- Augusto Fernandez had a strong pace with the GASGAS RC16 but suffers frustration with a crash at mid-race distance.
- Pol Espargaro improves his race setup and attacks the top ten but lost control through the low grip conditions on lap two and falls out
- David Alonso captures 2nd position for the GASGAS Aspar Team after setting off from the Moto3 front row as Jake Dixon keeps 3rd place in the Moto2 championship with a decent 4th in Lombok
13 laps in the Indonesian Sprint at the Mandalika Street Circuit provided one test on Saturday, the full 27-lap Grand Prix distance with 57-degree Celsius track temperatures on Sunday was another prospect altogether. The slick tarmac away from the narrow racing line and the tight proximity of the lap-times and pace in MotoGP combined with the gamble over tire choice and wear provided a demanding stage for the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 duo.
The pair started from 16th and 18th on the grid and the race was all about the measure between preservation and aggression. Pol had made some positive changes to his bike setup and grabbed an excellent start to burst inside the top ten. Sadly, he could not rise further as he crashed on the second lap braking into the final sector. Augusto was left to chase a similar goal but his efforts were culled before he could sink his teeth in the second phase of the GP.
Heads up, eyes locked and onto the next. Indonesia was the first of the six final events of the season in seven weeks and a triple header that will take-in the fast-speed kinks and flow of Phillip Island, before another hot and sweaty outing at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand. Fernandez is 15th in the standings while Espargaro has 12 points.
Augusto Fernandez, DNF: “A tough race and a hard weekend. I made a mistake into Turn 10 and lost time early on but then I was back up to my pace and feeling OK. I was running well until the crash, when I lost the front. A shame because the top ten was possible. The speed was there so I cannot wait to start again in Australia.”
Pol Espargaro, DNF: “Obviously I’m not happy after crashing so early in the race but we have to look to the positives. I was struggling this weekend so we changed the bike a lot this morning and it was much better for me. I recovered a lot of positions at the start and I think I was P7 or P6 before the crash. It’s a pity but also a learning process for the next races and getting some good feedback. This is always important.”
Nicolas Goyon, GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager: “Augusto had a difficult tire choice for the race and finally he made a good decision and made a decent pace after his small mistake. We expected him to reach the top ten and the crash was a big shame. We also had some hopes for Pol after the changes the team made to the bike. He had a good start and was confident but was caught out with the front end. Not the end to the weekend we wanted but we’ll look forward to different conditions in Australia.”
Results MotoGP Grand Prix of Indonesia
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 41:20.293
2. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia +0.306
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +0.433
DNF. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3
DNF. Pol Espargaro (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 346 points
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 328
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 283
15. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 67
23. Pol Espargaro (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 12
Moto3 and Moto2
GASGAS Aspar Team helped David Alonso roll into 3rd place and the final front row markings of the Moto3 grid; it was his best quali performance in the series to-date. The 20-lap contest opened the hot and sunny race day on the Lombok Island as ambient temperatures touched 35 degrees and the young Columbian infiltrated the ten-rider lead pack from the off. Alonso cut and thrust through a close and brilliant contest and made some bold moves on the final lap to be runner-up. The margin was just a tenth of a second to winner Diogo Moreira! The result gave David his fifth rostrum finish of his rookie season.
Japanese teammate Ryusei Yamanaka thundered away from a slot further back on the grid and was able to latch into the tows of the second group. He couldn’t avoid running off a section of the track with three laps to go and was given a Long Lap penalty, meaning a final position of 15th and the last world championship point.
Alonso is 4th in the Moto3 standings and still in contention for the crown. The youngster is 29 points from the peak of the table with 125 points left to win.
David Alonso, 2nd: “Very happy to be on the podium because we’d had a few problems to get in similar positions recently but today we were there for the fight. It was a big battle and I think a few riders were on the limit or over. I stayed on the bike, despite all the touches out there. We didn’t have the best gearing but we could go for the podium and we’ll celebrate for a few days here before we go to Australia!”
Ryusei Yamanaka, 15th: “I started from P19 and it was difficult to catch-up in the beginning and also to overtake. I made some good laps but we need to find a solution to be faster because I lost a lot in sector two today. Anyway, we’ll work hard from FP1 in Australia and will try our best.”
Moto2 saw an incredibly tight quali run, and although Jake Dixon took to the grid in 7th spot the Brit was only 0.189 away from Pole! The 22-lap race started in chaotic fashion but Dixon assumed his usual position of sharp competitiveness and nursed the Dunlop rubber to try and keep a consistent pace. He tussled with Tony Arbolino for the top five and relegated the Italian with two laps to go. Jake then lunged superbly on Manuel Gonzalez into the penultimate corner to seize 4th. Izan Guevara persevered to lodge 21st place.
Onto Phillip Island and a cooler but equally throttle-heavy Grand Prix next weekend.
Jake Dixon, 4th: “If you would have told me on Saturday morning that we could have 4th position then I would have taken it. The main objective now is to try and start well and continue through the weekend because we were on the backfoot here on Friday and Saturday. I don’t understand the bike well enough for the race to be able to fight for the podium, and we are only missing a little bit. The team and I did a great job to come back here. We need to be stronger at the beginning of the weekend to fight for wins again. 4th was the next best thing today and I didn’t give up all the way.”
Izan Guevara, 21st: “The weekend started well with some decent speed but I struggled to feel good on the bike and it was sliding around a lot. It was the same story in the race but I held on and tried to grab back some positions. We couldn’t make the points but now we’ll look to Australia. I have good memories from last year. This was a tough moment but I hope I can find another step forwards in Phillip Island.”
Grand Prix of Indonesia photographs can be found HERE
Results Moto3 Grand Prix of Indonesia
1. Diogo Moreira (BRA) KTM 33:19.002
2. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS Aspar Team +0.107
3. David Muñoz (ESP) KTM +0.130
15. Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) GASGAS Aspar Team +9.094
World Championship standings Moto3
1. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda 209 points
2. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna, 193
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) KTM, 192
4. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS Aspar Team, 180
14. Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) GASGAS Aspar Team, 63
Results Moto2 Grand Prix of Indonesia
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP) 34:51.641
2. Aron Canet (ESP) +2.044
3. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) +4.716
4. Jake Dixon (GBR) GASGAS Aspar Team +9.082
21. Izan Guevara (ESP) GASGAS Aspar Team +36.857
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP), 277 points
2. Tony Arbolino (ITA), 212
3. Jake Dixon (GBR), GASGAS Aspar Team 172
25. Izan Guevara (ESP) GASGAS Aspar Team, 8
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