Di Giannantonio snatches 1 point in eventful Malaysian GP. Unlucky debut for Sasaki
The Gresini Racing Team Moto3 wrapped up the intense flyaway triple header with today’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang: the team experienced another complicated race, with Fabio Di Giannantonio fifteenth on the finish line after a crash on the third lap and Ayumu Sasaki – called to replace injured Enea Bastianini – out after only two corners after he was hit by another rider.
Started from the seventh row of the grid, Di Giannantonio had already recovered several positions and was in eleventh position chasing the leading group when he crashed losing the front entering Turn 7, a point where a few moments before Binder, Mir and Dalla Porta, in the first positions, all crashed at the same time. Fabio was then able to re-join the race, crossing the finish line in fifteentt, thus gaining an important point in the Rookie of the Year battle against Nicolò Bulega and Joan Mir, both retired today.
The race of the other Gresini Racing Team Moto3 rider, Ayumu Sasaki, lasted only two corners: the 16-year-old Japanese was hit by another rider right after the start, at Turn2, and he was forced to retire.
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (15th)
“Before the race I was really motivated because in the warm-up we found a good compromise to make a good comeback. I had a pretty good start and despite a bit of chaos at the first two corners, where several riders crashed, on the second lap I was already eleventh. I was pushing to try to catch the lead group, then under braking at Turn 7 I saw some riders falling in front of me: I was already braking, I suddenly lost the front and I could not avoid the crash. We will analyze the data to better understand what happened, maybe there was oil on the track or a wet area that I have not seen, because after all I was not pushing too hard. It’s a pity: one point is better than nothing, but it remains a small consolation. We hope to make up for that in Valencia!”.
AYUMU SASAKI (DNF)
“Unfortunately in the crash I hit my head and I don’t remember very well what happened. It’s a shame to end this experience in this way, on the very first lap… Among other things this morning the Warm Up was positive so I was expecting to be able to have a good race. We were unlucky, but it was still a wonderful experience to debut in the World Championship!”.
FAUSTO GRESINI
“It was a really complicated race: in the end with Di Giannantonio we brought home an important point for the Championship, but as happened in Australia we lost a good opportunity. Now it’s missing only one race and we are already looking forward to Valencia, where we hope to be able to have a ‘normal’ race weekend, because the last two have been very strange”.
