Moto3: A sensational fightback from Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) saw the 18-year-old take victory in Goiania, after an early red flag stoppage became a five-lap dash for glory.
He was kept honest by teammate Marco Morelli who had to settle for second but with it, achieved a first-ever Moto3 podium, whilst there was big history made in P3: Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) took his first-ever podium and thus Indonesia’s first in any class of Grand Prix racing. Heading into the round as Championship leader, David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) crashed out from the lead on Lap 14 before the red flag, and ws ineligible to restart.
On the first start, polesitter Joel Esteban (LEVELUP-MTA) grabbed the holeshot but by the halfway point on Lap 1, it was an Argentine 1-2 as Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Morelli took over at the front. Quiles had worked his way up to P2 and Championship leader Almansa moved into the top five from 14th on the grid, before Lap 7 saw Esteban crash out of the top three and on Lap 13 Almansa suffered a shock crash from the lead. Not long after that, Scott Ogden (CIP – Green Power) took a tumble and clearing his bike saw the red flags come out. Everything was reset – and Almansa was ok, but not allowed to take the restart.
At lights out for the five-lap dash, Quiles reasserted his authority and grabbed the holeshot as Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and Guido Pini (Dynavolt Intact GP) all battled hard behind.
It was all chopping and changing, but Quiles was out front – as he had been with even more margin on the first start. But onto the last lap, Morelli had the hammer down in second and, going into the last sector, was right with Quiles. Still, there was nothing that was going to stop the #28 from taking victory in Goiania, with Quiles first over the line for the GP win and the Championship lead in one.
Morelli made it an Aspar 1-2, and history was made on their tail: Pratama, who already impressed in Buriram, took his first podium in Grand Prix racing and the first ever for Indonesia. To do so he held off Carpe and Pini, with rookie Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in a mighty sixth. Perrone, Fernandez, Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top ten.
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