down at Turn 1, Alcoba tagged the back of Binder and left McPhee with nowhere to go, the latter got a face full of Honda and both were out of the race.
Later, at Turn 6, Tatay and Adrian Fernandez were down too.
In the aftermath, Masia led from Migno and Binder, as Acosta found himself inside the top five.
And heading onto the last lap, Acosta clawed his way to the front. The rookie sensation took the initiative and started pulling clear of second place Binder as Masia at fourth. The latter shoved it up the inside of Antonelli at Turn 6 but both ran wide, allowing Rodrigo through.
Meanwhile, Acosta was setting the fastest lap of the race with Binder the only one able to stick with the wonder kid on the last lap, with Masia then coming into contact with Rodrigo at Turn 10. A late lunge didn’t work and the Qatar race winner, along with Rodrigo, was wide to allow Antonelli back through.
However, it was now all about Acosta vs Binder. An absolutely pitch-perfect last lap from the Spaniard all came down to the run to the line. Binder was in touch and had a chance of snatching the 25 points at the death, but Acosta held on by just 0.039s to claim his first Moto3 victory, pitlane to P1.
Binder picked up his second consecutive podium at Losail as Antonelli returned to the podium for the first time since winning the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix.
Migno and Toba completed a top five covered by just 0.651s.
