Fenati within touching distance of Moto3™ success at Misano

The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team moved to Italy and the flat, twisty layout of the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini – round fourteen of the rapidly dwindling 2021 MotoGP season. The crew, and Romano Fenati in particular, held good memories of the course in San Marino and close to the Adriatic coastline after the Italian’s victory at the venue in the summer of 2020. It was Husqvarna Motorcycles’ first success since its first re-introduction to world championship racing.

The fourteenth Grand Prix of eighteen in 2021 was the first of two dates at Misano with the second occurring on 24th October (round sixteen). Moto3 was run in largely bright conditions and Fenati was able to use the speed and positive feeling with his FR 250 GP machine to gain a third Pole Position of the campaign on Saturday. The experienced racer was almost half a second quicker than countryman Dennis Foggia for his fifth front row slot from the last six events.  Rookie Adrian Fernandez clocked a lap-time to sit 21st on the grid.

The Moto3 race consisted of 23 hard-fought laps of the Misano course with its hard emphasis on right-hand turns. Fenati launched away to position himself at the peak of the group and set the fastest lap to breakaway. He started to build a comfortable margin of almost three seconds when he unexpectedly lost control at Turn 15 on lap 13 and crashed. Fernandez rode to 20th.

In the Moto3 World Championship standings Fenati is 4th and now 34 points behind both Sergio Garcia and Dennis Foggia tied in 2nd spot.

After back-to-back events in Spain and Italy MotoGP pauses before the second overseas fixture of the season. The epic Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will stage the first Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas since 2019 on October 3rd.

Romano Fenati: “Of course I’m not happy for the crash but I am happy about the pace. That was important. I was the strongest out there. I’m sorry for the team and the fans and everybody. Now we have to do a good GP in the USA and try to repeat the first half of the race here in the ones to come.”

Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 14

1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 39:17.002, 2. Niccolo Antontelli (KTM) +0.565, 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) +0.817. 20. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +21.363, DNF. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna)

World Championship standings

1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 210pts; 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 168pts; 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 168pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 134 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 20 pts.