Spanish rider Manuel Gonzalez wins his first Moto2 race after a race restart due to the weather conditions

Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon was on pole position for the Japanese Moto2 Grand Prix, alongside Jake was Zonta Van Den Goorbergh and Fantic Racing’s Aron Canet.

Jake Dixon got the holeshot into turn one, just as it started to rain! Rain flags were flying around the Motegi circuit. The Red Flag was brought out.

The race restart was declared a wet race over 12 laps. Dixon got the holeshot once again, all riders were safe around the first few corners. It was an Aspar Team one-two with Izan Guevara in second place.

Alonso Lopez was in third place, Celestino Vietti and Tony Arbolino were close in fourth and fifth place. The rain looked to be stopping, Ai Ogura was on slick tyres in tenth place!

Ogura was picking up places left right and centre and by the end of lap three he took the lead of the race from Dixon.

Manuel Gonzalez was also on slick tyres, the Spaniard was moving up the order. Dixon was dropping down the order in sixth place. Ogura had a two second lead at the front from Gonzalez and Jeremy Alcoba.

Filip Salac was in third place with five laps to go, Joe Roberts pulled into the pits to change tyres. Gonzalez took the lead on lap nine, Manuel just looked to have more pace that Ai in the latter stage of the race.

Gonzalez crossed the finish line in first place, the Spaniard’s first Moto2 victory! Ai Ogura was second, Salac was third, Alcoba was fourth with Zonta Van Den Goorbergh finishing in fifth place.

Ai Ogura leads the championship standings by 60 points from Sergio Garcia, Ai can take the 2024 Moto2 title at the next round in Australia.

Featured Image: MotoGP.com