# Ayumu Sasaki

Ayumu Sasaki (佐々木 歩夢, Sasaki Ayumu, born October 4, 2000) is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer currently competing in the Moto2 class for the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team. He most recently competed in Moto3 from 2016 to 2023, where he finished runner-up in his final year in the category behind eventual champion Jaume Masià.

## Career
### Junior career

In 2015 Sasaki was the Asia Talent Cup champion and also competed in the 2015 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, winning a race in Silverstone, and finishing in 2nd twice, and 3rd twice, finishing the season third in the standings.
In the 2016 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, Sasaki won four races, finished on the podium eleven times during the thirteen races, and never finished outside the top four, winning the title by 49 points.

### Moto3 World Championship
#### Gresini Racing Moto3 (2016)

In the 2016 Moto3 World Championship, he made his Grand Prix debut with the Gresini Racing team at the Malaysian Grand Prix as the replacement rider for the injured Enea Bastianini.

#### SIC Racing Team (2017)

He was signed up to race in the 2017 Moto3 World Championship for Sepang Racing Team, partnering Adam Norrodin. Sasaki had an impressive rookie campaign, finishing in the points eight times, twice in the top ten (8th place in Mugello, and 7th at Phillip Island), and ended up winning rookie of the year, scoring 32 points, finishing 20th in the standings.

#### Petronas Sprinta Racing (2018–2019)

Staying with Sepang SIC Racing Team for the 2018 Moto3 World Championship, Sasaki basically copied his 2017 campaign: he finished in the points eight times, his two best finishes were a 7th place in Austria, and an 8th place in Qatar, and finished the season 20th in the standings, with 50 points.
For the 2019 Moto3 World Championship, Sasaki would stay with Petronas Sepang Racing Team, but would be partnered by John McPhee. Sasaki improved, with five top-ten finishes (5th in Argentina, 6th in Britain, 7th in Australia, 8th in Barcelona, and 9th in Germany), 11-point scoring finishes, a Pole position at the Sachsenring, finishing the season with 62 points, and 20th in the standings.

#### Red Bull KTM Tech3 (2020–2021)

Sasaki switched teams for the 2020 Moto3 World Championship, signing with Red Bull KTM Tech3, to partner Deniz Öncü. Sasaki and Öncü were very evenly matched during the year, Sasaki collecting 52 points, and Öncü 50. Sasaki finished in the points eight times, in the top-10 three times, and scored his first career Moto3 podium at Aragón, seeing the checkered flag in 2nd place, just 0.051 seconds behind Jaume Masiá.
Tech3 kept both Öncü and Sasaki for the 2021 season, and both riders improved. Sasaki especially started the season well, with a 7th place in Doha, a 4th place in Portimao, a 5th place in Jerez, a 5th place in Le Mans, and a 5th place in Mugello. On May 29, 2021, in the 2021 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix, Sasaki was involved in an accident with Jason Dupasquier and Jeremy Alcoba. Dupasquier succumbed to his injuries the following day. Following the accident, Sasaki did not participate in the following two races. He returned for Austria, finishing in 5th place, before scoring his only podium of the season in Aragón, finishing 3rd, with Öncü finishing 2nd. He scored 120 points during the year, finishing 9th in the championship standings.

#### Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max (2022)

For 2022, Sasaki is contracted to race for Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max team, along with 2019 teammate John McPhee.

#### Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (2023)

In 2023 Moto3 World Championship, he riding for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP.

### Moto2 World Championship
#### Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp (2024)

Ayumu Sasaki will join the Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp in the 2024 Moto2 Season.

## Career statistics
### Asia Talent Cup
#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | Pos | Pts |
| Year | Bike | R1 | R1 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R1 | R2 | Pos | Pts |
| 2014 | Honda | QAT 3 | IDN 4 | CHN1 3 | CHN2 3 | MAL1 Ret | MAL2 1 | JAP 1 | MYS1 Ret | MYS2 | 4th | 111 |
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos | Pts |
| 2015 | Honda | THA1 2 | THA2 2 | QAT1 3 | QAT2 2 | MAL1 1 | MAL2 Ret | CHN1 1 | CHN2 6 | JPN1 1 | JPN2 2 | SEP1 4 | SEP2 7 | 1st | 203 |

### Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos | Pts |
| 2015 | JER1 6 | JER2 Ret | ASS1 6 | ASS2 6 | SAC1 2 | SAC2 Ret | BRN1 6 | BRN2 5 | SIL1 3 | SIL2 1 | MIS 3 | ARA1 4 | ARA2 2 | 3rd | 161 |
| 2016 | JER1 2 | JER2 1 | ASS1 4 | ASS2 2 | SAC1 1 | SAC2 3 | RBR1 3 | RBR2 2 | BRN1 3 | BRN2 3 | MIS 1 | ARA1 4 | ARA2 1 | 1st | 250 |

### FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship
#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos | Pts |
| 2015 | Honda | ALG | LMS | CAT1 | CAT2 | ARA1 | ARA2 | ALB | NAV | JER1 | JER2 | VAL1 3 | VAL2 11 | 21st | 21 |
| 2016 | Honda | VAL1 4 | VAL2 Ret | LMS 10 | ARA 9 | CAT1 3 | CAT2 4 | ALB 9 | ALG Ret | JER1 6 | JER2 5 | VAL1 | VAL2 | 6th | 83 |

### Grand Prix motorcycle racing
#### By season

| Season | Class | Motorcycle | Team | Race | Win | Podium | Pole | FLap | Pts | Plcd |
| 2016 | Moto3 | Honda | Gresini Racing Moto3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2017 | Moto3 | Honda | SIC Racing Team | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 20th |
| 2018 | Moto3 | Honda | Petronas Sprinta Racing | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 20th |
| 2019 | Moto3 | Honda | Petronas Sprinta Racing | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 20th |
| 2020 | Moto3 | KTM | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 52 | 16th |
| 2021 | Moto3 | KTM | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 9th |
| 2022 | Moto3 | Husqvarna | Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max | 18 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 238 | 4th |
| 2023 | Moto3 | Husqvarna | Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP | 20 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 268 | 2nd |
| 2024 | Moto2 | Kalex | Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 26th |
| 2025 | Moto2 | Kalex | RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0* | 22nd* |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 142 | 3 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 829 | |

#### By class

| Class | Seasons | 1st GP | 1st Pod | 1st Win | Race | Win | Podiums | Pole | FLap | Pts | WChmp |
| Moto3 | 2016–2023 | 2016 Malaysia | 2020 Teruel | 2022 Netherlands | 124 | 3 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 822 | 0 |
| Moto2 | 2024–present | 2024 Qatar | | | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | 2016–present | 2016–present | 2016–present | 2016–present | 142 | 3 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 829 | 0 |

#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | Pos | Pts |
| 2016 | Moto3 | Honda | QAT | ARG | AME | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GER | AUT | CZE | GBR | RSM | ARA | JPN | AUS | MAL Ret | VAL | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2017 | Moto3 | Honda | QAT 11 | ARG 20 | AME 18 | SPA 15 | FRA 19 | ITA 8 | CAT 16 | NED 15 | GER 17 | CZE 15 | AUT 18 | GBR 18 | RSM Ret | ARA 16 | JPN Ret | AUS 7 | MAL 12 | VAL 13 | | | | | 20th | 32 |
| 2018 | Moto3 | Honda | QAT 8 | ARG 16 | AME 11 | SPA 12 | FRA 16 | ITA 16 | CAT Ret | NED 19 | GER 10 | CZE 22 | AUT 7 | GBR C | RSM Ret | ARA | THA Ret | JPN 9 | AUS 10 | MAL 18 | VAL 11 | | | | 20th | 50 |
| 2019 | Moto3 | Honda | QAT Ret | ARG 5 | AME Ret | SPA 15 | FRA 14 | ITA Ret | CAT 8 | NED 17 | GER 9 | CZE 11 | AUT 13 | GBR 6 | RSM Ret | ARA 13 | THA Ret | JPN 13 | AUS 7 | MAL Ret | VAL 19 | | | | 20th | 62 |
| 2020 | Moto3 | KTM | QAT 19 | SPA 11 | ANC Ret | CZE 20 | AUT 13 | STY Ret | RSM Ret | EMI 14 | CAT 17 | FRA 6 | ARA 13 | TER 2 | EUR 10 | VAL 19 | POR 13 | | | | | | | | 16th | 52 |
| 2021 | Moto3 | KTM | QAT Ret | DOH 7 | POR 4 | SPA 5 | FRA 5 | ITA 4 | CAT Ret | GER | NED | STY 5 | AUT Ret | GBR 13 | ARA 3 | RSM 10 | AME 13 | EMI 8 | ALR 6 | VAL 10 | | | | | 9th | 120 |
| 2022 | Moto3 | Husqvarna | QAT Ret | INA Ret | ARG 3 | AME 4 | POR 3 | SPA 6 | FRA 2 | ITA DNS | CAT | GER 4 | NED 1 | GBR Ret | AUT 1 | RSM Ret | ARA 2 | JPN 3 | THA 2 | AUS 4 | MAL 2 | VAL 5 | | | 4th | 238 |
| 2023 | Moto3 | Husqvarna | POR 6 | ARG Ret | AME Ret | SPA 4 | FRA 2 | ITA 3 | GER 2 | NED 2 | GBR 2 | AUT 3 | CAT 4 | RSM 7 | IND 3 | JPN 2 | INA 18 | AUS 2 | THA Ret | MAL 2 | QAT 6 | VAL 1 | | | 2nd | 268 |
| 2024 | Moto2 | Kalex | QAT Ret | POR Ret | AME | SPA DNS | FRA 22 | CAT Ret | ITA Ret | NED Ret | GER 24 | GBR 21 | AUT 21 | ARA 12 | RSM 16 | EMI 19 | INA 16 | JPN 21 | AUS Ret | THA 13 | MAL WD | SLD | | | 26th | 7 |
| 2025 | Moto2 | Kalex | THA 23 | ARG 18 | AME | QAT | SPA | FRA | GBR | ARA | ITA | NED | GER | CZE | AUT | HUN | CAT | RSM | JPN | INA | AUS | MAL | POR | VAL | 22nd* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.