Ezawa leads all of Japan in the opening race of 2022 ATC in Qatar

2022 Asian Talent Cup – Round 1, Qatar

The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup kicked off with a tough No. 1 race at the Losail International Circuit, with two rookies and one returning driver taking it down the line. In the end, Shinya Ezawa took the lead, crossing the 0.040 line ahead of more veteran compatriot Gun Mie, with Amon Odaki completing the podium and still just 0.059 points away.

Round 1 Asian Talent Cup, Race Video 1

Odaki started at pole but this rookie didn’t have the best of start, dropped a few places and fell into the group that immediately succeeded. Australian youngster Carter Thompson made it through to the second qualifying round and was in the lead throughout the opening stages of the race.

Then there was some early drama for the three drivers, with Marianos Nikolis, Kavin Quintal and Aan Riswanto going down and several other riders losing time. But all the riders are fine, and the fight ahead has become the classic freight train.

However, several other incidents will prove decisive. Emil Izdhar rushes out, Veda Ega Pratama and Thanat Laoongplio then get tangled up.

As the big group erupts, with different riders seemingly swerving ahead but the group then fighting back, there are two more dramas to come. Thompson was still melee with the front runners.

Staying out of trouble in such close quarters can be luck with good judgment and unfortunately Carter Thompson, Rei Wakamatsu and Thanakorn Lakharn all collided and were dropped from the front group.

With that trio on deck left a handful of racers fighting for the podium. The Danish Hakim knocked him out of the podium fight, leaving Odaki, Mie, and Ezawa to fight for victory.

It goes right into the last corner, with Mie attacking Odaki from the inside – sending the rookie wide – but that ultimately comes at the cost of both. Ezawa was able to start smoothly on the starting line and keep it straight to the flag, just in front when Mie and Odaki dashed in with the slide. That wasn’t enough for the duo to chase, and Ezawa won Race No. 1 in 2022 and took the early points lead. Mie just passed Odaki in second.

After earlier bumps in the race and a great moment for the Danes, fourth place became a two-way fight between the Malaysian, who had fallen behind, and Qatari wildcard Hamad al-Sahouti. Local riders just came out on top, with just 0.015 between duos on the line.

Farish Hafiy finished sixth in the more lone gap on the track, with Jakkreephat Phuettisan another victim of the drama after an impressive push from the start, the Thai rookie in seventh. Reykay Fadillah had a more lonesome finish in P8, with a close battle to finish the top 10 as Farres Putra just knocked out Diandra Trihardika in first place.

Aussie Cameron Swain was the only Australian to finish in P11 after starting at P17. Front row starter Carter Thompson was left unranked after his clash while fighting in the lead group, one driver fell ahead of Thompson and left him with nowhere to go. A tough blow for Thompson after being in the middle of a real winning chance. Compatriot Marianos Nikolis got into a first-round incident and thus never completed a round despite looking like the innocent side.

Race results 1