Ayumu Sasaki seals the final victory of the season at Valencia with a composed performance
Ayumu Sasaki, the Japanese rider aboard a Husqvarna machine, secured the last win of the year during a dramatic Valencian Community Grand Prix weekend. The event carried a special weight as the home crowd watched Spaniard Jaume Masia, the fresh world champion on a Honda, celebrate his title from the best possible vantage point after finishing in a discreet thirteenth place. The atmosphere was electric, the stakes high, and Sasaki faced the pressure with a level head that marked the moment as a turning point in his season. Across the paddock, the momentum of Moto3 remained intense, with every rider pushing to cement their status heading into the off-season and the anticipated transitions that lay ahead for the junior category.
In a race that many would call a balancing act among several possible podium contenders, Sasaki kept his focus and delivered the season’s first victory for himself while also earning a strong second place in the world standings for the Motorcycle World Championship, the third podium finish of his professional career. The field was tight, with a mix of strategies competing for speed, consistency, and late-race acceleration. The victory signaled more than a win in the standings; it demonstrated Sasaki’s growth as a driver under pressure and his ability to convert opportunities into results even when the field features multiple riders capable of taking the top step at the close of the year. By clinching this win, he stood as one of the most consistent performers in a category that always rewards precision and timing as much as raw speed.
Following the race celebration, the prevailing narrative highlighted a notable change for the Japanese rider, who would be promoted to Moto2 in the future. The 2023 season saw him become the ninth different victor in the junior division, underscoring a high level of competition and the emergence of new talents on the world stage. On the podium, Colombian rider David Alonso, aboard a GasGas, was recognized as the rookie of the year, while Spanish rider Iván Ortolá, riding a KTM, completed the group of top performers in the top five. Dutch pole-sitter Collin Veijer on a Husqvarna and Turkish racer Deniz Öncü on a KTM also earned positions within the coveted top five, highlighting a diverse field of riders who brought speed and tenacity to the track in Valencia. The result contributed to a sense of anticipation for what the next season will bring as teams reassess strategies and riders prepare to advance in their careers.
As the final race finished, Masia retained a notable but uncelebrated 13th place while the Valencian crowdsonly intensified their support for him as the new world champion. José Antonio Rueda, riding a KTM, finished in sixth, while Dani Holgado also on a KTM completed the eighth position. David Muñoz, another KTM competitor, crossed the line ninth, and Adrián Fernández on Honda finished in fourteenth. Xavi Artigas on a CFmoto finished nineteenth, with David Salvador and Marcos Ruda on KTM completing the twenty-first and twenty-second places respectively. Vicente Pérez, riding KTM, could not complete the race, ending a day that encapsulated the unpredictable nature of Moto3 racing where a single moment can redefine the championship narrative and set the tone for the long, winding road of the next season. The Valencia race thus served not only as a conclusion to the year but also as a catalyst for future changes and renewed ambitions among the sport’s rising stars, including Sasaki as he charts his path through Moto2 and beyond.