Asia Talent Team Starts Season Well

The opening round was held at Circuito do Estoril in Portugal, where the junior talent team were off to a good start. Aji, who started eighth on the grid, moved up to third place, but was overtaken at the last possible minute to finish fourth by an 0,06s gap. Matsuyama started from third grid, to finish sixth after a heated battle. Buasri rode a solid race to finish 15th earning one championship point.

Matsuyama shined in Round 2, held in Valencia. In Race 1 the Japanese rider lapped at an impressive pace, heading into the last lap in the lead. He missed out on victory by 0.076 after being overtaken on the last turn, but was nonetheless on the podium in second place. Jose Julian Garcia (SIC58 SQUADRA CORSE) was second in Race 2, while Aji was eighth / fifth and fourth in the standings at the end of Round 2. Matsuyama at this stage was fifth overall, just behind Aji.

Although rounds 3 and 4 were unlucky for the Asia Talent Team riders, Honda rider Syarifuddin Azman (SIC Racing) won Race 1, joined on the podium by third-place Jose Antonio Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0). Aji was sixth in Race 1, and consistently lapped at the fastest times in Race 1.

Consistent Points in Second Half of the Season

In Round 5, Aragon, Rueda finished second, and Matsuyama was tenth. In Round 6 held at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, Aji was eighth in Race 2, and Matsuyama was tenth. In Round 7, at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in San Marino, Aji was eighth despite it being the first time for the Asia Talent Team at the venue.

The season finale, Round 8 in Valencia was a double-header. Aji unfortunately missed the round due to an injured leg. Buasri, strong on wet tracks, started Race 1 from the 21st grid, and finished 13th. Matsuyama crashed in Race 1, but ignored the pain to gain points in Race 2, finishing 14th.

Rueda finished the 2021 championship in eighth place, while Azman was ninth, Garcia tenth, Diego Moreira (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) 11th, Aji 12th, Matsuyama 14th, and Buarsi 24th.

Race Reports

• Rd.01 Estoril Mario Suryo Aji places fourth at first round of FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship

• Rd.02 Valencia First podium of the season for Takuma Matsuyama

• Rd.03 Barcelona Mario Suryo Aji Fights For Victory In Barcelona

• Rd.04 Algarve Bad luck for Asia Talent Team riders in The Algarve

• Rd.05 Aragón Matsuyama places tenth in Aragon

• Rd.06 Jerez Hard fought races at Jerez for Asia Talent Team riders

• Rd.07 San Marino Eighth for Mario Suryo Aji in San Marino

• Rd.08 Valencia Asia Talent Team riders score points at last round in Valencia