David Alonso is back on top in Moto3 after an outstanding performance in a fiercely contested Emilia Romagna GP. It wasn’t until the final lap in Misano that the rider managed to secure the lead for good, bringing him within two victories of the record for most wins in a single Moto3 season and just three wins away including the former 125cc category.
Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) got off to a great start, staying in the lead with Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar) in second and Iván Ortolá (MT Helmets-MSi/KTM) in third. David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports/KTM) crashed on the second corner, taking him out of contention for the top spots.
In the first lap, Alonso overtook Furusato, while Ortolá lost several positions, falling out of the top five.
Alonso has hit the front! 👏
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 22, 2024
Furusato is tagged right onto the back of him though! 💨#EmiliaRomagnaGP 🏁 pic.twitter.com/zFIXVlZpxV
Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) held third place, but at the start of the second lap, he was overtaken by Ángel Piqueras (Leopard Racing/Honda). In the same lap, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GasGas Tech3) entered the top five after starting from 11th on the grid.
Holgado’s recovery continued, and by the third lap, he was already in second, putting pressure on Alonso. Piqueras held third, Adrián Fernández (Leopard Racing/Honda) was in fourth, and Furusato dropped to fifth. By lap five, Holgado became the new race leader, with Alonso slipping to fifth as he was overtaken by Fernández, Piqueras, and Furusato in quick succession.
His classic move! ✅
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 22, 2024
Piqueras eases his way to the lead for the first time! #EmiliaRomagnaGP 🏁 pic.twitter.com/Xpl7tg97vp
A new leader emerged on lap seven, when Ángel Piqueras took over the top spot. Alonso, however, would fight his way back into the podium positions. The leading group remained tightly packed in the middle of the race, and Alonso eventually reclaimed the lead.
The podium positions stabilized for a while, with Alonso at the front, followed by Daniel Holgado and Piqueras, with Collin Veijer in fourth, just under half a second behind. These four riders managed to break away from the rest of the pack in the final laps.
On the penultimate lap, Alonso dropped to third after a strong attack from Holgado, losing his position not only to the Spaniard but also to Piqueras. Yet, nothing was set in stone.
At the start of the final lap, Alonso fought back to regain the lead, with Piqueras moving up to second. Alonso held onto his position until the end, securing the victory with a 0.175s margin over Piqueras. Holgado crossed the line in third, but due to exceeding track limits on the last lap, he was penalized and dropped one place, allowing Veijer to claim the final spot on the podium. Iván Ortolá rounded out the top five.
