Foggia Takes Mugello Moto3 Glory For Honda
Autodromo Internazionale del MugelloDennis Foggia (Leopard Racing Honda NSF250RW) won a typically close and thrilling Moto3 race at Mugello today, taking the chequered flag at the head of the lead group that consisted of 15 riders for most of the race.
Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 Honda NSF250RW) completed a great day for Honda’s NSF250RW, taking third place, just 0.145 seconds behind the winner.
Mugello – with its long 1.1km/0.7-mile start/finish straight – always creates breathtaking multi-rider battles, with riders using the slipstream of rival machines to increase their own top speed. Thus the lead changed innumerable times throughout the 20 laps, both on the straight and in Mugello’s 15 corners.
Foggia rode a perfect race, fighting all the way, then saving his best for last, grabbing the lead on the penultimate lap. Once he was ahead he did his utmost to build a gap, so his pursuers wouldn’t be able to slipstream him on the run to the chequered flag.
The 20-year-old Italian and Rodrigo weren’t the only Honda riders in the lead group and they weren’t the only Honda men to lead the race. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda NSF250RW), John Mcphee (Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda NSF250RW) and pole position man Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda NSF250RW) all took their turns are the front, crossing the finish line in fifth, seventh and tenth positions.
Andi Farid Izdihar (Honda Team Asia Honda NSF250RW) scored his first World Championship point at the French GP two weeks ago and had the chance of another top-15 after qualifying 18th fastest yesterday. But it wasn’t to be today. The 23-year-old Indonesian finished the race in 21st, one place ahead of Takuma Matsuyama (Honda Team Asia Honda NSF250RW), who is substituting for the injured Yuki Kunii (Honda Team Asia Honda NSF250RW).
Izdihar will have another shot at more World Championship points at next weekend’s Catalan GP at Barcelona-Catalunya. Matsuyama will contest the event as a wild-card entry, as he did at the recent French GP, while Kunii hopes to return from injury.
The event was overshadowed by the passing of Jason Dupasquier, the 19-year-old Swiss rider who lost his life following an accident in yesterday’s Moto3 Q2 qualifying session. Honda sends its deepest condolences to Dupasquier’s family, team and loved ones.
My first win of 2021 at my home GP – fantastic! I knew that with the slipstream I was so fast and my bike was so fast because the gearbox was just perfect. The goal of the weekend was to win and we won, so I’m very happy. I’d like to thank all my team and all my family who support me so well.
This morning during the warm-up I felt quite good and I was able to make a good lap time. But in the race I struggled a lot, especially at the beginning. Every lap I pushed, trying to be there, but the feeling was worse. The more I pushed, the more mistakes I made. That is an experience for the future. I have to learn about this and focus on the next race in Catalunya.
I cannot be happy about my race. My global performance isn't what I expected. The positive balance is that I’ve accumulated experience for the future. Now it’s time to think about next weekend’s Catalan GP, where I will be a wild-card entry.
