The perfect storm of Spanish speed, style and aggression saw Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Moto3 Team riders Izan Guevara and Sergio Garcia deliver a 1-2 finish with total domination at the 2022 Gran Premio Red Bull de España, while Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Moto2 Team riders Albert Arenas finishes ninth, and Jake Dixon retires.
- Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team rider Izan Guevara sweeps through to his first Moto3 home win with a dramatic 3rd-to-1st overtake on the final corner on the last lap
- Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team rider Sergio Garcia extends his lead in the Moto3 championship with a fast and impressive ride to second place at the 2022 Gran Premio Red Bull de España
- Guevara and Garcia go 1-2 on Sunday after taking 1-2 on the grid for qualification on Saturday: a weekend of superiority!
- Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Moto2 Team rider Albert Arenas finishes ninth, securing seven points, while Jake Dixon retires on lap nine
The mecca of Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix racing in Andalucia was calling this weekend; and the GASGAS riders answered in epic style. Opening the weekend’s proceedings with an absolute classic Spanish Grand Prix performance in Moto3, in front of the buzzing home crowds, the Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team rider duo of Izan Guevara and Sergio Garcia delivered nothing short of total domination under the bright southern Spanish sun.
Placing first and second on the grid after a dramatic qualifying session, Guevara rode to the absolute limit setting a pole position securing-time of 1:45.880. The former Junior World Champion pushed his GASGAS RC 250 GP machine to the redline around the 4.4km Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, to be the only rider to break the sub 1:46 barrier on Saturday.
Come race day the GASGAS duo made a perfect start and initially broke away from the chasing pack. However with the temperatures continually rising (25°C air / 40°C track) the pace increased, and the leading group bunched up. What followed was nothing short of 22 laps of total full gas edge-of-the-seat racing. Swapping positions at every corner, and on every lap, only one thing remained consistent; the GASGAS duo of Guevara and Garcia crossing the line in front. Try as they might, rivals Jaume Masià, Deniz Öncü and Xavi Artigas couldn’t make moves stick for more than a few corners.
On the final lap, Guevara rounded the penultimate turn in third, and then delivered a move worthy of Premier Class recognition; gunning around the outside of Masia, and his teammate Garcia, to take the win. Only Garcia had the momentum accelerating out of the final turn to tuck into the former JuniorGP world champion’s slipstream, and finish as runner-up. A superb points haul from the 1-2 finish, now sees GASGAS widen their lead in the Constructors’ championship; Garcia extend his advantage in the Riders’ championship; and Guevara leapfrogs up the tables into third position.
In Moto2 the Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Jake Dixon and Albert Arenas, battled through a tougher weekend, qualifying in 10th and 11th respectively. Following in the wheel tracks of the Moto3 showdown, both Dixon and Arenas pushed hard off the start, nosing into the top ten.
Dixon in particular was 9th by lap two, and then by lap 8 had made up a further two positions into 7th place. Unfortunately a lap later, at turn 13, the 26 year old British rider was caught out by the grip levels and crashed while pushing to overtake Fermín Aldeguer. This left Albert Arenas to fly the flag solo. Arenas rode a stoic race in front of the home crowds, with the 25 year old rider from Girona pulling an impressive nine second gap from 10th placed Jorge Navarro, to bring his machine home in 9th.
There are only two weeks to wait until the action continues with the Shark Grand Prix de France at Le Mans on the 15th May.
#11 – Sergio García: “I’m really happy because today was a really crazy race and also difficult because of the tyre in the last laps. I was happy to fight until the last corner and it was difficult to get the braking done, when Izan was on the other side. I’m pleased for the championship points too, and it’s important to continue like this. This is for all the Spanish fans that came here and filled the stands!”
#28 – Izan Guevara: “I’m really happy. An incredible weekend and I’m happy for my first win this year and the second of my career, also my race and the pace. It was just incredible. What a last corner; to overtake two riders there! Thanks to my team for all their work this weekend. My family and my sponsors.”
#75 – Albert Arenas: “I think we can be satisfied, and it feels that every time we’re out there we are closer and closer. We know where we have to improve and we have to execute the plan. We’re taking some points home and after Portimão, and it was important to have a solid race here. It was a bit tricky at the beginning of the race but this was our maximum today. Looking ahead we’ll try to keep working on how we can be better.”
#96 – Jake Dixon: “Not ideal. I made a mistake in qualifying which did not give us the best position on the grid but I started to come back through and reached P6 or P7 when unfortunately me and Fermin came together. He ‘left the door open’ so I went up the inside and then had to brake harder because he was closing the line and that closed the front and we both went out. Sorry to him and his team because I never want to take anyone out. So, again fast but no real result. We have a test next week and we’ll work hard to try and improve the little areas that we have but, overall, I feel good on the bike. Our luck just needs to change and it will be good.”
Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 6:
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 22 Laps; 2. Sergio García (GASGAS) +0.061, 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.208
Championship Standings – After Round 6:
1. Sergio García (GASGAS) 103pts; 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 82 pts; 3. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 73pts
Results – 2022 Moto2 World Championship, Round 6:
1. Ai Ogura (Kalex) 23 Laps; 2. Aron Canet (Kalex) +2.509, 3. Tony Arbolino (Kalex) +3.669, 9. Albert Arenas (GASGAS / Kalex) +18.980, DNF. Jake Dixon (GASGAS / Kalex)
Championship Standings – After Round 6:
1. Celestino Vietti (Kalex) 100pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Kalex) 81pts, 3. Tony Arbolino (Kalex) 70pts, 12. Jake Dixon (GASGAS / Kalex) 32pts, 13. Albert Arenas (GASGAS / Kalex) 29pts