Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) is a history maker in Moto3™! The Italian becomes the first rider to win three races at a single track after coming out on top of a pulsating Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini that saw Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) claim podiums in P2 and P3, while Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) suffers a Sunday to forget after a crash and a black flag.

It was a dramatic start to the lightweight class encounter as World Championship leader Garcia was forced off the track at Turn 1 along with Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Then, Austria hero Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) was down at Turn 4 after being wiped out by Nicola Carraro (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team).

At the front, it didn’t take long for Guevara to hit the front, with Foggia making a quick start too. The Italian was up to third behind second place Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) who were fighting inside the top five, as Garcia then tagged the back of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) at Turn 14 – luckily, neither went down.

However, a few corners later on Lap 5, Garcia did slide down the road unhurt. Huge news in the title race, especially with Guevara leading – and looking strong. Garcia would rejoin but the number 11 later received a black flag for irresponsible riding, compounding a tough day at the office for one side of the GASGAS Aspar box. Meanwhile, with 15 laps to go, Guevara, Foggia, Holgado and Masia had stretched a 0.9s gap to the fifth place fight led by Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing). A lap later, Foggia pounced down at Turn 8 to lead the race for the first time.

With 10 laps to go it was as you were at the front, but injured Öncü and Suzuki were bridging the gap to the leading quartet. On Lap 17 of 23, things started to get busy. Guevara took the lead at Turn 8 before Masia grabbed a two-for-one deal at Turn 10. Foggia got the power down on the exit though and grabbed the lead straight back, with the squabbling bringing Öncü and Suzuki right into contention.

With three to go, the victory fight was now between Foggia, Guevara, Masia and Öncü. Foggia needed to be careful because he’d been handed a track limits warning and just after that, Guevara made a move stick for the lead. But Foggia snapped straight back and in just a couple of corners Guevara went from P1 to P4.

At the start of the final lap, Foggia, Masia, Öncü and Guevara were split by nothing. Öncü slung his KTM up the inside of Masia at Turn 8 and it gave Foggia crucial bike lengths out front. Guevara and Masia responded to quickly demote Öncü to P4 but a 0.3s gap was enough to enable Foggia to have a relatively simple latter half to the final lap to win for a record third time in Misano in the Moto3™ class. Masia held off Guevara for P2, the latter claimed P3 and with it the title lead, as Öncü had to settle for an incredible P4 while nursing a shoulder injury.

Holgado and Suzuki finished in a lonely P5 and P6 after losing touch with the leaders, as Moreira won the battle for P7. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) completed the top 10 with Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Muñoz and Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) also finishing in that big group, but the trio had to settle for P11, P12 and P13 respectively. Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) from 30^th and Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) were the final points scorers.

After a dramatic Sunday, Guevara is the new Moto3™ World Championship leader. Garcia now trails his teammate by 11 points as Foggia brings himself back into contention – 35 is the Italian’s deficit. Aragon is up next, what will unfold at MotorLand? 

Top 10:
1. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing)
2. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.289
3. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.334
4. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 0.453
5. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 4.955
6. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 5.926
7. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) + 11.002
8. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) + 11.188
9. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) + 11.383
10. Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) + 11.494