The 2021 season openers for Moto3 are nothing short of breathtaking as they go from the desert to Portugal.
A rookie established himself as a contender and old rivalries were ignited- let’s review the first three races before the next stop in Spain.
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Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar
If there is anything you need to know about Moto3, it’s that anyone has a chance at winning. The front row had Darryn Binder starting from pole, followed by Izan Guevara and John McPhee. Early on, one of the favorites, Dennis Foggia, crashed out on the first lap. Three laps in, Artigas took out Alcoba, McPhee and Migno, which would go under investigation after the race.
Throughout the race, the top and most consistent competitors were Masia, Binder, Acosta, Toba and Rodrigo. But, as we like to say, anyone in the top 5 during the last lap has a chance of winning.
Much like what would happen in Moto2, Moto3 was dominated by the Red Bull KTM’s of Sasaki, Masia and Acosta. Despite this, the last lap of the race was led by Niccolo Antonelli. He would fall to fifth and the win would go to the KTM’s.
In the end, it was Masia, Acosta and Binder who were on the podium.
TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha
The second round in the desert allowed some of the other Moto3 riders to shine through. Jaume Masia had pole position with Jeremy Alcoba and Gabriel Rodrigo on his rear tire. All the top riders were prominent in the last race in Qatar- so the question was, could they do better?
By the time the riders were warmed up to the track, Binder was first and followed by Toba, the pair swapping paint Fernandez. For a good portion of the race, the KTM’s were nowhere to be seen. As the manic race continued, Sasaki, who started the race from the first grid, would come to momentarily lead the race.
A sort of record was set when, within the first 10 laps, only one rider fell- Artigas, the instigator to the incident from the week before. Salec would also fall despite the great run he had going for him.
The Petronas riders were on top during this round- McPhee in second and Binder in fifth with Toba leading.
It wouldn’t last long as Pedro Acosta, a rookie who had started from pit-lane, took the lead of the race. He was gapping Binder, who could do nothing but watch as Acosta went without him. It was an eventful last lap, but it would once again go to the KTM.
Acosta won the race in a manner that reminded the audience of Marc Marquez. Binder would follow in second and Niccolo Antonelli had a strong third.
Grand Premio 888 de Portugal
In usual Moto3 fashion, the first Grand Prix in Europe was a mix of action, tragedy, redemption and possibly the birth of a champion.
To start, Andrea Migno was in pole position, with by Dennis Foggia and Sergio Garcia right behind. Four riders started in pit-lane, but it didn’t mean they weren’t be podium contenders. One of these pit-lane starters was Binder, who has been one of the top contenders.
Migno had a strong start early on, Artigas following him and taking first position from him as he tried to make up for his Qatar and Doha mishaps, only to crash out within the next lap. It has been a disastrous start to his 2021 season.
As the last lap came to a start, Acosta was in second place with Foggia battling it out with him for first. Masia went down as he was battling for third, but it was between the KTM and Foggia on who would win.
In the final sector, Acosta once again came out on top despite an incident at the last corner. Foggia would grasp a strong second while our pole starter, Migno, was in third.
But what comes next for Moto3? Will Acosta remain strong and cause a storm in Moto3, or will the Petronas bikes make a comeback?
If we know anything about Qatar, it’s that certain factory teams excelling more than others, across all levels of racing. Once they get into Europe and establish themselves into Spain, everything could change.
Where do you see the championship going?
We’ll find out this weekend in Jerez!
