MotoGP Japanese GP: Moto2 and Moto3 results
David Alonso became the first Colombian motorcycle world champion with an impressive victory in the Moto3 race at the Japanese Grand Prix, while an inspired tyre choice following a surprise shower earned Manuel Gonzalez Moto2 honours.
Sunday’s racing at Motegi kicked off with CFMoto rider David Alonso’s bid to seal the Moto3 title with four races left to go.
Coming into this race with a 97-point lead over Tech3 man Daniel Holgado, Alonso needed a win to guarantee that neither Holdago nor fellow challengers Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets-MSI) and Collin Veijer (Intact GP) could catch him over the remaining four events.
Launching from the front row on a dry Motegi track, Alonso did not enjoy the perfect start to his task. Despite entering the first corner second, he had fallen to sixth – a couple of spots clear of Veijer – by the second lap.
It was Ortola who grabbed the lead after a terrific start from pole position, but Adrian Fernandeyz hit the front of the race on lap three with a double pass on both Holgado and Ortola into Turn 5.
These three controlled the race for few laps, with Angel Piqueras (Leopard) and Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets-MSI) keeping them company as Alonso settled into a rhythm behind.
Alonso began to show his true pace on lap 9, when he started to gain positions and also set what would prove to be the fastest lap of the race.
By lap 12, Alonso was up into second place behind Fernandez, having pulled off numerous moves into Turn 9 on his way there.
After Piqueras fell at Turn 10 on lap 13, the lead group was down to five: Fernandez, Alonso, Ortola, Veijer and Holgado.
A small mistake by Fernandez when braking for Turn 3 one lap later allowed Alonso to get his bike in front for the first time, and after a brief battle the Colombian had assumed control of the race.
Ortola briefly threatened an attack for the win on the penultimate lap, but that ended when he fell in similar fashion to Piqueras at Turn 10. This left a convenient half-second gap for Alonso on his final tour as he continued to the win and the championship.
Veijer won a late battle with Fernandez for second place, with Holgado fourth and Jose Antonio Rueda (Ajo) finishing fifth ahead of Yamanaka.
1
–
2
Cla
Rider
#
Bike
Laps
Time
Interval
km/h
Retirement
Points
1
D. Alonso CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team
80
CF MOTO
17
33’03.606
148.1
25
2
C. Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP
95
Husqvarna
17
+0.524
33’04.130
0.524
148.0
20
3
A. Fernandez Leopard Racing
31
Honda
17
+0.766
33’04.372
0.242
148.0
16
4
D. Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3
96
GASGAS
17
+1.168
33’04.774
0.402
148.0
13
5
J. Antonio Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
99
KTM
17
+1.209
33’04.815
0.041
148.0
11
6
R. Yamanaka MT Helmets – MSI
6
KTM
17
+1.389
33’04.995
0.180
148.0
10
7
T. Suzuki Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP
24
Husqvarna
17
+2.336
33’05.942
0.947
147.9
9
8
D. Munoz BOE Motorsports
64
KTM
17
+3.890
33’07.496
1.554
147.8
8
9
T. Furusato Honda Team Asia
72
Honda
17
+3.953
33’07.559
0.063
147.8
7
10
S. Nepa LEVELUP – MTA
82
KTM
17
+7.993
33’11.599
4.040
147.5
6
11
M. Bertelle Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team
18
Honda
17
+8.042
33’11.648
0.049
147.5
5
12
D. Almansa Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team
22
Honda
17
+10.238
33’13.844
2.196
147.3
4
13
F. Farioli SIC58 Squadra Corse
7
Honda
17
+11.797
33’15.403
1.559
147.2
3
14
R. Rossi CIP
54
KTM
17
+13.252
33’16.858
1.455
147.1
2
15
J. Esteban CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team
78
CF MOTO
17
+13.294
33’16.900
0.042
147.1
1
16
I. Ortola MT Helmets – MSI
48
KTM
17
+22.395
33’26.001
9.101
146.4
17
J. Roulstone Red Bull GASGAS Tech3
12
GASGAS
17
+22.452
33’26.058
0.057
146.4
18
X. Zurutuza Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
85
KTM
17
+22.539
33’26.145
0.087
146.4
19
S. Ogden FleetSafe Honda – MLav Racing
19
Honda
17
+24.828
33’28.434
2.289
146.2
20
R. Wakamatsu FleetSafe Honda – MLav Racing
32
Honda
17
+45.762
33’49.368
20.934
144.7
21
J. Kelso BOE Motorsports
66
KTM
16
+1 Lap
33’51.294
1 Lap
136.1
dnf
Á. Piqueras Leopard Racing
36
Honda
12
+5 Laps
23’23.577
4 Laps
147.7
Accident
dnf
N. Fabio LEVELUP – MTA
10
KTM
6
+11 Laps
11’51.958
6 Laps
145.6
Accident
dnf
L. Lunetta SIC58 Squadra Corse
58
Honda
2
+15 Laps
4’03.662
4 Laps
141.8
Accident
dnf
T. Buasri Honda Team Asia
5
Honda
2
+15 Laps
4’05.700
2.038
140.6
Accident
dnf
N. Dettwiler CIP
55
KTM
0
Accident
View full results
Gonzalez triumphs in Moto2 with late move
Manuel Gonzalez, QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The Moto2 field also took the green light in dry conditions, but that changed mere moments after polesitter Jake Dixon had executed a perfect start to grab the lead.
Heavy rain began to fall as the first lap unfolded, meaning the race had to be red-flagged. It was then restarted over a shortened distance of 12 laps with the grid unchanged.
This represented a welcome fresh chance for both Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) and Izan Guevara, who had both lost places fighting over second place in the first corner.
At the restart, Dixon once again pounced into the lead ahead of Aspar team-mate Guevara. But it very quickly became apparent that most of the field, these two included, had made the wrong choice in opting to take the restart on wet rubber.
The track was drying at a phenomenal rate, which was a perfect scenario for the few brave enough to have taken the restart on slick tyres: Gonzalez (Gresini), world championship leader Ai Ogura (MTI Helmets-MSI), Filip Salac (Marc VDS), Jeremy Alcoba (VR46) and van den Goorbergh.
Among these, it was home rider Ogura who carved through the field fastest; 14th on the first lap of the restarted race, he was up to 11th on lap 2 and set fastest lap on lap 3, when he moved into third.
By the start of lap 4, Ogura was into a 3.8s lead and dreaming of delighting the Japanese fans by topping the podium. But by lap 5, Gonzalez was into his stride, into second place and closing the gap to Ogura.
On lap 9, Gonzalez eased past Ogura at Turn 9. It was a lead he would not lose.
Ogura, perhaps mindful of the good points haul second would bring him as his wet-shod title rivals struggled, stayed in that position until the flag.
Salac narrowly defeated Alcoba for the last podium spot, with van der Goorbergh fifth.
Xavier Artigas (Klint), a long way back in sixth, was best of those on wet rubber. Guevara and Dixon wound up 10th and 13th respectively.
Moto2 Japanese GP – Race results:
