2024 Spanish Moto3 Grand Prix, Jerez - Race Results

Round four of the Moto3 championship saw a clear front three, with the win undecided until the final lap in Jerez, but not for David Alonso who fell on lap one, with Collin Veijer keeping his head for victory.
 

Moto3 were greeted by a track still covered in damp patches, in different places to Saturday.

Starting from pole - earned by dominating every session in all weather, up to and including qualifying, it seemed ominous for the remainder of the field when, the Colombian attempted to pull out an instant lead.

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Looking nervous on the grid, the CFMoto rider didn’t see his breakaway go as planned as local rider David Munoz took over after a near perfect start and a tough move, forcing Alonso wide and into sitting up.

It didn’t take long for Alonso to fight back, but pushing for the gap he had enjoyed all weekend, his Aspar bike began to show chatter and he fell, sparks flying into the gravel.

That left Munoz leading, but he was soon chased down and a front group formed - with Veijer, Ryusei Yamanaka, Ivan Ortola, Joel Esteban and Joel Kelso in close company.

Veijer ran a super consistent pace at the front which saw the group dwindle. Yamanaka held on until the final laps, with Ortola only out of contention on the very final around Jerez.

That made it a straight battle to the line between the rider from the Netherlands and the local rider.

Veijer made his Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP bike as wide as possible - braking hard and toughing it out in the corners - to win just his second Moto3 race.

BOE Motorsports rider Munoz tried a last-ditch slipstream to the line, but showed maturity by not using his usual aggressive style to force the issue on his way to second on the KTM. The Spaniard finished 0.045s behind for his first podium since the Indonesian round last year.

2023 winner Ortola was unable to keep pace but was clear for the final podium spot for MT Helmets -MSI with Yamanaka a solo fourth behind his teammate.

Joel Esteban had sat fifth until a fall at the final corner on the last lap, leaving BOE Motorsports’ Joel Kelso to power through for the place.

The Australian had been caught by the chasing group and only just held off a rapidly approaching Adrian Fernandez on the Leopard.

Holgado turns around 18th on grid.

Championship leader Daniel Holgado had qualified down in 18th after a fall in Q2 and with Alonso on pole maintaining the lead looked a feat.

Immediately making up places, the Red Bull GasGas Tech3 rider was pushing to the front of the lead group but ended up sat in behind Stefano Nepa. In-fighting in the group saw him able to move forward, with seventh behind Fernandez still a huge comeback from a disastrous qualifying.

Nicola Carraro was right behind him over the line for LevelUp - MTA, ahead of Stefano Nepa who slippped back to ninth behind his teammate.

Angel Piqueras was the top rookie following Esteban’s exit, completing the top ten for Leopard.

Crash to points comeback for Alonso

Alonso got straight back on board and by lap eight he was 20th. The #80 kept pushing and was soon on the back of the chasing group, making quick work of the backmarkers in the race.

Once in the pack and with his confidence back, Alonso was able to run the same pace as the leaders, and a series of overtakes in the competitive group saw him climb to eleventh at the chequered flag. Heading back to his garage, he was comforted by his team after arriving with his hands together, asking for forgiveness for his fall.

Jacob Roulstone, another rider recovering from a poor qualifying after a fall, dropped back massively in the closing laps but halted his backwards run to regain twelfth for Red Bull GasGas Tech3.

The remaining points on offer went to Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in 13th, Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers) in 14th and David Almansa (Rivacold Snipers) in 15th.

Scott Ogden was the best of the MLav Racing Brits in 19th with Joshua Whatley 23rd.

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

The only fallers in the race were the CFMoto Aspar duo.

Tatsuki Suzuki had his hand up mid race to warn those around him his bike had developed an issue, the Japanese rider pulled into the pits soon after.

Jose Antonio Rueda was declared unfit to continue with continued illness on Thursday. Vincente Perez was drafted in as a late replacement at Red Bull KTM Ajo and just missed out on a point in 16th.

Championship Standings

Alonso’s crash and his own fightback allowed Holgado to remain top of the standings, now with 74 points.

Alonso remounting saw him keep second, with a total of 68. Viejer’s win sees him jump to third, his additional 25 taking him to 46 points.

Ortola and Kelso are fourth and fifth, tied on 39 points, with Munoz’s podium taking him one point behind.

Piqueras is top rookie in seventh, on a total of 26.