The Colombian bounces back in style ahead of Masia, with Rueda taking a maiden podium as key title contenders suffer drama in Barcelona.
Moto3™ delivered an absolute barnstormer in Barcelona as there was action everywhere you looked on the final lap, and plenty of drama too. David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) took the spoils by just 0.076s after an incredible final corner overtake saw three riders squeezed up onto the apex, with Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) taking second but bringing home 20 crucial points as Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) crashed out earlier on the last lap.
Classified third, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) picked up his first Grand Prix podium after a final corner clash ahead saw Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) make contact with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), earning the Turkish rider a penalty dropping him from P3 to P12. Amidst it all, Ayumu Sasaki’s (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) podium run may have come to an end as he took P4… but given Holgado’s crash the Japanese rider is now just 13 points off the top.
Öncü took the holeshot as he snatched the lead from Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) into Turn 1. Joel Kelso (CFMoto Racing Pruestel GP) stayed firm in P3 at first, until Masia eagerly pushed his way through as they barrelled into the final sector for the first time.
It didn’t take long for Masia to take the lead as he slotted up the inside of Öncü with 16 laps remaining to lead the freight train, and the battle for victory began to take shape with a gaggle of riders snapping at the Leopard rider’s heels.
The group proceeded to swap paintwork and bang handlebars as a mix of fresh talent and proven Moto3™ big hitters got their elbows out. Holgado hit the front with 12 laps to go and a pattern began to form as Öncü, Masia, and Holgado consistently kept themselves in the top 3 despite challenges from the chasing pack.
Alonso, Muñoz, and Rueda all fancied their chances as they kept themselves consistently in the hunt, making some big moves in the leading group, with Sasaki the key player in the title fight looking set to lose ground – at that point.
Holgado led across the line to begin the last lap before Masia charged through from fourth to the lead, but when the last sector came around, the gloves came off as chaos unfolded. They were four abreast down into the hard braking Turn 10, and Masia defended as Alonso, Muñoz, and Öncü were all looking for a way through.
Masia ran wide allowing Alonso and Muñoz past, meaning it was all down to the final corner. But disaster then came for Holgado as he lost the at front Turn 10, with his title rivals still very much in the leading battle.
Back at the front, Muñoz led into the last turn as they went three abreast into a corner once deemed impossible to make an overtake. Now, it was going to be a double.
Alonso dived up the inside of Muñoz as Masia also tried to squeeze through, and both riders did make it stick. Alonso came out on top and held the victory to the line ahead of Masia. But just behind came the drama.
After losing out in those moves, Muñoz lost drive onto the front straight and Öncü was coming through the final corner. The Turk kept in pinned and then made contact with Muñoz… seeing the Spaniard bumped off and out into the gravel on the outside of the corner. Rider ok, drama still not done. Öncü crossed the line in 3rd but a 6s penalty for the last-corner incident demoted the number 53 to 12th place… promoting Rueda, who’d been right on their tail, to his first Grand Prix podium.
Behind all that came Sasaki, who was ultimately classified fourth to move within just 13 points of Holgado’s lead, and a little further back, Masia moves above Öncü. Which way will the cards fall next time out? Find out at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini next up from the 8th -10th of September!
For more Moto3 info checkout our dedicated Moto3 News page
Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com
