The 18-lap Moto3 contest opened up Sunday’s race programme and proved to be another typical Barcelona slipstream fest.

Championship leader Alonso prevailed as he faced high pressure on the final lap to score a fourth win of the season.

The Aspar CFMoto rider was one of numerous names to take turns heading the field at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but crucially led the pack onto the final lap.

Facing intense examination from Ivan Ortola, Jose Antonio Rueda and Collin Veijer, Alonso kept the chasing pack at arm’s length as he navigated the final tour.

The Colombian still led as he rounded the final few corners, ensuring there would be no attack on him on the run to the line, with Alonso taking the chequered flag 0.242 seconds in front.

Ortola held onto second on his MT Helmets – MSI KTM, with Rueda completing the podium on his Ajo KTM.

Rueda snatched third from Intact GP’s Veijer with a last lap overtake at Turn 4, while David Munoz navigated an earlier long lap penalty to finish fifth on the BOE Motorsports KTM.

Tech3 GasGas rider Dani Holgado faded to sixth having led at several stages, with SIC58 Honda’s Luca Lunetta seventh. The top 10 was completed by Jacob Roulstone (Tech3), Filippo Farioli (SIC58) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Honda).

Alonso has opened up a championship lead of 14 points over Holgado, with Veijer 43 adrift in third and five ahead of Ortola in fourth.

Moto3 Race Results

1

D. Alonso CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team

80 CF MOTO 18   155.1   25
2

I. Ortola MT Helmets – MSI

48 KTM 18 0.242 155.1   20
3

J. Antonio Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

99 KTM 18 0.271 155.1   16
4

C. Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP

95 Husqvarna 18 0.047 155.1   13
5 D. Munoz BOE Motorsports 64 KTM 18 1.088 155.0   11
6 Spain D. Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 96 GASGAS 18 1.742 154.8   10
7

L. Lunetta SIC58 Squadra Corse

58 Honda 18 1.401 154.7   9
8

J. Roulstone Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

12 GASGAS 18 2.457 154.5   8
9

F. Farioli SIC58 Squadra Corse

7 Honda 18 0.201 154.5   7
10 Mexico A. Fernandez Leopard Racing 31 Honda 18 0.036 154.5   6
11 Japan R. Yamanaka MT Helmets – MSI 6 KTM 18 0.573 154.5   5
12

Á. Piqueras Leopard Racing

36 Honda 18 0.046 154.5   4
13 Italy S. Nepa LEVELUP – MTA 82 KTM 18 0.043 154.4   3
14

J. Esteban CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team

78 CF MOTO 18 0.013 154.4   2
15 Japan T. Suzuki Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP 24 Husqvarna 18 12.175 153.5   1
16 United Kingdom S. Ogden MLav Racing 19 Honda 18 0.962 153.4    
17 Italy M. Bertelle Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team 18 Honda 18 0.062 153.4    
18

N. Fabio LEVELUP – MTA

10 KTM 18 0.059 153.4    
19

X. Zurutuza Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

85 KTM 18 0.909 153.3    
20 United Kingdom J. Whatley MLav Racing 70 Honda 18 18.206 151.9    
21

N. Dettwiler CIP

55 KTM 18 0.019 151.9    
22

T. Buasri Honda Team Asia

5 Honda 18 0.048 151.9    
23

F. Aditama Honda Team Asia

93 Honda 18 6.085 151.5    
dnf

D. Almansa Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team

22 Honda 12 6 Laps 146.9 Retirement  
dnf Japan T. Furusato Honda Team Asia 72 Honda 5 7 Laps 153.7 Accident  
dnf Australia J. Kelso BOE Motorsports 66 KTM 5 0.550 153.6 Accident  
dnf Italy R. Rossi CIP 54 KTM 5 3.140 152.7 Accident  

Ogura ends Moto2 drought

Ai Ogura, MT Helmets MSI

Ai Ogura, MT Helmets MSI

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

MT Helmets – MSI’s Ogura came from 10th on the grid to beat team-mate Sergio Garcia by 3.816s to end a 28-race victory drought.

The Japanese rider found great pace in the latter stages of chaotic race to overhaul Garcia into Turn 1 on lap 18 of 21.

Ogura then proceeded to dart away into the distance to secure his first win of the season and lead a team 1-2.

Garcia led from pole in the early stages before MotoGP-bound Fermin Aldeguer (Speed Up) overtook him on lap two.

Aldeguer pulled away from Garcia but was reeled in again midway through race, before the future Ducati MotoGP rider was handed a long lap penalty on lap 15 for exceeding track limits too many times.

As Aldeguer went to serve his long lap penalty at Turn 1, he crashed out.

This released Garcia into the lead, though he was battling fading rubber and succumbed to Ogura’s advances.

Aspar’s Jake Dixon completed the podium in third ahead of Yamaha VR46 Master Camp rider Jeremy Alcoba, who came from 22nd to fourth.

Senna Agius was fifth on his Intact GP-run bike ahead of Gresini rider Albert Arenas. Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), Alonso Lopez (Speed Up), Joe Roberts (American Racing) and Tony Arbolino (Marc VDS) completed the top 10.

Garcia leads the championship by 21 points from Roberts, with Ogura sitting third and Aldeguer holding fourth place. A crash for Aron Canet leaves him sixth in the standings.

Moto2 Race Results

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