11/11/2023

Veijer & Sasaki line up on rows 1 and 2 in Malaysia

The LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 duo take up positions at the front of the grid for the Malaysian Grand Prix after rookie Collin Veijer secured a strong second place behind world championship leader Jaume Masia, who Ayumu Sasaki will target and chase from fifth position on his title mission.

Once again, the young Dutchman Collin Veijer shone bright in the tropical heat in Qualifying 2 after emerging fastest from Q1. If, after a somewhat difficult Friday, one thought that the 18-year-old might find it harder than usual to familiarise himself with a new track like the 5.54 km long Sepang International Circuit, you were proved wrong today. With targeted work and visible improvements, Veijer got everything he needed to be able to confidently set fast times in qualifying on Saturday afternoon. Even though the youngster lost 0.906s to Jaume Masia's high-speed pole, he is in the best possible position to not only fight for his second podium result in the 15-lap race on Sunday but also to support his team-mate on his title mission.

Ayumu Sasaki, for his part, will start from fifth on the grid in pursuit of title rival Jaume Masia after a small slide in Q2 thwarted a further attack. The Japanese rider has always been within striking distance of the frontrunners throughout the weekend so far, while he has worked specifically on his Husqvarna and made the necessary set-up improvements that make him very confident for the race. After the no-fault crash in Thailand, the 23-year-old is extremely keen to reduce his 17-point deficit to the maximum possible number before the final races of the season.

Results

P1
1. Jaume MASIA/ SPA/ HONDA – 2'12.065
2. Deniz ÖNCÜ/ TUR/ KTM – 2'12.500 (+0.435)
3. Romano FENATI/ ITA/ HONDA – 2'12.580 (+0.515)
8. Ayumu SASAKI/ JAP/ HUSQVARNA – 2'13.374 (+2'13.374)
25.Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'14.327 (+2.262)

P2
1. Taiyo FURUSATO JPN/ HONDA – 2'12.518
2. David ALONSO/ SPA/ GASGAS – 2'12.555 (+0.037)
3. Matteo BERTELLE/ ITA/ HONDA – 2'12.570 (+0.052)
6. Ayumu SASAKI/ JAP/ HUSQVARNA – 2'12.662 (+0.144)
21.Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'13.788 (+1.270)

P3
1. Daniel HOLGADO/ SPA/ KTM – 2'11.139
2. Deniz ÖNCÜ/ TUR/ KTM – 2'11.364 (+0.225)
3. Jaume MASIA/ SPA/ HONDA – 2'11.573 (+0.434)
4. Ayumu SASAKI/ JAP/ HUSQVARNA – 2'11.753 (+0.614)
17.Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'12.458 (+1.319)

Q2
1. Jaume MASIA/ SPA/ HONDA – 2'10.846
2. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'11.752 (+0.906)
3. Matteo BERTELLE/ ITA/ HONDA – 2'11.778 (+0.932)
5. Ayumu SASAKI/ JAP/ HUSQVARNA – 2'12.002 (+1.156)

Ayumu Sasaki

P5 - 2'12.002 (+1.156)

"During Practice 3 this morning, we improved a lot compared to yesterday and we also took another step forward in qualifying in terms of the bike's set-up. Unfortunately, a small mistake happened then, without which I think I could have been in second place because Masia was much faster today. So, P2 and a start from the front row were within the realms of possibility. Nevertheless, I'm satisfied with what we achieved today. P5, despite this mistake, I think we did a good job and that puts us in a position to fight tomorrow because our pace is strong. My feeling is much better than yesterday, and we know that we have already fixed the problem. So almost everything is set for race day, even if Masia looks pretty strong. But in terms of race pace, we are on the same level as him. So, nothing to worry about, just focus on tomorrow."

Collin Veijjer

P2 - 2'11.752 (+0.906)

"Yesterday wasn't a perfect day, but we improved a lot in terms of feeling in some sections like sectors one and three. This morning I tried to do my laps on my own, which worked quite well. I was quite happy with my laps. On our last run, we tried it with Ayumu, but then the yellow flag came out. That was a bit unfortunate because it might have cost me a direct entry into Q2. Q1 was no different to this morning, I tried it again on my own and it was okay. In the first three laps, you have to push quite a lot with the fresh tyre because the drop is quite big. But I felt good in those 15 minutes and was confident that I could do the same in Q2. But then there was a big group out there and everyone was cruising around. I think I found the perfect spot to get clear, but then I got stuck behind some riders. I'm pretty sure I could have gone faster. In the end, I managed a 2'11, which I'm very happy about. But the gap to Jaume is incredible, he did something different today. Anyway, this qualifying makes me very happy, so let's see what we can do tomorrow. Many thanks to the team, they always do a great job and guide me perfectly."

Malaysian GP 2023 – Saturday Moto3

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