#AragonGP – MOTO3: Rueda secures a historic victory as Lunetta demotes Alonso to P4
Moto3™ delivered intense action at the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon, with Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) coming out on top – mastering the tricky conditions at MotorLand Aragon. The #99 had a phenomenal end to the Grand Prix, adding his name to the history books as the 400th different Grand Prix winner in history. It was an incredible victory after the Spaniard opted for the hard tyre. Rueda finished 1.985s ahead of Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), who took another podium and crucially entered P2 in the Championship. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) would take third, claiming a maiden Grand Prix podium.
It was tricky conditions at the start of the Aragon GP, with David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) claiming the holeshot on the run to Turn 1. The Colombian stretched the lead to over one second on Lap 1, with Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) leading the chasing pack in the opening stages as positions began to change at every opportunity.
Alonso had impressive pace in the opening stages, earning some clear space on track which allowed the #80 to soon increase his gap to two seconds. However, the fastest lap began to change hands, with Veijer beginning to carve through the field after an impressive start – entering the top five spots.
Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) initially had a good start but would soon suffer a disappointing end to the day, crashing at Turn 9 on Lap 5. The #36 was not the only rider to suffer an early end to Sunday with Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) crashing at the start of Lap 8 before Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) stopped with a technical issue.
Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) had a strong start to the Grand Prix, entering P2, before losing pace as the race progressed, dropping outside the top five. There would soon be a shift of momentum as Veijer began to reel in Alonso at the front – closing the gap to less than one second. The Dutchman waited until Lap 12 to pounce, demoting Alonso with Rueda and Lunetta beginning to edge closer.
It was soon a spectacular four-way fight at the front, with Rueda entering P2 before snatching the lead on Lap 13 – setting sights on his first Grand Prix victory. Meanwhile, Alonso continued to struggle to find pace, continuing to battle with Lunetta before losing the final spot on the podium to the Italian, and dropping down to fourth.
In the closing stages, Rueda kept calm, entering the final lap with Veijer less than one second behind. The #99 pushed on the final lap, extending the advantage to over one second, taking a historic podium ahead of Veijer after the Dutchman battled for ninth on the grid. The final spot on the rostrum went to Lunetta, who stepped on the podium for the first time in his Grand Prix career.
In fourth at the flag was Alonso, taking a solid point-scoring finish in Aragon and beating Kelso, who rounded out the top five. The Australian had a solid finish after qualifying in fifth and finishing in front of Furusato. The #72 showed a strong pace in the opening stages on Sunday, crossing the line in front of David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports). Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Xabi Zurutuza was eighth, taking his best Grand Prix finish in an incredible result for the rookie. Meanwhile, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was down in ninth as Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team’s Matteo Bertelle took the final spot inside the top 10. Further back, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) had a tough Grand Prix, finishing P12 and dropping to third in the Championship.
It wasn’t the result I was hoping for, but I’m happy with the race I did today. We had to face the consequences of a difficult qualifying, and despite of it, we’ve been able to make a great comeback in the early stages of the race. I felt good on the start, but I started to have some difficulties after the first few laps. We’ve gain experience ahead of the next race! Adrian Fernandez – P11
Riccardo Rossi P20
I have mixed feelings about today’s race. I had a strong start and felt very confident with the bike and the overall setup. The tire selection was spot on, and I was pushing hard because I knew I had the pace to be at least in the top 10. My goal was to finish within the points, but unfortunately, I pushed too hard and ended up crashing. It’s disappointing because at the time of the crash, I was extremely close to breaking into the top 15. However, we must learn from our mistakes—patience is key, and the results will come. Now, I’m focused on Misano race in seven days, and I’m eager to see how things will unfold there. Tatchakorn Buasri – NC
Click the button below to find out all the images of the #KytCrew during the weekend in Aragon.