Izdihar chases more points, Matsuyama replaces Kunii
Autodromo Internazionale del MugelloMoto3 rookie Andi Farid Izdihar (Honda Team Asia Honda NSF250RW) aims to use Mugello to build on the foundations he laid two weeks ago at Le Mans, where he scored his first World Championship point.
The 23-year-old Indonesian rode his rookie world-class campaign in Moto2 in 2020 and switched to Moto3 for 2021. Since the start of the season in Qatar he has been making steady forward progress as he learns the art of racing in the Moto3 class, which regularly provides the closest racing across MotoGP’s three categories. Izdihar finished just outside the top 20 at the first two races, then 18th at the next two races and finally 15th at Le Mans. He aims to continue climbing that upward curve this weekend.
Izdihar’s usual team-mate Yuki Kunii (Honda Team Asia Honda NSF250RW) won’t be at Mugello. The 18-year-old from Setagaya broke his left collarbone when he fell during qualifying at Le Mans. He is now working hard at his recovery and hopes to be back on his NSF250RW for the Catalan GP, the weekend after the Italian GP.
This weekend Kunii will be replaced by Takuma Matsuyama (Honda Team Asia Honda NSF250RW), who made his Grand Prix debut with a wildcard entry at Le Mans. The 16-year-old from Chiba’s full-time ride in 2021 is the Moto3 Junior World Championship. The weekend before the French GP he scored his first podium in the junior series, at Valencia.
Matsuyama treated Le Mans as a learning experience and he will have the same approach at Mugello, but this time he aims to finish the race, after crashing out in France.
Honda’s top-scoring Moto3 rider is currently Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team Honda NSF250RW), who can’t wait to get to Mugello, where four years ago he scored his first and so far only Grand Prix victory.
Migno has made an excellent start to his first season with Honda. The 25-year-old Italian stands third overall after scoring points at all but the first race, with a podium at the Portuguese GP and fourth places at the Doha and Spanish GPs. Migno has also started from pole position on two occasions, in Portugal and in France.
Honda’s next two riders in the championships standings are Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda NSF250RW) and Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team Honda NSF250RW). Binder hopes for a change of fortune at Mugello. The 23-year-old South African made an excellent start to 2021, with podiums at the first two races, but has been out of luck since, with no further points added to his score, putting him eighth overall.
Salac brought his season alive at Le Mans, where he scored his first Grand Prix podium. The 19-year-old Czech rider has finished in the points at four of the five races so far and holds ninth place in the championship.
I have very special memories from Mugello 2017, when I won the race, so this weekend my target is to fight for the podium again, especially after we missed it by just one position at Losail and Jerez. The team is working very well and my bike is working really well, so I know we have the package to perform at my home GP. Mugello is always extra special with the fans, so it will be sad to race there without them this time, but we will put on a great show anyway.
I’m so excited to go to Mugello for the first time. I am already learning as much as I can about the circuit, by watching videos from past races and practice sessions, and also by using the team’s data from the last time they raced there in 2019. All of this will help me to learn the track a bit before practice starts. Of course this weekend I will try my best to continue improving and I will continue to work hard to achieve a good position in the race and take some points.
I would like to thank Honda Team Asia for this opportunity and I wish a fast recovery to Kunii. This will be my second race in the World Championship after my debut at Le Mans two weeks ago. It will also be my first time at Mugello. Obviously my target is to learn as much as possible while I’m riding together with the world’s best riders.
Unfortunately I cannot do this race but my collarbone is coming better. Honest I am sorry about the crash and the injury but this can happen in racing. Now I am focused on my recovery because I want to come back soon, at the next race at Catalunya. I am working hard for this and I am doing my best to come back 100% perfect.