Sasaki makes an incredible Moto3™ Junior World Championship debut in Valencia while Norrodin and Toba score points.
Ayumu Sasaki has successfully completed his debut in the Moto3™ Junior World Championship with the Asia Talent Team, securing them their first podium with third in the first of two races at the Circuito de Valencia.
Sasaki, who started from the second row of the grid, made a good start during the restart, action suspended due to a red flag from a fall. The race was therefore a sprint, just nine laps, and the champion of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup was able to stay with the leading group which consisted of the four title challengers. Throughout the race he managed to keep their pace, then drama struck at the close as Canet and Dalla Porta fell in the final corner and Sasaki was able to take advantage for third. Notably, this was the first time Sasaki has run at Valencia and he was also with a new bike.
Unfortunately in the second race he was unable to repeat his performance with clutch problems and a change in setting that did not work. This saw him end down in 11th spot.
His colleagues in the Asia Talent Team had mixed fortunes again. Toba fell at the start of the first race, but the red flag allowed him to join the restarted race and equal his times from practice. He would end 11th. Interestingly, in the second race he was able to run faster times than in the first, but was unable to score points with 16th.
Adam Norrodin had gone without much notice during the weekend but was able to end the first race 15th and score another point, his second race ended down in 22nd.
Having fallen during Qualifying and breaking his right radius, Yuta Date was unable to participate in either race today.
With this ends an intense weekend in Valencia, the final round of the 2015 season. In their debut the Asia Talent Team have travelled to the likes of Portimao, Le Mans, Catalunya, Aragon, Albacete, Navarra, Jerez and Valencia. They have helped to develop young Asian talent and have ended a season of intense work as a team who are ready for the new challenges of the future.
All results from Valencia and the season can be found at this link.
