Leopard Racing’s Xavier Artigas claimed a magnificent maiden Grand Prix victory from P17 on the grid in the Moto3™ race at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana by 0.043s over Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team), as Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) came from P23 in qualifying to pick up a podium. On the final lap, World Champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and second in the Championhsip Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) clashed at Turn 2, with Acosta crashing out – rider ok.

Polesitter Acosta launched away well and grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, as early drama unfolded for three riders at Turn 4. Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) highsided, then Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) did too as the Frenchman and South African crashed in separate incidents. Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) also crashed at Turn 4 trying to avoid Binder, but thankfully, all the riders involved were unscathed.

A typical lightweight class freight train formed, the top 16 line astern on the opening handful of laps, with Acosta scrapping with Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) for the race lead. The top 12 then broke clear, as Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took the lead for the first time, before Masia took the baton. Öncü, on Lap 15 of 23, while in P2, was then handed a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding track limits.

Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP) became the next rider in the lead group to be given a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding track limits – both the Turkish and Czech riders fell to P11 and P12, still in the lead group. With six laps to go, Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) slipped out of the race at Turn 1 from the lead group, with Masia now leading again. Not for long though, this was changing all the time. And with four laps to go, it was Acosta P1 and Foggia P2. With two to go, it was roles reversed.

On the final lap of 2021, Foggia led over the line. Acosta slammed it up the inside of Foggia and Turn 1, before Foggia attempted to return the favour at Turn 2. Late on the brakes, the Italian was deep and up the inside of Acosta. Contact was made though, and Acosta went down – unhurt – as the top two in the title came to blows on the final lap of the season. This left Garcia in the lead of the race, and the Valencia specialist held P1 until the last corner, where Artigas carved his way up the inside, made it stick to claim his first Moto3™ victory. Garcia crossed the line in P2, with Masia P3.

Salač took home P4 for his best result since P2 in France, Öncü rescued a P5 after his Long Lap, with Foggia ended up P6 after his altercation with Acosta but dropped to P13 after receiving a three-second penalty for the incident. That saw Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) finish P6 with Guevara, Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) and Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) inside the top 10, with John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Foggia, Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – after two Long Laps – and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) acting as the final lightweight class point scorers in 2021.

A disappointing end to a wonderful season for Acosta, but the Spaniard will reflect on 2021 as the season he announced himself to the Grand Prix world. Acosta now gets set for his Moto2™ adventure with Red Bull KTM Ajo, as the curtain comes down on a rollercoaster Moto3™ campaign.

Top 10:
1. Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing)
2. Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.043
3. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.232
4. Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP)  + 0.443
5. Deniz Oncu (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.540
6. Stefan Nepa (BOE Owlride) + 1.156
7. Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) + 1.209
8. Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) + 2.109
9. Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) + 2.185
10. Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 2.322