Moto3: Last lap, last corner. That’s a proper way to win a race, and that’s exactly what Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) did in Misano as the championship leader takes a giant leap towards the title ahead of our flyway tour.
Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) was the rider to lose out on the win but it’s a return to the rostrum for the star rookie, as Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) earns a late P3 to stand on the podium for the first time since Argentina.
From the off, Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) swapped positions three times in the opening three corners and coming out on top was the Australian. David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) made a positive start, he was P3 before he overtook Perrone for P2 going through Turn 12 and 13, as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Rueda completed your early Moto3 top five.
By Lap 5, a front group of eight had formed that included Kelso, Perrone, Muñoz, Rueda, Fernandez, Quiles, Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Roulstone. Then, a mistake from Muñoz. Turn 4 saw the #64 launch a move up the inside of Perrone that wasn’t really on and once Perrone – who was running his normal racing line – closed the door, contact was made. Both ran wide, with Muñoz going gravel tracking. Perrone lost a couple of places and dropped to P6, with Muñoz down in P19 and out of victory contention.
On Lap 7, Kelso and Rueda were now 0.7s up the road and at Turn 8, Rueda struck. The championship leader led for the first time, so what did the #99 have in his pocket – and what did Kelso and the chasers have in response?
The response, in fairness, was strong – especially from Quiles, who aggressively overtook Kelso on Lap 10, before the Aussie returned the favour a lap later as the top six bunched up, with Roulstone just losing touch at this stage.
With five to go, Rueda, Perrone, Kelso and Quiles were 0.6s up the road from Fernandez and Piqueras, and this could be crucial points lost for the #36. And with three to go, it certainly looked like it was between the top four for victory in Misano.
With two left, things started to heat up. Quiles and Perrone exchanged P2 in the opening sector, with Perrone coming out on top. Rueda led, but it was all change through Turn 12 and 13 and coming out of it with the race lead baton was Quiles. Perrone went from P1 to P4, as we strapped in for a last lap that now included Fernandez and Piqueras in the podium equation.
Halfway around the final loop, Quiles led from Rueda, Perrone and Fernandez, with Kelso now P5 and Piqueras P6. It all came down to the final sector and after a mistake into Turn 13, Perrone was wide and out of victory contention. Quiles held firm into Turn 14, but Rueda set up a phenomenal last corner move. A beauty right out of the top drawer saw the #99 clinch a huge 25 points to pinch the win from Quiles, as Fernandez clinched the final podium spot ahead of Kelso and Piqueras, with Perrone 0.9s off the win in P6.
Muñoz completed a fine comeback from P19 to P7, with Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top 10. Roulstone crossed the line in P11 after fading in the latter half of the race, as Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Almansa and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) pick up the final points on offer.
So after that, Rueda takes a 78-point lead to Japan. We’ll be ready for more in Motegi!
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