Öncü steals victory by 0.005s in Moto3™ barnstormer

It was blink-and-you-miss-it stuff on the last lap of Moto3™ at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) came out on of a top titanic last-lap tussle as he got the better of Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) got his elbows out on the final lap and led into the last corner, but was pushed back to 3rd after typical Red Bull Ring last-corner chaos.  

The lights went out in Austria and it was a good start for Daniel Holgado who took the hole shot down into Turn 1 to lead Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP).  

With 17 laps to go it was a disaster for Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) who suffered a massive blow to his Championship charge as he retired from the Grand Prix with technical issues onboard his Honda Moto3™ machine.  

David Alonso (GASGAS Aspar Team) and Ayumu Sasaki did a good job to avoid slowing the Leopard machine but this let the top three breakaway, with Alonso and Sasaki locked together in a scrap for fourth. 

Alonso wasn't giving in easy however as the Colombian had the bit between his teeth to reel in the top three and join the victory battle once again, dragging Sasaki with him. 

Holgado defended the lead as the laps ticked away but David Alonso decided he wanted to have a go at the leading the way with nine laps to go. The Colombian shot up the inside of the Championship leader at Turn 1 but cracked under pressure just one corner later as he tucked the front and ended his weekend in the Austrian gravel trap.  

Sasaki was getting stuck into the leading battle after being dragged up to the group. The Japanese rider took to the front with six laps remaining and it was game on as we had a four-way scrap for victory.  

Holgado bit straight back at the Husqvarna rider as the Spaniard was adamant he wanted to control the race from the lead. 

The gauntlet was thrown as the front group were banging bars on the final lap.  Sasaki led into the last corner before Holgado made an incredible block pass on the Japanese rider. Deniz Öncü then capitalised on the front two scrapping it out and got the perfect drive out of the final corner to blast past Sasaki and pip Holgado to the victory by a whisker.  

This left Sasaki to fend off his teammate Veijer to the line as the Dutchman missed out on his debut podium by just 0.017s.  

It looked as if Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) was catching the leading group at one point, but the Spaniard was unable to join the party and he finished in P5 after fending off Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse). 

Further back a freight train of riders were scrapping it out for P7. It was Ryusei Yamanaka (GASGAS Aspar Team) who won that battle ahead of Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets MSI), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team). 

Incredible action in Moto3™ leaves the big hitters hungry for more as their attention turns to the next round on the calendar. The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya will take place from the 1st to the 3rd of September and always throws up something special in Moto3™. In the meantime make sure you keep up to date with everything MotoGP™ on motogp.com! 

Top 10

FULL RESULTS!

Follow the entire 2023 Season LIVE & VOD with VideoPass!