Indian Moto2: Buddh breakaway brings Acosta victory

Round thirteen saw Pedro Acosta live up to the ability he had shown at the brand new track to the calendar in the previous sessions, in control and easing to victory in Moto2’s first Buddh race experience.

With a second chance to hit the front after the original start was red flagged, the Red Bull rider didn’t waste his opportunity, and immediately hit the front after a challenge from Sergio Garcia.

Garcia gave chase, but as Tony Arbolino saw his title rival escaping he took over to attempt to hunt down the Spaniard.

After just a handful of laps, Acosta, who had not topped any of the practice sessions or qualifying, but was always near the top of the timesheets, saw his consistent fast pace pay off and the #37 continued to pull away.

By the time the chequered flag waved Acosta was 3.543s clear, free to wheelie over the line after a dominant performance on his Kalex for the Ajo squad.

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Arbolino had hit the front on the original start, but couldn’t get back in touch this time out after having a harder time reaching the front of the race, finishing second for Elf Marc VDS - the first time he has made the rostrum since the Sachsenring after a difficult few rounds.

Roberts and Garcia entertain for final podium spot.

The hardest racing on display was the battle for third - with Joe Roberts and Sergio Garcia at war.

Garcia fell into the battle when unable to keep up with the pace of the duo ahead, while a determined Roberts had worked his way forward from eighth on the grid.

As early as lap two the American was making his move to fourth, but their battle ignited over the closing stages.

The Italtrans bike was lurking behind on the penultimate lap. Having sized up his well rehearsed move, Roberts went for it and moved into third at turn nine. Garcia fought back and retook the position.

That took the battle for the final podium spot all the way to the final corners of the last lap.

The duo swapped paint as they were so close, with Garcia ahead as Roberts clearly lacked grip, the back of his bike weaving around under him. The same move came through the turn eight and nine section again, with the #16 back through, but aware he touched the green paint, a sure penalty on the last lap.

Roberts gave the position back, only for Garcia to run wide.Opportunity seized, Roberts took third - his first podium visit since his win in Portugal in 2022.

Garcia may not have collected a trophy but still equalled his best result in his rookie year with the Pons Wegow Los40 team.

Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) got the chance to live up to the spped he had shown in the dry, the Spaniard having set the lap record in P3. Using his pace he was able to climb from 16th on the grid as he struggled in the wet qualifying to finish an impressive fifth.

Zonta van den Goorbergh held on well from his fourth placed start, the Fieten Olie Racing riderstuck firm in sixth under pressure from Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), with the pair battling for much of the race, after the South African launching from next to him on the grid in fifth.

Barry Baltus won a three-way battle for eighth, the second Fieten Olie racing bike crossing the line ahead of Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Filip Salac (QJMotor Gresini) who finished ninth and tenth respectively.

Dennis Foggia was just half a second further back down the track in eleventh on a good day for rookie riders on a track that was as new for the whole paddock. The Italtrans riders was clear of Fermin Aldeguer, the best of the Boscoscuro riders in twelfth for Speed Up.

The remaining points on offer went to another rookie, Izan Guevara in 13th for Inde GasGas Aspar, Albert Arenas who moved up to 14th late on for Red Bull KTM Ajo and Sean Dylan Kelly in 15th for Forward Racing, replacing Alex Escrig.

Crashes, injuries and replacements

The original start of the race had seen Tony Arbolino out front, taking his chance as polesitter Dixon and Acosta fought for positon, but that was halted for a red flag.

Behind them, at turn one, a huge multiple rider pile up occurred, resulting in bikes piled up on top of each other on the kerb.

Jeremy Alcoba lost control and hit Marcos Ramirez, who in turn hit Celestino Vietti. San Marino winner Vietti was sent skyward but managed to walk away from the accident, with Somkiat Chantra and Taiga Hada also caught up in the aftermath.

Alcoba got out of the pits for the restart but was soon handed a long lap penalty by race direction for starting the incident - he didn’t take it so it was doubled with seven laps to go.

One of those was not completed correctly, so a third was added for the #52 - all wrong on the painted loop, he ended up paused and then tipped his bike into the gravel.

A fresh start saw more crashes - Aron Canet collecting Sam Lowes, with Ai Ogura also off at turn four. Canet tried to make up for his error by helping Lowes get his bike out of the gravel, but the effort was in vain in the hunt for points, finishing 19th.

The restart also saw Dixon lose his good start by sitting up to avoid Alonso Lopez, but the caution wasn’t returned. Lap three saw Dixon slightly wide at turn four and Lopez rode straight into the side of the Brit, smashing him through the gravel and out of contention, with his own race ended by his actions.

Dixon rejoined but crashed again later at turn twelve.

Of the fallen riders, Ogura, Hada and Lopez were all credited with a time behind Lowes.

They were joined by Rory Skinner, who was taken out at the last corner by Kohta Nozane.

Earlier in the weekend Lukas Tulovic was taken out of action by a fall in P3.

Where does that leave the championship?

Perdo Acosta extended his lead with another win in India, his sixth of the season. He now has a total of 236, while his nearest rival, the former championship leader Arbolino sits on 197 in second overall.

The next four riders in the standings - Dixon, Canet, Lopez and Vietti all suffered DNFs so did not increase their tally.