2024 Thailand Moto3 Grand Prix - Race Results

Round eighteen of the Moto3 championship, the Thailand Grand Prix, saw David Alonso victorious at the front of a five way scrap with a crash behind the champion in the run to the line in Buriram.

After earlier rain, race direction announced the race would be classed as wet and reduced the distance from 19 to 12 laps.

The CFMoto Gaviota Aspar rider started fifth and was careful to get away with the leaders, hitting the front for the first time on lap four.

The self-styled ‘Baby Goat’ was passed by Taiyo Furusato, forced to sit up along with Joel Kelso just a lap later.

A return to the front felt inevitable in conditions where the Colombian thrives, and once ahead he was clear of the chaos that was to come to lead over the line for a record twelfth time, by 0.353s.

The win also brought the constructors and team titles to CFMoto Gaviota Aspar for 2024.

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It was Ivan Ortola that had been second, but pushing for the win on his MT Helmets - MSI bike saw sparks coming off his KTM as he ran wide.

Luca Lunetta, who was tenth on the grid and out incredibly wide on the blue paint in the very first corner, had set a string of new best race laps to join the lead group and was ready and waiting to pounce, moving up the inside meant he avoided contact and the wide running Ortola to take second.

That is the SIC58 Squadra Corse riders best result of the season, having taken one previous podium, a third in Aragon. His result keeps the rookie title open for another round after Angel Piqueras crashed with his Leopard teammate Adrian Fernandez on the penultimate lap after a string of aggressive, risky moves from the duo in the front group of the race.

Collin Veijer clipped the side of Furusato, sending the Honda team Asia rider and his bike flying in different directions in the approach to the line. Veijer was unaffected by the contact and brought home his Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP bike third to complete the podium.

Ortola recovered for fourth, while Furusato was reinstated as he crossed the line while falling in fifth.

David Munoz was able to catch and pass his teammate after working forward behind Lunetta and Ortola, who initially bridged the gap to the lead five. That saw the BOE rider sixth.

Joel Kelso started from pole for the first time and after initially fighting for the lead, began to struggle for straight line speed, being swamped down the straights. On the end of several tough moves and being forced to sit up and run wide, the Australian knuckled down to finish a tough race seventh.

Scott Ogden suffered a huge moment early in the race which saw him looking cautious on the MLav Racing machine, the British rider was a clear eight over the line, breaking free towards the end from Stefano Nepa , who made up places late on to give chase in ninth for LevelUp - MTA, with Tatsuki Suzuki completing the top ten.

Ryusei Yamanaka was another rider noticeably wide early in the race as the slick tyres for all but one struggled for grip on the damp parts of the track. The MT helmets rider recovered for eleventh, with Daniel Holgado holding twelfth for Red Bull GasGas Tech3.

The remaining points went to Riccardo Rossi, close behind in 13th for CIP Green Power, Filippo Farioli in 14th for the Snipers team with Jose Antonio Rueda taking a late 15th for Red Bull KTM Ajo. He was later switched with Jacob Roulstone in the results, placing the Australian back in 15th, but their times not amended.

Home rider Tachakorn Buasri just missed out, in a close 17th for Honda Team Asia.

David Almansa was demoted a place from overtaking under waved yellow flags seeing him swap 19th place for 20th with Nicola Carraro.

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

Adrian Fernandez remounted after his clash with Piqueras to finish 22nd.

Joel Esteban was the only other faller. The one rider to risk wets, Eddie O’Shea pulled into the pits late on as his tyre became unmanageable.

Championship standings

2024 winner David Alonso moves onto 371 after bagging another maximum 25 points, celebrating with a picture grid of all his wins. 

That takes Alonso a huge 135 points clear of Holgado , who remains his nearest rival in second on 236 points. Veijer is third overall, on 225 points.

Piqueras still leads the rookie title chase, his DNF leaving him on 137. Second for Lunetta moves him onto 106 points.