Gonzalez stalks Vietti before late-race move for victory

The Moto2 Championship travelled from France to Spain this week for the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalonia at the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya. Qualifying on Saturday took place in sunny but cool conditions, and Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) and Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) spent the final run of the session exchanging fastest laps. Vietti came out on top to take his first pole of the season – and become the sixth different pole-sitter in six races – with Veijer taking second. They were joined on the front row of the grid by Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP).

Making up the second row of the grid were Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Bordoy – MSI), Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), and Aron Canet (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), with Filip Salac (OnlyFans American Racing Team), Dani Holgado (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team), and reigning Moto3 Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounding out row three.

Race day was once again sunny but cool, and Gonzalez was leading by the first corner, with Vietti, Ortola, and Canet close behind. Veijer got a slow start from second on the grid which dropped him into the pack, where he was bumped by Ayumu Sasaki (Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team) and dropped down to 15^th. It was a tough race for the Dutch rider who was dropped further down to 20^th as he completed the long lap penalty he earned last weekend in Le Mans for contact with another rider, before eventually crashing out of the race with 5 laps to go.

Back at the front, Vietti quickly made his way into the lead of the race and pulled a small gap ahead of Gonzalez and Ortola. There was an early race battle between Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) and Alonso Lopez who were fighting over 4^th place, while despite a strong start to the race Aron Canet found himself dropping down the order, but managing to hold on to take two points in 14^th.

It was a relatively lonely race for Holgado – he started 8^th on the grid and worked his way through to 5^th place early on. He held the position for most of the race – faster than those in the chasing group, but unable to bridge the gap to the top four.

Behind Holgado, there was a fierce battle for 6^th place as Lopez, Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), Salac, and David Alonso (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team) swapped places throughout the race. Alonso passed Lopez to take 6^th on the penultimate lap, leaving Lopez and Salac to battle it out for 7^th. Rookie Luca Lunetta (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) had a solid race, and on the final lap was able to make a move on double race winner Agius to claim his best finish – and first points – in the class with 9^th.

With just two laps remaining Gonzalez – who had stalked Vietti for the whole race – passed Vietti into turn one to take the lead. There were a few wobbly moments for both riders on the final lap as their tyres cried ‘enough’, but Gonzalez was able to hold on and claim his second victory of the season, with Vietti in 2^nd and Guevara in 3^rd place. Gonzalez was visibly emotional post-race, and said that he felt he had just done the best race of his life.

Ortola claimed 4^th place, with Holgado, Alonso, Salac, Lopez, Lunetta, and Agius rounding out the top ten.

Gonzalez extends his championship lead to 18.5 points ahead of Guevara, while Vietti moves ahead of Agius into 3^rd place.

Moto2 returns to action for the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy from 29^th – 31^st May 2026.

Featured Image: Intactgp