Moto3: Jaume Masia Wins the Moto3 Motul TT Assen Grand Prix.
By Dawn Hammersley
Jaume Masia takes his first victory of the 2023 season after a last lap battle with Ayumu Sasaki.
It’s the Motul TT Assen for round eight of the Moto3 championship, Spaniard David Munoz got his first ever Moto3 pole position, alongside David on the premiere row was Australian Joel Kelso and SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Riccardo Rossi.
Munoz lead the field into the first sweeping right hand corner at the Cathedral of speed, Kelso was right behind in second place.
Kelso took the lead from Munoz, Deniz Oncu was being beaten up in the first few corners. Daniel Holgado crashed out on the first lap at turn 10, definitely a round to forget for the championship leader.
Munoz took charge of the race again, the leading group consisted of 12 riders. Ivan Ortola took his long lap penalty and rejoined in 12th place. Josh Whatley and Adrian Fernandez both crashed out at turn five, Josh had been improving his speed over the weekend, a disappointing end to the Brits weekend.
Jaume Masia made his way into second place with 17 laps to go. Ayumu Sasaki was in the hunt for the lead as Oncu took charge in first place. Stefano Nepa joined the party and was in third place, Kelso was just out of touch in eighth place.
The front group was now a packed group of 19 riders, from Nepa to Andrea Migno. Scott Ogden had a fast pace to the race but was down in second to last place, the Brit had a moment on lap two running off track which put him at the back of the field.
Things were so tight and sketchy in the leading group of 10 Moto3 riders, each rider was risking so much with every move they made! With nine laps remaining to the race the pace was high, Nepa was leading from Munoz.
Munoz and Masia touched at one of the fastest corners on the circuits; it had to happen as they were just so close. Moto3 veteran Romano Fenati was now in the mix and was in second place, a few corners later he was leading the race. A lap later and it was Masia who took the lead, home town rider Colin Veijer was in sixth place with two laps to go.
On the final lap Sasaki was fighting Masia for first place, as they ran to the finish line it was Masia who won the battle to take his first victory of the season, sasaki had to settle for second, Deniz Oncu finished in third place.
Featured Images: MotoGP.com