The first Colombian to win a Moto2 race.
It was always going to come sooner rather than later, and it landed with an almighty bang at the Michelin Grand Prix of Hungary as David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) produced some breathtaking late race pace to beat title-chasing duo Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) and Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) in a scintillating Moto2 battle at Balaton Park. Moreira’s P2 also sees us celebrate the very first South American 1-2 finish in Moto2, as the 2025 title race properly heats up.
Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) negotiated Turn 1 expertly to swoop around the outside at Turn 2 to lead the pack, as drama unfolded further back. Celestino Vietti (Sync SpeedRS Team), Darryn Binder (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), Yuki Kunii (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) and Unai Orradre (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) went down at the tight right-hander, while the leading trio of Dixon, Moreira and Gonzalez began to stretch their legs.
0.7s was the early gap back to fourth place Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego), as we learned Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) had jumped the start and that meant the Spaniard faced a double Long Lap penalty. Back at the front, Moreira led on Lap 4 and slotted home the fastest lap of the race to lead Dixon and Gonzalez by 0.3s, before eighth place Alonso set the fastest lap.
A second consecutive fastest lap from Moreira meant Gonzalez had to get a wriggle on – and he did at Turn 1 on Lap 6. Gonzalez passed Dixon but now, Moreira’s lead had grown to 0.7s. That was down to 0.3s soon enough though and there was a big moment on the exit of Turn 5 for Moreira. A little warning for the Brazilian, who now had his title rival clinging onto his exhaust pipe.
A few laps went by and for now, Gonzalez was happy to shadow Moreira. When will the #18 feel like it was time to pounce? Lap 15, Turn 5 – that’s when. The title race leader hit the front, so what did the #10 have in response? The fastest lap of the race was the answer to that, but again, that was bettered by Alonso as the Colombian went into battle with Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Dixon for P3.
With five to go, this was on. Gonzalez was out of shape on the exit of Turn 4 and he somehow managed to keep the lead, but boy was that a warning shot. Moreira hadn’t bit back for now but Dixon, Alonso and Veijer were now just half a second behind the lead duo. And at Turn 1 with four to go, Alonso grabbed P3 away from Dixon.
Three to go. Gonzalez led Moreira by 0.2s, with Alonso properly in the victory equation now. It looked like Dixon and Veijer didn’t quite have enough for the top three here, and it was Alonso who was looking the strongest. The #80 was a good 0.3s plus quicker than both Gonzalez and Moriera and at Turn 1 on the penultimate lap, the reigning Moto3 Champion grabbed P2 despite a moment on the front end.
Canet, Veijer, Dixon, Moreira… just Gonzalez to go for Alonso. LAST LAP! Alonso was swarming all over Gonzalez’s rear tyre but there was no way through for now. The next passing place was Turn 9 and Alonso made his move. Late on the brakes, clean as you like, and trying to bite back, Gonzalez lost P2 to Moreira after relinquishing all his momentum on the exit of Turn 10.
Coming into the final split, Alonso had it in the bag but he was wide at Turn 15. That gave both Moreira and Gonzalez a final chance of snatching the 25 points, but Alonso defended well to keep the Brazilian and Spaniard behind him to win his first Moto2 race and become the first rookie to win in the class since Pedro Acosta, as Moreira and Gonzalez made contact out of the final corner on the run to the flag – the former coming out on top. How crucial could that result be in the championship? Only time will tell.
Fourth place went the way of Dixon who ended the race less than a second away from the win, and the British rider was over five seconds clear of the next best Boscoscuro chassis rider which was teammate Filip Salač in P8. Veijer’s P5 signals the Dutchman’s best Moto2 result in what was a classy weekend for the #95, as Canet had to settle for P6. That’s some crucial ground lost in the overall standings for the latter.
Adrian Huertas’ (Italtrans Racing Team) P7 is the rookie’s best Moto2 result, with Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) closing out the top 10 behind eighth place Salač to see five rookies clinch top 10s at Balaton Park.
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