Ayumu Sasaki

is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer currently competing in the Moto2 class for the Dutch RW Racing 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 second twice, and third 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, Sasaki 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) Sasaki 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 (eighth place in Mugello, and seventh 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 seventh place in Austria, and an eighth 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 (fifth in Argentina, sixth in Britain, seventh in Australia, eighth in Barcelona, and ninth 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-ten three times, and scored his first career Moto3 podium at Aragón, seeing the checkered flag in second 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 seventh place in Doha, a fourth place in Portimao, a fifth place in Jerez, a fifth place in Le Mans, and a fifth 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 fifth place, before scoring his only podium of the season in Aragón, finishing third, with Öncü finishing second. He scored 120 points during the year, finishing ninth in the championship standings.

Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max (2022) For 2022, Sasaki was 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, Sasaki was riding for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP.

Moto2 World Championship Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team (2024)

RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP (2025-2026)

After Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team left the championship, Sasaki signed a two-year contract for RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP. 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 4 5 6 Pos Pts R1 R1 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R1 R2 2014 Honda QAT IDN CHN1 CHN2 MAL1 MAL2 JAP MYS1 MYS2 4th 111 Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts 2015 Honda THA1 THA2 QAT1 QAT2 MAL1 MAL2 CHN1 CHN2 JPN1 JPN2 SEP1 SEP2 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 JER2 ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 BRN1 BRN2 SIL1 SIL2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 3rd 161 2016 JER1 JER2 ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 RBR1 RBR2 BRN1 BRN2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 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 VAL2 21st 21 2016 Honda VAL1 VAL2 LMS ARA CAT1 CAT2 ALB ALG JER1 JER2 VAL1 VAL2 6th 83

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

By class

Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap) Half points awarded as less than half of the race distance (but at least three full laps) was completed. Season still in progress.