Sasaki achieves career best Moto2 result at the Sachsenring with ninth place, Van den Goorbergh just outside the points

Ayumu Sasaki finished ninth in Sunday afternoon’s Moto2 race at the Sachsenring. The Japanese rider secured his best result of the season, and also his best result in the Moto2 class. Teammate Zonta van den Goorbergh missed out on points by less than a second and had to settle for 17th place in a race that was red-flagged early.

After heavy rain on Saturday, the sun returned to the Sachsenring on Sunday afternoon. Weather conditions were favourable at the German circuit, with an ambient temperature of around 19°C. However, track conditions were still not ideal due to the low grip level following the previous day’s rainfall.

After the start, Ayumu Sasaki lost a few positions but quickly fought his way back into the top fourteen. The Japanese rider maintained a consistent pace and avoided mistakes, while others ahead of him faltered. At the end of lap 21 the red flag was waved due to an incident, and the race was not restarted. Sasaki was classified ninth, marking the best Moto2 result of his career.

Zonta van den Goorbergh faced a tougher task starting from 22nd on the grid. After a difficult opening lap, the Dutchman worked his way into the top twenty. Just before the red flag, Van den Goorbergh had moved up to 16th position, but because the results were taken from the previous lap, he was classified 17th. He missed out on a points finish by less than a second.

Ayumu Sasaki (P9 / +8,489):
“I am happy with today’s race, we were able to finish inside the top 10. We made a good step forward so I am satisfied about our work today. I want to thank the team for giving me a great bike. My feeling was very good and we managed the race well. We have another race weekend coming up in a few days’ time so let’s try to score another top 10 before the summer break.”

Zonta van den Goorbergh (P17 / +19,101):
“It definitely wasn’t an easy race, but it was a race where we were fighting for something right until the end. It’s a real shame to go home without points, I think there could have been one or two points in it if it weren’t for that red flag. I was on a charge and had already made an overtake, but unfortunately, the red flag came. Still, there are positives to take with us to Brno.”

Jarno Janssen – RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP team manager:
“We’ve had to deal with tough conditions this weekend, especially on Saturday with all the rain. Ayumu was in a good rhythm right from Friday, and that showed again in the race. We’re incredibly happy with our first top ten of the year. Of course, there were quite a few incidents during the race, including the one that brought out the red flag, but that doesn’t take away from Ayumu’s performance. We’re very pleased with it and it gives us a lot of confidence heading into the next races.

Zonta fought hard during the race, but we already had quite a deficit to make up, and that’s not easy. His lap times were good enough for points, but Moto2 remains incredibly competitive, especially when you’re starting from so far back. We need to keep our focus and work to improve across the board.

We’re now halfway through the season, which is a milestone in itself. Next week we head to Brno, a track we haven’t been to in a long time. I think it could suit us well, so we’ll give it everything again next week.”

The twelfth Grand Prix of the season will take place next weekend, from July 18 to 20, at the Automotodrom Brno in the Czech Republic.