Moto3: Championship Closes Up With Brno Next

After one weekend off, the Moto3 World Championship gets back underway this weekend in Brno for the Czech Grand Prix, round four of the 2020 season. 

At round two in Jerez, at the Andalusian Grand Prix, it was Tatsuki Suzuki who was victorious, winning from pole position. The Japanese rider was relatively dominant, by Moto3 standards, leading almost every lap on the way to his second career GP win. It was also an important result for Suzuki’s championship, as he moved up into second in the championship, six points off the lead.

That points lead remains with Albert Arenas, who crashed out in Andalusia but was victorious in each of the first two rounds. The Czech Republic did not go well for Arenas last season, as he crashed out. A repeat of such a result would not be welcome for Arenas this weekend in particular after his DNF in Andalusia and the proximity of Suzuki in the points. The Spaniard needs to rebound this weekend.

John McPhee had a similar experience to Arenas across the first three races, in that he twice visited the podium and once crashed out. Two second places, the second of which came in the Andalusian GP two weeks ago, leave McPhee third in the championship, ten points behind Arenas. The Scot has been in fine form so far this season, and now returns to the circuit where he took his first Grand Prix victory back in 2016. Last year, however, did not go so well for McPhee in Brno, hitting the pit limiter on the grid and being collected by an unsighted Yuki Kunii as a result. Contrasting fortunes, then, for McPhee, but the speed he has shown so far this season should see him battling towards the front and looking to add significantly to the 40 points he has tallied so far. 

The final podium finisher in round three was Celestino Vietti after fighting back from the lower reaches of the points in the opening laps to finish third, his first podium of the season. However, it was perhaps Vietti’s performance on the rostrum after the race that attracted more attention. The Italian managed to smash the champagne bottle in his hand whilst celebrating after the Japanese anthem had played out, leaving the #13 requiring 22 stitches in his hand. Whether the injury will hold Vietti back this weekend remains to be seen, however if he does reach the podium it might be reasonable to expect a different approach to celebrating. 

Aron Canet won last year’s Moto3 Czech Grand Prix, the Spaniard beating Lorenzo Dalla Porta on that occasion. Third over the line last season in Brno was Tony Arbolino, and the Italian is in need of more of the same for the 2020 edition after a disappointing ride to 10th place last time out in Andalusia. The #14 will still harbour hopes of fighting for this year’s Moto3 crown, however in such a condensed season as 2020, it will be necessary for his fightback to start sooner than later, as already Arbolino lies 27 points adrift of Arenas. 

The only Czech rider on this year’s Moto3 grid is Filip Salac, however the #12’s form coming into his home race is not fantastic, having crashed out of the second Jerez race last time out. Additionally, he crashed out of last year’s Czech GP whilst running last. 

Ai Ogura faces a similar task this weekend to Albert Arenas, as he is coming off of a crash in the Andalusian GP. It is also true that Ogura’s retirement was the fault of Jaume Masia last time out, however that does not change the mathematical fact that Ogura dropped from second to fourth in the World Championship at round three, and missed out on capitalising on Arenas’ error. 

It should also be worth keeping an eye on Darryn Binder this weekend, as ever. The all-action South African has been fighting for the top positions in each race so far this season and, whilst he has missed out on the podium so far, should once again be in the fight this weekend, regardless of his qualifying result.