2024 Aragon Moto3 Grand Prix - Race Results

Round twelve of the Moto3 championship, the Aragon Grand Prix, was won by Jose Antonio Rueda after a patient few laps to let his tyre gamble come into play in the Moto3 Grand Prix of Aragon.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Rueda was again ready to take the race to Alonso, after finishing second to the championship leader in every session leading up to the race around MotorLand Aragon.

The #99 got a less than ideal start as the riders fought to stay on the dry line and out of the dirt after more rain overnight and in the morning in Spain.

Seconds into the race, the Spaniard was three abreast with Angel Piqueras and Luca Lunetta surrounding him. Soon after there was further competition for the front slots with Joel Kelso moving into second, tapping his seat as he passed, with Daniel Holgado moving ahead at the same time, doing the same thing,

A late move form Taiyo Furusato, who was flying forward, saw Rueda down in seventh after just one lap, with Alonso escaping out front.

Rueda and the Red Bull team had gambled on the ‘safety’ extra development option rear tyre, a harder compound.

Working forward after a hard start, watching several riders having a go at chasing down Alonso in second, Rueda was in the second duo on track with Lunetta, as Collin Veijer set about catching Alonso.

The CFMoto rider had a destroyed rear, which soon saw the two groups become a lead four. Rueda saw his opportunity, and with more grip underneath was able to take up the lead on lap thirteen, pulling away to win his first Moto3 race by 1.985s - his first in any class since his junior championship success in 2022.
 

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Veijer took a secure second for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP, with top rookie Luca Lunetta pulling away from the long term leader to hold his own gap for the final podium slot - his first ever rostrum finish in Moto3 with the SIC58 Squadra Corse team.

After dominating every session, including setting a new lap record in the more favourable conditions of practice, Gaviota Aspar’s Alonso was in damage limitation mode, holding fourth at the line after his plan to escape failed to yield a win.

Joel Kelso was the best of the rest, briefly reeling in Alonso before he could do no more, leaving the BOE Motorsports rider a clear fifth.

Furusato’s run forward from 15th on the grid took him to sixth for Honda Team Asia, with three seconds over an unusually cautious David Munoz, on the second BOE bike in seventh, slipping back form his front row start.

An impressive run from a very confident Xabi Zurutuza saw him pick up his best result to date by far. From 21st on the grid, the SIC58 Squadra Corse rider completed a strong showing for the team at Aragon, with a eighth place finish.

He lead a close group over the line, with Holgado next to see the chequered flag in ninth for Red Bull KTM Ajo Tech3, just ahead of Matteo Bertelle for the Snipers team, completing the top ten.

Adrian Fernandez was one of many to have a shot at second behind Alonso, before he faded back to eleventh, searching for grip in the latter stages aboard the Leopard. Ivan Ortola looked uncomfortable in the tricky conditions, so could only manage a best of twelfth for MT Helmets - MSI.

The final points scorers at Aragon were Stefano Nepa for LevelUp - MTA in 13th, Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) in 14th and Joel Esteban, who moved into 15th towards the end of the race for Aspar, leaving Scott Ogden 16th.

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

Angel Piqueras was sent off track after a strong start in the lead group, and look to be able to return to track near turn nine, using a slip road, which proved too slippery, falling as he tried to re-join.

Filippo Farioli fell soon after.

Nicola Carraro, along with Tatchakorn Buasri , passed the Saturday medical following a crash filled Q1 session for the class. Further checks on Sunday revealed right arm trauma for the Spaniard so he was withdrawn before the race. Buasri crashed out of the race.

Vincente Perez had been filling in at Fibre Tec Honda - MLav Racing, but was declared unfit to continue after his Saturday fall in Q1 . Wildcard rider Arbi Aditama (22nd), returned for another round at Honda Team Asia.

Championship Standings

With his nearest rivals further back, fourth was enough to see Alonso increase his advantage moving onto 237 points. Veijer’s second sees him move from fourth to second in the overall standings, on 162 points.

Ortola is third on 157, just one point ahead of Holgado on 156 after the Aragon round.