2024 Americas Moto3 Grand Prix, COTA - Race Results

Race results from the 2024 Americas Moto3 Grand Prix in Texꦺas, won by a dominant David Alonso.

David Alonso, Moto3 race, Grand Prix of the Americas, 14 April
David Alonso, Moto3 race, Grand Prix of the Americas, 14 April

Round three of the Moto3 championship wa🍰s a scramble for position in a crash-filled race at COTA, but not for David Alonso who lead from start to finish as the chaos unfolded behind.

Th🐷e CFMoto Valresa Aspar rider started from pole, his first, and got a superb start - immediat🃏ely pulling out a lead.

There was panic behind and cont𒊎act and crashes aplenty with fallers from the very first turn.

A group of four formed behind, with Collin Veijer leading the charge, and with the seventeen year olds tyres visibly degrading out front the gap cam🔴e down rapidly.

When Veijer flew out of contention൩ Daniel Holgado took over the chase, but the evasive action to miss the Netherlands rider had seen the gap reopen - Alonso lead over the line comfortably, by 5.163 seconds for his sixth Moto3 w🌠in.

The Colombian celebrated by tos👍sing his gloves at fans waving his national f✅lag.

Holgado had his own battle on the final lap with Angel Piqueras staking his claim f𓂃or seco🍌nd, pushing his way ahead. By turn nineteen Holgado had edged his way back in front with the duo side by side to the line, in photo finish territory.

The Red✃ Bull Gas Gas rider just edged ahead, with rookie Piqueras picking up his first podium finis꧙h in third for Leopard.

Their tussle took Ryusei Yamanaka out of🌱 contention, the🍸 MT Helmets - MSI rider putting on a great show to work forward form 23rd on the grid for his best ever finish.

2024 Moto3 COTA  - Race Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1David AlonsoCOLCFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (CFMOTO)31m 38.427s
2Daniel HolgadoSPARed Bull GASGAS Tech3 (GasGas)+5.613s
3Angel PiquerasSPALeopard Racing (Honda)+5.176s
4Ryusei YamanakaJPNMT Helmets - MSI (KTM)+5.676s
5David MunozSPABOE Motorsports (KTM)+13.285s
6Tatsuki SuzukiJPNLiqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (Husqvarna)+13.730s
7Joel KelsoAUSBOE Motorsports (KTM)+16.963s
8Jacob RoulstoneAUSRed Bull GASGAS Tech3 (GasGas)+19.126s
9Joel EstebanSPACFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (CFMOTO)+19.325s
10Matteo BertelleITARivacold SnipersTeam (Honda)+20.657s
11Adrian FernandezSPALeopard Racing (Honda)+20.689s
12Nicola CarraroITALEVELUP - MTA (KTM)+22.785s
13Xabi ZurutuzaSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+22.869s
14Noah DettwilerSWICIP Green Power (KTM)+27.575s
15Filippo FarioliITASIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)+32.147s
16Riccardo RossiITACIP Green Power (KTM)+38.953s
17Joshua WhatleyGBRMLav Racing (Honda)+44.924s
18Stefano NepaITALEVELUP - MTA (KTM)+45.075s
19Luca LunettaITASIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)=1m 19.752s
20Ivan OrtolaSPAMT Helmets - MSI (KTM)DNF
21Collin VeijerNEDLiqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP(Husqvarna)DNF
22Scott OgdenGBRMLav Racing (Honda)DQ
23Taiyo FurusatoJPNHonda Team Asia (Honda)DNF
24Jose Antonio RuedaSPARed Bull KTM Ajo(KTM)DNS
25David AlmansaSPARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)DNS
26Tatchakorn BuasriTHAHonda Team Asia (Honda)DNS

 

David Munoz took over at the front of the chasi💟ng group, but by the time he hit the position the gap to the leaders was too large to bridge, ꩲleaving the BOE Motorsports rider to come home in fifth.

Sixth went to꧒ an experienced performance from Tatsuki Suxuki, who avoided all the on track trouble for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP.

Joel Kelso was immediately up against it after running hugely wideꦑ following his contact on the first lap with Holgado. The Australian rejoined and worked his way up to the lead group, but began to struggle at the back. Trying to stay with the group resulted in a crash. The BOE Motosports rider remounted rapidly and finished seventh, holding the position despite receiving a three second penalty after the race for the contact on the first lap.

Kelso wasꦿ not the only ri🏅der with penalties to deal with in Texas.

Penalty loop busy in Moto3

After practice there were several warnings handed out for slow riding, and a penalty to Matteo Bertelle. The warnings were no🌼t heeded meaning Adrian Fernandez, Riccardo Rossi, Joshua Whatley, Filippo Farioli, Joel Esteban, Luca Lunetta and Jacob Roulstone were all sanctioned and needed a trip around the long lap loop. Bertelle was again judged to be riding slowly, so his was doubled with Fernandez also seeing his punishment increase to a double long lap penalty after further infringements.

Of all those running the loop, rookie Roulstone ﷽made the best of the race - coming home in eighth b🐼ehind his fellow countryman for Red Bull GasGas Tech3.

Esteban was ninth for CFMoto Aspar, with Bertelle staging a comeback to complete the top ten for the SIC58 Sq♛uadra Corse.

Fernandez placed eleventh on the 🎃second Leopard, just ahead ofꦰ Nicola Carraro (LevelUp MTA) in twelfth.

Xabi Zurutuza finished his debut grand prix appearance 13th on ꦆthe second Red Bull KTM entry.

The final points went to Noah De༺ttwiler (CIP Green Power) in 14th and Farioli (SIC58 Squadraﷺ Corse) in 15th.


Jose Antonio Rueda out from the front row.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Rueda had put in a strong showing in qualifying, pushing a dominant David Alonso all the way to the end of the session for a close second🧜 on the grid.

The Spaniard did not🧔 get﷽ to line up in position on the grid - missing the race after undergoing emergency surgery on Saturday night for appendicitis.

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

Most o🅠f the riders who crashed during the race reꦏjoined.

That was not the case for Taiyo Furusato or ✤Scott Ogden, who was shown the black flag.  Ivan Ortola retired to th💎e pits. Last season's race winner crashed twice - the first saw him needing to be chased down by Stefano Nepa, his teammate last season, to ensure he got his own bike back in the confusion. The second being a strange, violent fall in which he was flung  from his KTM before he called it a day and headed back to the garage late in the race.

David Almansa and Tachakorn Buasri were both also absent following crashes earlier in the race week🥀end.

Championship Standings

Second was enough for Holgado to retain the overall lead, taking his total to 65 points. Alonso’s win sees him move to just two points behind, while Joel Kelso moves in🥂to third overall on a distant 28.

Ortola is fourth 🍒after his DNF. Suzuki moves into fifth after a consistent start to the season.

Read More