Emilia Romagna Moto3: Foggia keeps title hopes alive with Misano win

Dennis Foggia once again saw success on home soil with victory after hitting the front of the race in the Moto3 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, round sixteen of the championship.

The Leopard rider, who has continued to chip away at Acosta in the title hunt for the last few rounds, already picked up wins this season at both Mugello and at the World Circuit Marco Simoncelli earlier in the season.

From 14th on the grid after a tentative qualifying performance, the first time the class rode on slicks saw the Italian get off to a careful start. Once confident in the dry conditions the number seven made quick work of cutting through the field.

Foggia moved into the lead over the line at the start of lap fifteen and remained in charge covering the pressure put on from Acosta’s team-mate Jaume Masia all the way to the line, where he finished just 0.292s ahead. 

It is Foggia’s sixth podium in a row as he continues his late charge for the title. That cuts the championship gap to just 21 points ahead of Portimao, with Acosta still ahead on a total of 324.

Behind the cool and commanding Honda rider, Masia tried to find a way ahead, but it was not to be. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider takes his first podium since Mugello ahead of his rookie team-mate, who battled back to third in the closing stages as both he and Stefano Nepa charged down and caught Darryn Binder.

The MotoGP bound Binder fought back to claim fourth for Petronas Sprinta Racing while a first rostrum visit alluded Nepa once again, with the BOE Owlride racer forced back to fifth at the line.

Polesitter Niccolo Antonelli was second last time out as Misano. The Avintia VR46 Academy rider got off to a flying start and after letting Nepa lead the way for a handful of laps, he took charge once again and looked to have the race under control. A twitching bike saw him struggle to stay aboard and in control and the Italian immediately dropped to sixth, unable to stage a recovery, that was where he finished the race.

Romano Fenati crashed from the lead five weeks ago at the same track. This time out the Italian soon set about making up for his tough qualifying, where he struggled in the wet to 19th. At the front of the chasing group he was back in his comfort zone and able to ride free with a clear track ahead. The nuber 55 continued to pick off his rivals to finish seventh for Sterilgarda Max Racing Team as the top Husqvarna rider.

Eighth went to Ayumu Sasaki as the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 rider just held off a charging Xavier Artigas on the second Leopard entry.

Front row starter Filip Salac faded away as the race went on but just held on to a top ten finish for CarXpert PruestelGP.

He was clear of eleventh placed team-mate Ryusei Yamanaka, who was in turn under no pressure from Izan Guevara, who remounted after crashing out of the lead group to finish twelfth for Gaviota GasGas Aspar.

The remaining points on offer went to Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing) in 13th Jeremy Alcoba (Gresini) in 14ht and Andi Farid Izdihar (Honda Team Asia) in 15th.

Wildcard Mario Aji’s championship debut with Honda Team Asia saw him finish 21st.

Daniel Holgado replaces Deniz Oncu at Red Bull KTM Ajo Tech 3 as he serves the first of his two race bans. He was 20th at the finish line.

Sergio Garcia remains absent because of the injuries he sustained at the last round. He is replaced at Gaviota GasGas Aspar by Red Bull Rookies champion David Alonso, who was 22nd.

John McPhee dug deep to qualify twelfth after suffering with the flu and missing both Friday sessions. After almost falling victim to Riccardo Rossi’s early fall, he later crashed out himself.

Yuki Kunii, Andrea Migno, Carlos Tatay and Tatsuki Suzuki all also failed to finish the race.

Gresini’s Gabriel Rodrigo sat out the Emilia Romagna race to continue his recovery from injury