2024 Americas Moto3 Grand Prix, COTA - Race Results

Round three of the Moto3 championship was 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.

The CFMoto Valresa Aspar rider started from pole, his first, and got a superb start - immediately pulling out a lead.

There was panic behind and contact 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 came down rapidly.

When Veijer flew out of contention 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 win.

The Colombian celebrated by tossing his gloves at fans waving his national flag.

Holgado had his own battle on the final lap with Angel Piqueras staking his claim for second, 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 finish 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.

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

Sixth went to 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 wide 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 was not the only rider 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 not 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 behind 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 Squadra Corse.

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

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

The final points went to Noah Dettwiler (CIP Green Power) in 14th and Farioli (SIC58 Squadra 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 of the riders who crashed during the race rejoined.

That was not the case for Taiyo Furusato or Scott Ogden, who was shown the black flag.  Ivan Ortola retired to the 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 weekend.

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 into third overall on a distant 28.

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