Moto3: McPhee Wins From 17th as Arenas Crashes

The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli hosted the seventh round of the 2020 Moto3 World Championship, and after setting the fastest time in qualifying on Saturday, Ai Ogura started from his first ever pole position in Grand Prix racing.

It was a good launch from Ogura, as well, making the holeshot before being passed by his compatriot, Tatsuki Suzuki, in turn two. It was a good second half of the lap from Gabriel Rodrigo, though, who led the opening lap over the line.

There was a group of five at the front at the end of lap one, with a gap back to sixth-placed Albert Arenas, who made a good start from 13th. But by the end of lap two the leading group contained 13 riders, and soon after it engulfed the top 20 whilst the leaders were fighting. 

The race and the championship were both blown wide open on the penultimate lap when Arenas crashed at turn three. Suddenly, the work Arenas had done since the beginning of the season and, especially, in the races in the previous triple header when his leg injury was at its worst, was undone. 

Almost simultaneously, John McPhee took charge of the race. Together with Ogura, Arenas, Suzuki, Rodrigo and Masia, McPhee had been part of a top six that looked capable of winning the race. Although not detached from those behind, they were stronger, but Arenas’ crash seemed to change everything. With McPhee at the front the top six became highlighted at the front, and all were fighting hard on the final lap to reach the podium. 

There was a big shuffle behind McPhee going into turn eight on the final lap as Ogura came up to second, but he chose a wide line – presumably to try to get a run at McPhee down the back straight – into turns nine and ten, which allowed Suzuki back on the inside. Ogura then fought back into turns twelve and thirteen, but the battling between the two Japanese riders was enough to let McPhee of the hook and despite a mistake in the penultimate corner that gave Ogura both hope and a slipstream to the line, the #17 was able to hang on to take his first victory of the season and to within 14 points of the championship lead. 

Second place for Ogura seemed unlikely at times but as he seems to do so often, he found himself placed well in the final stages of the race and was able to take advantage of that, as well as the mistakes of others. This was Ogura’s fifth podium of the season and it moves him within five points of Arenas in the championship, which is now well and truly back on between Arenas, McPhee and Ogura. 

In third place was Tatsuki Suzuki who, like yesterday in qualifying, was unable to repeat his performance from Misano last year but by the smallest margins. It was a different race to that which we are used to seeing from the #24, who was in the pack more today whereas usually he tends to lead from the front. 

Jeremy Alcoba was as close to a maiden podium in the World Championship as he has ever been. It was an impressive ride from the Spaniard who somewhat came from nowhere in the final laps to take the challenge to the top riders. He finished just ahead of his Kommerling Gresini teammate, Gabriel Rodrigo, who took fifth place after leading for much of the race. 

The top six was rounded out by Tony Arbolino who looked quite strong throughout the race but never had the potential of those at the very front, which for a while included Jaume Masia before he lost out in the last lap melee and finished seventh. Romano Fenati was eighth for his best finish for the Max Racing Team and Husqvarna, whilst Dennis Foggia and Andrea Migno completed the top 10. 

Niccolo Antonelli was making good progress in the middle of the race, but that fizzled out in the final third and the Italian finished in 11th, ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka who came from 27th on the grid to finish 12th. Behind the Japanese rider was Riccardo Rossi in 13th, whilst Stefano Nepa and Carlos Tatay completed the points. 

Deniz Oncu looked well on for points in the closing stages, and perhaps even a top 10 before he had to take avoiding action when Arenas crashed. He finished 16th in the end, ahead of Kaito Toba, Davide Pizzoli, Jason Dupasquier and Filip Salac who rounded out the top 20. 

Khairul Idham Pawi was 21st on his return after having the broken finger that cost him almost all of 2019 amputated. Behind the Malaysian was Maximilian Kofler, who finished 22nd ahead of Yuki Kunii, Barry Baltus and Sergio Garcia who was 25th and last after remounting from a crash in turn four on the first lap which ended the races of Celestino Vietti and Raul Fernandez. 

Aside from Vietti, Fernandez and Arenas, who are all aforementioned, Alonso Lopez; Ayumu Sasaki and Daryn Binder were the only retirements – Sasaki and Lopez going down in the same incident at turn eight.