Australian Moto3: Last lap tactics see Oncu win in the wet

Deniz Oncu made his move on the last lap to take the Australian Moto3 Grand Prix win in the wet and windy conditions at Phillip Island.

Lisa Lewis

22 Oct 2023

Deniz Oncu, Moto3 race, Australian MotoGP, 22 October

Moto3 got the unenviable job of being the first riders to try out the cold, wet and windy conditions, which arrived just as predicted. Round sixteen of the championship went Deniz Oncu’s way after a well timed overtake on the final lap in the Australian Moto3 Grand Prix.

Chaos on the sighting lap

The crashes began before the race started. Holgado had a violent highside which left his bike so battered it no longer had a number. Holgado himself had a cut to the face.

Moreira and Bertelle also fell, with Vincente Perez running off track enough to visit the pits for running repairs in the BOE garage. Indonesia winner Moreira was sat in his garage on a chair with no bike available for a long spell. Once on show it was in a worse state than Holgado’s. It was later revealed in the team press release that the #10 rider had lost consciousness, but was allowed to race. Moreira later retired with dizziness.

Amazingly, both Perez and Holgado lined up on the grid, while Moreira got his bike running from the pit lane.

The early stages of the race belonged to Adrian Fernandez, who felt out the conditions at the front on his Leopard.

Falling from the lead at turn eleven with six laps remaining, he handed over to pole man Ayumu Sasaki.

The Liqui Moly Husqvarna rider had gotten to grips with the testing conditions, with Oncu stalking behind.

Despite the fact the lead duo had the shivers they were so cold in parc ferme, they put on a superb last lap show.

After a few rehearsals, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider lined up Sasaki at MG, and bravely went for the win. All a bit sketchy, the Turkish rider made his move stick to lead over the line by 0.407s.

Oncu survived several wobbles to claim his third win of the season, much in the same style as his last lap win over his Japanese rival back in Germany, while Sasaki picked up his sixth second place.

Home hero Joel Kelso started second, his best grid placing so far in his career, and with a new contract under his belt he was up for a home podium.

Able to work his way back into top three contention rapidly as Collin Veijer fell from the lead group, the Australian was four seconds behind the leaders for third, as the CFMoto Racing PruestelGP rider collected his best result to date.

Veijer was dropped on the second Husqvqrna bike almost twenty seconds off what was needed for a rostrum, but was safe from being taken over as long as he stayed upright as there was a further cushion of around eight seconds until the next rider reached the chequered flag,

Fifth went to Adrian Fernandez, who took the position despite his fall from the lead, such were the gaps as caution took it’s toll on the race in the wet, windy conditions.

He had Riccardo Rossi right behind him in sixth, providing pressure all the way to the line for SIC58 Squadra Corse.

Taiyo Furusato bridged the space in front of him for a close seventh for Honda Team Asia, equalling his best finish, which came just last race.

Championship ride from Masia.

Championship leader Masia displayed his credentials in the wet early, topping warm-up. However by the time the race arrived the weather had worsened significantly, so the #5 prioritised finishing the race for important championship points.

The Leopard rider brought his Leopard home right behind Furusato for eighth.

Matteo Bertelle was a near ninth for Rivacold Snipers, Lorenzo fellon completed the top ten for CIP Green Power.

His teammate for the weekend Nicola Carraro was a distant eleventh, while twelfth went to Stefano Nepa for the Angeluss MTA Team.

The remaining points went to Daniel Holgado, 13th after his pre-race fall for Red Bull KTM Ajo, VisionTrack’s Joshua Whatley, taking his best result in 14th and Ryusei Yamanaka in 15th for Aspar.

Crashes, injuries and replacements

Only three other riders made it to the end of the race - Xavier Artigas, Kaito Toba and rookie Jose Antonio Rueda.

Toba, Whatley and Artigas (double) all completed long lap penalties, as did David Munoz (also double) before he fell out of contention after working his way back into the top ten.

Vincente Perez replaced Ana Carrasco at BOE Motorsports, as she recovers from surgery and was the last rider to exit.

Romano Fenati had Nicola Carraro fill in for him again at Rivacold Snipers.

Scott Ogden was not allowed to qualify after suffering bike issues since arriving in Australia left him within a lap time within the minimum to continue after practice.