Spanish Moto3: Guevara grabs win in last lap Jerez thriller

A jam packed, loud and atmospheric Jerez crowd were rewarded with a home winner as polesitter Izan Guevara pulled off an amazing last lap lunge around the outside of his rivals then held on in the run to the line in the Moto3 Spanish Grand Prix, round six of the championship.

Guevara and his Gaviota GasGas team-mate did much of the legwork after attempting a breakaway at the front in the early stages. The lead group expanded and contracted over the course of the race with as many as nine in contention for the win.

At the final lap the front five had pulled clear again after battles in the pack.

Just fourth at turn five, the Mallorcan weaved through the group taking advantage of gaps that opened to set him up for the final move. Then in third, a slingshot around the outside was used with no room available on the inside, which catapulted the #28 to the front, passing two bikes and emulating his hero Jorge Lorenzo at the corner named after him.

Guevara’s second podium visit of the season is also his second career win.

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Championship leader and Portimao winner Sergio Garcia was hot on the brakes, a skill which saw him able to claim second after a fiery performance to complete an Aspar 1-2.

The podium was an all Spanish affair with Jaume Masia not giving up after doing his share of the work in the race to lead the front group round, biting back for third, for a third consecutive rostrum visit for the Red Bull KTM rider.

Deniz Oncu was the biggest loser, after topping warm-up and coming close to wining in Jerez last season, he was looking confident in front and able to lead out of Aspar corner at will, the Turkish rider look able to score a first win, however the #53 seemed to struggle in the left turns and lost out in the final corner and the run to the line to finish fourth for red Bull KTM Tech3.

Xavier Artigas and Ayumu Sasaki dropped out of contention in the final laps, so began a battle with each other for fifth. The Spaniard came out on top for CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP. 

Ayumu Sasaki provided one of the stories of the day after he had qualified seventh but was penalised, along with Carlos Tatay for riding slowly in the final corners of qualifying (Gerard Riu Male was also penalised for the same offence but during FP3).

A back of the grid start with an additional long lap penalty was meant to put paid to any progress but taking the lap early and quickly after a good start saw him rejoin in 17th with pace faster than the leaders.

Working hard the Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max rider was soon in contention for the win, but worked his tyres hard to get there, though the Japanese rider still made up an incredible twenty places in the race.

The duo gapped Kaito Toba, the CIP Green Power aslo improving on his lowly grid position for seventh, making up nine positions.

Compatriot Ryusei Yamanaka was next to see the chequered flag in eighth for MT Helmets -MSI, with top rookie Daniel Holgado ninth for Red Bull KTM Ajo, in turn clear of another impressive rookie - Diogo Moreira, who faded from the lead group but held on to complete the top ten on the second MT Helmets entry.

Matteo Bertelli climbed in the closing laps for eleventh for Avintia.

Scott Ogden top Honda as the manufacturer struggles in Spain. 

Scott Ogden came into the race with great form around the Angel Nieto circuit - a winner here in the Moto3 junior championship last year.

Though his result may not look outstanding on paper the VisionTrack rider was ahead of many more experienced Honda riders in the race including championship contender Dennis Foggia and race winner Andrea Migno.

The British rider was over four second faster in the race than the next best Honda piloted by Migno, breaking the trend of dropping like a stone in the race, instead making up places and racing his way to twelfth.

The remianing points on offer went to Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) in 13th, Migno in 14th for Rivacold Snipers and Stefano Nepa on the second MTA entry in 15th.

Dennis Foggia again failed to score a point in Spain. Duck not broken, the Leopard man was 18th.

Riccardo Rossi caused the Ortola/Kelso crash in warm-up so was also penalised - he received a long lap penalty but later crashed out.

Tatay was the first to exit, trying to make up for his trip around the loop. 2020 winner Tatsuki Suzuki completed a weekend to forget when he slipped out at turn eleven on lap seven.

Adrian Fernandez and Joel Kelso also failed to finish.

The Spanish Grand Prix lost two riders ahead of the race. Lorenzo Fellon, fresh from a front row start and two points finishes, suffered a dislocated right shoulder in his Friday fall.

Joshua Whatley was withdrawn by the VisionTrack team after a bang to the had during his highside, also on Friday, to follow concussion protocols.

John McPhee remains absent as he continues his recovery.  David Salvador was his replacement - he finished 19th after a penalty.

Where does that leave the championship?

Before round six played out there was just point in the title standings to Garcia’s advantage, thanks to his performance in the tricky wet weather in Portimao.

Foggia not collecting any points while Garcia claimed a valuable second sees the gap extend to twelve with the Spaniard on a total of 103. Foggia holds onto second but now has race winner Guevara closing in with just nine points between the pair. Masia remains in the mix in fourth, on 70, just three points behind Guevara.

The championship continues in Le Mans for the French Grand Prix in two weeks time.