MT Helmets Angel Piqueras wins a classic last lap battle Moto3 race as Jose Antoni Rueda retired with a mechanical issue

The Moto3 championship are at the Lusail International Circuit for round four of the championship. MT Helmets’s Ryusei Yamanaka was on pole position for the first time in his Moto3 career, Australian Joel Kelso qualified in second place, with Jose Antonio Rueda rounding out the front row of the grid. Alvaro Carpe was given a double long lap penalty due to causing Scott Ogden to crash in Q2 yesterday. Adrian Fernandez also had a long lap penalty to take, due to causing Dennis Foggia to crash in Practice.

Yamanaka got the holeshot into turn one, all riders were safely through the first few corners. Kelso was piling on the pressure in second place.

Kelso took the first place position from Yamanaka, Rueda was in third place. Carpe took his first long lap early on, rejoining the pack in 16th place.

David Munoz was dealing his harsh moves, Fernandez was pushed wide by the Liqui Moly Dynavolt rider!

Foggia was running in seventh place, looking more comfortable on his KTM machinery. After four laps Rueda was leading the race from Angel Piqueras.

Disaster for Foggia a lap later he crashed out at turn six! Things were so tight at the front between the front four riders. The leading quartet had a 0.5 second gap to fifth placed David Almansa.

Almansa bridged the gap to the leaders, bringing Riccardo Rossi and Taiyo Furusato with him. Cormac Buchanan crashed out at turn five, the rookie was running inside the top ten.

Almansa crashed out at the half-way part of the race at turn 16. Fernandez retired from the race on the same lap. Rueda was leading from Yamanaka.

There was a five-way battle for the victory, Rossi was just losing touch with front runners in the latter stage of the race. Joel Esteban crashed out on lap 13 at turn two. Things were heating up with the leaders, Rueda dropped off the leading trio in fourth place, he pulled off track with a mechanical issue!

Piqueras took the victory after a very exciting few last corners, Furusato crossed the line in second place, Yamanaka was third, Kelso was fourth with Rossi finishing fifth place.

Piqueras now leads the championship standings by just one point from Rueda.

Featured Image: Angel Piqueras.