Day: 18 August 2024

David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) with a long lap penalty (LLP) charged his way back through the pack to take victory here in Austria. It was a superb comeback after taking his first ever LLP and punished the rest of the field. Alonso celebrated and showed us the dance moves to match his riding skills  in the LLP loop.

It will take something monumental now for the rest  of the season for any rider to stop Alonso winning the championship this season. 71pts adrift to Alonso in the championship, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) had a perfect Saturday but a nightmare Sunday starting from the back of the grid for the race.  Ortola fought hard though to finish 9th and clearly would of had a chance at victory today had Ortola started from pole.

David Munoz (BOE Motorsports) after a manic battle snatched 2nd place away from Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) on the line who finished in 3rd. It was a great race today in the Styrian mountains!

AS IT HAPPENED

Ortola was nowhere to be seen at the front of the grid as the riders got underway in the overcast conditions. Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsport) with a great start and into the lead on the first lap as Alonso was up and attacking Holgado for 2nd after starting 6th on the grid.

Alonso and Holgado diced with each other and was enough for Munoz to dive by and up into 2nd. At the end of lap 1 it was both BOE Motorsports riders leading the way in Austria.

Lap 2 and a lead group started to develop in the race with 6 riders at the front. Alonso and Piqueras took their long lap penalties and re-joined the race in 10th and 11th places. Across the line and to start lap 3, Munoz with the slip stream looked at the inside line for turn 1, but Kelso full of confidence defended the move last on the brakes.

Championship leader Alonso now up into 8th place and had a mountain to climb 3.5seconds back to the leaders. Holgado seemed to be relaxed at this point in 3rd, keeping pace with the squabbling BOE Motorsport teammates ahead of him.

As Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) had a scare almost losing the front, Alonso went by up into 6th. Pole sitter and race winner last time out at Silverstone, Ortola set the fastest lap of the race at the quarter race distance. Ortola still keen to get on with business despite the nightmare start.

Lap 7 and into turn 1 Kelso was late on the brakes and held onto the lead but Holgado’s patience had left him staring at the back of Munoz’ wheel. Holgado went by Munoz up into 2nd into turn 1 and was now gunning for Kelso. As a track limits warning was issued for Kelso, Holgado into the last sector  of the lap blasted up the inside of Kelso into the lead of the race.

As we approached the half way race distance, the 3 way fight for the win became a 7 way fight for the win with newly promoted to Moto2 Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) catching and dispatching Kelso up to 3rd.

11 laps to go, Holgado lead to Munoz 2nd and Veijer in 3rd. Kelso, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Alonso and Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) were all still with a shout of taking victory at this point. Veijer continued his charge and up into 2nd going by Munoz,

Lap 11 of 20 and Veijer down the hill into turn 9 hit the front of the Grand Prix for the first time. Rueda shoulder barged his way by Kelso which shoved Kelso to the back of the lead group.

Turn 9 seemed to be a favourite spot for everyone as Veijer went by Holgado to retake the lead of the race. Every rider in the lead group were fighting and dicing with each other in an epic battle in Spielberg.

Alonso even with a long lap penalty was back now up into 2nd as Munoz and Piqueras fought with each other through turn 1.

Into the last quarter of the race, pole sitter Ortola fought his way back up to 9th after starting in the pit lane. Veijer lead from Alonso in 2nd and Munoz in 3rd. Holgado and Piqueras went by Munoz as the lead group order was ever changing. Down the hill into turn 9 Alonso went by Veijer to take the lead of the race for the first time.

Into the last few laps and Alonso lead the field through turn 6 as Munoz and Holgado were on the back of Alonso’s wheel. A couple of tenths separated Holgado to Veijer and Piqueras behind. The lead group shrunk to 5 at this point all still in contention to take the win in the last couple of laps.

_{THE LAST LAP}

Championship leader Alonso took us across the line to start the final lap. Both Munoz and Holgado bombed into turn 1 with Munoz coming off worse and ran wide re-joining into 4th place.

Piqueras now up into 3rd and looked to go up to 2nd by Holgado but unable to make it stick in the early part of the lap. Dropping down through turn 6 it was still Alonso leading from Holgado fending off Piqueras in 3rd.

Munoz out of nowhere rubbed shoulders and barged by Piqueras into 3rd.  Across the line Alonso held on to take victory and Munoz snatched 2nd place away from Holgado who took 3rd.

Alonso on fire today and danced in the long lap penalty loop. What a rider and what a race in Moto3!

Race Classification