Moto3: Rueda escapes gloves-off battle for the podium in Brno
Moto3: A record gap between P1 and P2 in the standings after 12 rounds is just what Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ordered ahead summer break and it’s what he came away with from his first visit to Brno.
Behind, a battle between Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and teammate Dennis Foggia lit up the group battle, with Quiles ultimately securing second ahead of David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), who came from last on the grid to third for a third straight rostrum finish.
Storming into Turn 1 and grabbing the advantage, Championship leader Rueda edged out polesitter Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and fellow front-row starter David Almansa (Leopard Racing). Quiles was soon up into P2 halfway through the first lap whilst further behind, Muñoz had made a lightning getaway from the back of the grid and was already into the points. By the start of Lap 3, the Aragon and German GP winner was already inside the top ten whilst 2020 Czech GP winner Foggia had clambered his way into the top three.
At the halfway stage, Rueda had begun to get the hammer down whilst Quiles and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) battled for podium honours. Foggia was up to second but the fight had left a second gap between the #99 out front and the chasing pack. By the end of Lap 9, Quiles was back into P2 but back-to-back fastest laps by Rueda meant the pressure was on for the #28.
The scrapping continued and with five to go and a two second gap to Rueda, it was very much a battle to decide the final two spots on the podium. Behind the duelling CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar machines came Piqueras, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Muñoz and Almansa. Into the last lap and Quiles led the way with Piqueras, Muñoz and Foggia nipping at his heels. At Turn 6, the #64 muscled his way into P3 and then P2 by Turn 10.
It was all coming down to Turn 13 but fantastic defensive work from Muñoz made it hard for Quiles. As Rueda took a seventh win of the season, Quiles managed to slipstream his way into second whilst Muñoz’s last-to-third ride keeps up his run of top five finishes and makes it a fourth podium in five GPs. Piqueras’ wait for a rostrum return continues as he took P4, ahead of Foggia and Fernandez, the latter of which took his first points since Le Mans.
Almansa took more solid points in seventh and closes in on top Honda honours in the standings, whilst Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) fought his way into eighth. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and polesitter Pini rounded out the top ten. Elsewhere, it was a notable ride for Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), working his way up the order into P11 before a double Long Lap for causing a crash drops him out the points, meaning star debutant Marco Morelli (DENSSI Racing – BOE) moves up to 13th to impress first time out.
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