Dennis Foggia Takes Dominant Moto3 Win At Mandalika
That’s about as good as it gets if your name is Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). The Italian dominated the Moto3™ Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia to claim his first victory of the season – and the World Championship lead. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) picked up P2 as polesitter Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) brilliantly recovers from a Long Lap Penalty to earn a maiden Grand Prix podium in third.
Phenomenal Foggia, drama in the podium battle
There was drama before the race started for second on the grid Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) – the Brazilian rookie had an issue with his machine and was forced to start from the back of the grid. Moments later, as the lights went out for the very first Moto3™ race in Indonesia, it was Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) who grabbed the holeshot from seventh on the grid. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Foggia made great starts from the second row of the grid.
Foggia, Migno, Garcia and Guevara were the quartet who were able to pull a gap in the opening five laps, before Foggia decided to put the hammer down in the early stages. The Italian was 1.5s clear on Lap 7 of 23, as Championship leader Migno had a front-end scare at the final corner. By Lap 9, Foggia’s lead was up to 3.2s, with Guevera opening up a 0.5s lead in second place.
Garcia had slipped back into the clutches of Migno, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), but the Spaniard suddenly turned up the wick to reel in Guevara with 10 laps to go. At this stage, Foggia had checked out – his lead was now 5.1s.
With Foggia producing a flawless race, it was all eyes on the battle for second. Guevara, Migno, Öncü, Garcia, Masia, Holgado and Sasaki were now joined by Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team), Tatay and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing).
Heading onto the final lap, Guevera was 0.9s clear in second place ahead of the charging Tatay and Garcia. Foggia was four seconds up the road and cruising to victory, Tatay was then wide at Turn 10 to allow Garcia into the final podium position as Sasaki and Migno crashed – the Japanese rider tagging the back of Migno at Turn 10.
No one had an answer for Foggia as he popped a wheelie over the line to confirm his dominant victory, with Tatay grabbing the final podium place from Garcia at the penultimate corner. Guevera comfortably earned P2 in the end, Tatay claimed his first Moto3™ podium, with Garcia settling for P4.
Indonesia GP points scorers
Öncü was only a couple of tenths away from the podium in fifth place, with Artigas finishing P6 in the feisty scrap inside the top 10. Masia, Bartolini, Holgado and Suzuki were able to pick up top 10s in Mandalika.
Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) was 11th ahead of Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and rookie Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team), with home hero Mario Aji (Honda Team Asia) beating Matteo Bertelle (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) – after three Long Laps – in P14 and P15. Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) crashed out at the final corner together, fighting just outside the top 10.
At the end of a magnificent weekend in Mandalika, a masterful ride from Foggia sees him take the World Championship lead to Argentina.
2022 Indonesian Moto3 Top 10
1. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing)
2. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 2.612
3. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 3.639
4. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 3.759
5. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 3.870
6. Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 4.962
7. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 5.289
8. Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) + 5.405
9. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 5.533
10. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 5.687