Moto3: Collin Veijer victorious in Malaysia

Collin Veijer wins his first Grand Prix at Sepang as the Championship gap closes.

After a brilliant lap in qualifying, Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) qualified on pole position for the Moto3 race. He was the first Moto3 rider in the 2-minute 10-second bracket and was 0.906 faster than anyone else. The sensational rookie Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) join him on the front row.

As the lights went out, it was an incredible start for Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), but Coin Veijer would brake the latest and lead into turn one. The track temperature was 45 degrees in the extremely humid conditions in Malaysia.

Jaume Masia eventually hit the front of the field on lap two and instantly put the hammer down, trying to stretch a gap. Veijer’s teammate, Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) jumped to second and chased Masia.

Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) was the first rider to crash out of the race on lap four at turn four. There was a huge crash involving five riders on lap five, including two Championship contenders.

David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Riccardo Rossi, (SIC58 Squadra Corse) Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) were out. Luckily, everybody managed to walk away from the horrific incident.

The race continued and the front group got smaller, with six riders battling for the win at the halfway point. The lead changed every corner, with Deniz Oncu (Red Bull KTM Ajo) now in the mix for the win. However, Collin Veijer and Sasaki looked the most comfortable and had the perfect gearing out of the corner.

Tactics were in play at the front, with nobody able to get into a rhythm and pull away from the pack. Riders were also riding on the white line on the straight, inches away from the pit boards and pit wall.

Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) made his way inside the points with five laps remaining. His teammate and fellow Brit, Josh Whatley VisionTrack Racing Team), was in 17^th, battling for the final point-scoring positions.

It was a huge disappointment for home rider Syarifuddin Azman (MT Helmets – MSI), who crashed out of the race. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was also a victim to the tricky hot conditions in Sepang.

The group at the front became just three after Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) out braked himself into the final corner. He then made contact with Bertelle and Oncu – taking Oncu out and sending Bertelle wide.

It was a dramatic final lap, but it would all go down to the final corner of the Malaysian Grand Prix. Collin Veijer managed to hold off his teammate to win his first Moto3 race in his rookie season. Sasaki came home in second and, importantly, finished ahead of his Championship rival Masia.

Ivan Ortola lost touch to the front group but finished in a respectable fourth place onboard the MTA machine. David Munoz rounded out the top five in a thrilling race at the Sepang International Circuit.

Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) was unable to help his teammate in the front group and finished in sixth. The two CFMOTO machines, Xavier Artigas (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) and Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP), rounded out the top eight.

Rounding out the top 10 were Filippo Farioli (Red Bull KTM Tech3 and Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team). Both British riders, Ogden and Whatley, managed to finish inside the points after consistent rides.

Masia continues to lead the Championship but has a reduced gap of 13 points with two rounds remaining. Moto3 will be back in action in one week’s time at the technically Lusail International Circuit.

Image credit: Red Bull Content Pool