Rueda bounces back for home pole position in Jerez

Home hero Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has been mighty all weekend at the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain, and he bagged a first pole of 2025 as he aims to retake the Championship lead he relinquished in Qatar through no fault of his own with that late technical issue.

Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) takes a third front row of the season in second, with David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) forced to settle for third. Championship leader Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) only just missed out, set to start fourth on home turf.

Having to fight through Q1, riders such as David Almansa (Leopard Racing), Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) were some of the big names in the hunt to move into Q2. Despite being provisionally inside the top four, late lap time cancellations meant Almansa, Ogden and Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) all missed out and instead, it was Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE) and Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) who moved into Q2.

The fight for pole position in the opening stages of Q2 was tight too, with just 0.047s separating home heroes Rueda and Muñoz at the halfway point. Going into the second half, it was all to play for but Rueda, like he had been all weekend, was in a class of his own and secured pole by just under three tenths of a second. A late charge welcomed Kelso to a third front row of the season in second, pipping Muñoz, and Piqueras in P4 is primed for a good home GP as he looks to protect his lead. Top rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) could be one to watch at a venue where he’s got a wealth of experience, and he’s just ahead of Lusail pole-sitter Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).

There was drama late on for Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who was held up on a fast lap by a touring Buchanan, before crashing on his final flying lap. He held onto P7 though ahead of Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Argentine star Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who complete the top ten. Stand-out performances further down included super-sub Perez in P11 and South African rookie Ruche Moodley (DENSSI Racing – BOE) with a personal best of P15.

For more Moto3 info check out our dedicated Moto3 News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from an official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com