David Alonso returned to winning ways in Moto3. The rider was the strongest in the last lap of the Thai GP at Buriram and secured the Rookie of the Year title. The race saw two riders getting their maiden podiums.
Capitalizing on the pole position, Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) kept the lead, but Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) overtook him in the first lap. He then lost more positions, with Jaume Masiá (Leopard Racing/Honda) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets-MSi/KTM) also in podium positions. The Brazilian took the lead in the first lap.
The numerous position changes in just one lap indicated another typical Moto3 race: filled with uncertainty until the end and full of excitement. Masiá was the next man to lead, and more riders joined the battle for the top spots, such as Alonso (GaviotaGasGas Aspar) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia). In the third lap, Sasaki was eliminated from the contention due to a crash, risking significant setbacks in the championship battle. Besides the Japanese rider, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports/KTM) were also involved in the incident.
After four laps, Veijer led in front of Masiá and Alonso. However, the situation didn’t last long, as Masiá returned to the top in the following lap. The leading group was very close and consisted of several riders, with position changes being a constant occurrence, as is customary in Moto3.
Although Holgado was far from the top positions, he adopted a relentless pace throughout the race, giving him hope of rejoining the leading group. In this part of the classification, position changes continued to be a constant, with the lead regularly changing hands. For the first time in his career, Furusato led.
The final laps arrived, but they didn’t bring any clarity about the race’s outcome. There was still an extensive group fighting for the top positions, where anything could happen.
Heart-pounding moments in Buriram’s final meters. Veijer entered the last lap as the leader in front of Alonso. Masiá and Furusato followed the top two. In the final corners, Alonso managed to open a small gap in the lead, which he didn’t squander, securing another victory.
Furusato finished second in front of Veijer, who recovered from a mistake on the last lap to take third. Both riders made their debut on the podium. Masiá was fourth, and Öncü finished fifth in front of Holgado, whose recovery after the early incident kept him in the championship battle.
With José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finishing outside the points in 16th place, Alonso mathematically secured the Rookie of the Year title, holding a 94-point gap over the Spanish rider when only 75 points remain up for grabs.
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