Leopard’s Dennis Foggia completed a dominating day at Buriram as he led from lights to flag in the Moto3 Thai Grand Prix.
Sterilgarda Husqvarna’s Ayumu Sasaki and Sic58’s Riccardo Rossi completed the podium celebrations after a late-race battle, with the trio over six seconds clear of the pack across the line.
Having topped morning warm-up, Foggia lined up at the head of the lightweight class grid as the 22-lap hot and humid race prepared, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia and Sasaki alongside. Championship leader Izan Guevara sat in 11th position on the Aspar GasGas with teammate Sergio Garcia further back, in 20th. British riders John McPhee, Scott Ogden and Josh Whatley started 8th, 22nd and 27th respectively.
Foggia secured the holeshot as the lights went out, MTA’s Stefano Nepa up to second in the initial action as Masia and Diogo Moreira fought for fourth. Drama finding Garcia on the deck at turn 12 as the opening lap concluded after a highside for Adrian Fernandez.
Foggia pulled a gap on the pursuing pack half way round the second lap as a seven-rider group battled for the runner-up position. Sasaki in the hotseat and defending hard from Nepa as David Muñoz joined the fight on the BOE. CIP Green Power’s Kaito Toba suffering two crashes in the opening laps with the second ruling him out of the remainder of the race.
The four-way battle for third found Masia, Moreira and Muñoz dropping Rossi as the race continued, McPhee crashing out at turn five before rejoining at the back.
Muñoz was up to third and breaking free of the rest as lap seven unfolded, Tatsuki Suzuki suffering a technical retirement moments later. Rossi dragging the second group of three back into contention as the leading pack returned to six.
Further
win
Sergio Garcia
David Muñoz
Dennis Foggia
John Macphee
Scott Ogden
Diogo Moreira
Jaume Masia
Josh Whatley