The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider finishes third in the Teruel Grand Prix after a hard-fought race. Raul Fernandez places 12th.

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, Kaito Toba, achieved his first podium of the 2020 season at the MotorLand Aragon circuit this Sunday, finishing third at the Grand Prix of Teruel. His notable progress in recent rounds culminated in his second ever rostrum in the Moto3 World Championship, which came after a series of overtaking moves throughout the race. Teammate Raul Fernandez would lead the contest at one point, but several unfortunate incidents led to him dropping to 12th place.

Toba enjoyed his best Sunday so far this season, making a good start from the third row of the grid. The Japanese latched onto the leading group and held a favourable position in 7th place. On lap seven, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider upped his pace significantly, beginning to move his way to the front of the field. Involved in an intense battle inside the Top 5, he eventually crossed the line in third to round off the podium.

Fernandez made the most of his pole on the starting grid to grab the holeshot. The Spaniard held his place and fought off overtaking attempts from his rivals, until a move on Lap 4 forced him to go wide and lose several positions. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider kept his cool and settled into the front group. However, an incident on the final lap split the pack and Fernandez would take the chequered flag in 12th.

With today’s results, Fernandez is now 7th in the Moto3 World Championship with 93 points, whilst Kaito Toba is 16th in the standings with 40. The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo will enjoy a week off before facing the last triple header of the season, beginning with the European Grand Prix from November 6th to 8th at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.

Results – Race
1. Jaume Masia (Honda) 37:44.602
2. Ayumu Sasaki (KTM) +0.051
3. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +0.152
4. Albert Arenas (KTM) +0.296
5. Celestino Vietti (KTM) +0.331
12. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +2.493

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2020
1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 157 points
2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 138 points
3. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 137 points
4. Jaume Masia (Honda) 133 points
5. Tony Arbolino (Honda) 121 points
7. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 93 points
16. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 40 points

 

AKI AJO – TEAM MANAGER

“Without a doubt it is very positive to have taken two podiums in the two consecutive rounds held here in Aragon. Kaito [Toba] had a great weekend, regained his confidence and shown what he is capable of. On the other hand, for Raul [Fernandez] it was a tough race. He was strong throughout the Grand Prix, but on Sunday he couldn’t get into the fight for the top positions. We have to analyse what happened in depth and apply it for the future.”

25 RAUL FERNANDEZ

“It was a tough race for us. After all the work we’ve done over the weekend, the result was not what we had expected. We are analysing the data that we gathered from the contest, to see what we can improve for the next round. It’s time to put this behind us and focus on the next Grand Prix in Valencia – where once again we will give our one hundred percent.”

27 KAITO TOBA

“Today’s race was tough, as the leading group was very large and it was difficult to maintain your position. However, this time we were strong when braking and I was focused – as well as calm. I really enjoyed myself and it was a great Sunday for us. I’m happy to be back on the podium and we will try to keep working like this and fight for more results like this one.”