Gonzalez dominates opening Moto2 race of the season to win ahead of Aron Canet and Senna Agius.

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) started the first Moto2 race of the 2025 season from pole position, having edged out Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun), and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) in Saturday’s qualifying session. It was Vietti who made the best start, grabbing the holeshot and leading the pack into turn 1. Teammates Gonzalez and Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) were hot on the Italian’s heels, with Darryn Binder (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) appearing to have made brilliant starts from sixth and 11th on the grid in fourth and fifth.

Jorge Navarro (KLINT Forward Factory Team) made an early exit on lap one as he crashed out of the race at turn 6, joining teammate Alex Escrig on the sidelines as the number 11 had failed to start the race following an issue with his bike on the sighting lap.

As Binder and Agius battled for third place, 2019 World Supersport 300 Champion Gonzalez passed Vietti for the lead and didn’t look back, streaking into the distance to take his first win of the season.  

On lap three Binder and Guevara were handed double long lap penalties with the pair having unfortunately jumped the start rather than just getting off the line well. Running fifth and sixth at the time of their penalties, both would drop outside of the points by the end of the race.

Celestino Vietti was an unlucky victim of an overly ambitious move by Senna Agius, with the Australian rider colliding with the Italian as he tried to pass him for second, sending him crashing out of the race and costing him a potential podium.

Following the collision, Agius dropped to fourth place and served a long lap penalty for “irresponsible riding”. He had such a lead over Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) in fifth that he was able to hold onto 4th before getting his head down and catching Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Agius and Moreira engaged in battle, passing each other back and forth over the final few laps of the race, with Agius eventually taking third place to give the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team a double podium.

2024 Moto2 Championship runner-up Aron Canet had a rather uneventful race, but was able to take advantage of the misfortune of those ahead of him to move firstly up to fourth, and then into the podium positions, finishing in a strong second place behind Gonzalez. Both Spaniards put on a show for the Thai fans with wheelies across the line to finish the race.

Behind the top four of Gonzalez, Canet, Agius, and Moriera, there was a four-way battle for fifth place. Marcos Ramirez held fifth, but was closely followed by Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO), Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), and Dani Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team). Holgado crossed the line in 8^th place as the highest placed rookie. Reigning World Supersport Champion Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team) was the only other rookie to score points in the race with a 14^th place finish, while reigning Moto3 Champion David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) finished outside the points in 21^st place.

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) made solid progress throughout the race, coming from outside the top 20 finish in 12^th and 13^th.

Moto2 returns for Round 2 at The Termas de Río Hondo Circuit in Argentina from 14^th to 16^th March.

Featured Image: motogp.com