Recapping the Moto2 and Moto3 contests from Motegi

MotoGP 2025

Round 17 – Motegi Moto2 Race Report

Daniel Holgado put on a commanding performance at Motegi, taking his second Moto2 victory of the season with a lights-to-flag masterclass once he hit the front.

The CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team rookie took control on Lap 2, steadily building a gap that no one could close, and eventually crossed the line more than four seconds clear of Jake Dixon. Diogo Moreira salvaged third after an early charge faded, cutting Manuel Gonzalez’s title lead to 34 points with five rounds to go.

The race began with fireworks as Moreira launched from fifth on the grid to lead through the opening corners, getting the better of Holgado, who had initially claimed the holeshot. Championship leader Gonzalez endured a rough first lap, shuffled back to ninth, while Dixon and Tony Arbolino also jostled in the leading group.

Holgado wasted no time in regaining control, repassing Moreira at Turn 3 on Lap 2 and immediately checking out at the front.

Drama unfolded soon after between Gonzalez and Celestino Vietti. Locked in a tight scrap, the pair collided at Turn 10 on Lap 4, sending Vietti tumbling into the gravel. Gonzalez survived but was hit with a Long Lap Penalty for causing the crash, which he served on Lap 9, dropping him outside the top eight. That left his title rival Moreira running in fourth, but the Brazilian was soon under attack from Holgado’s teammate David Alonso.

At the front, Holgado was untouchable, pulling more than three seconds clear by half distance. Dixon capitalised on an Arbolino mistake to move into second, but the gap to the leader was already insurmountable.

Behind them, Moreira fought his way past Arbolino for third, a critical move in the championship picture. Alonso threatened to snatch the final podium spot in the closing laps, but Moreira clung on by a few tenths to take five valuable points out of Gonzalez’s lead.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, mounted a late recovery, climbing to fifth after passing Arbolino on the penultimate lap. Baltus, Ortola, Arenas and rookie Collin Veijer rounded out the top ten. Further back, Aron Canet’s slim title hopes took another blow with a solitary point for 15th, leaving him 49 points behind Gonzalez.

Holgado’s second victory in three races underlines his growing presence in the class, while Dixon’s second podium in three continues his strong late-season form. For Gonzalez and Moreira, the championship battle remains finely balanced, and with Lombok up next, the title race is far from decided.

Senna Agius struggled to find the right feeling on the 4.8-kilometre track during practice. Starting from 20th on the grid, he had a tough time, but showed determination right from the start and fought his way up the field. However, his race came to a premature end on lap four after a mistake in turn three.

Senna Agius – DNF

“Nothing really to say, except that I gained a few positions on the first lap and showed some nice overtaking manoeuvres. But then I felt like I was at the limit when braking. Then I had a moment when turning into turn five, which unfortunately resulted in me crashing. I apologise to the team for this mistake on my part. It was a difficult weekend. The only thing we can do is learn from it and prepare well for Indonesia so we can come back strong there.”

Motegi Moto2 Results

Motegi Moto2 Top Speeds

Moto2 Championship Standings

Motegi Moto3 Race Report

David Muñoz mastered the changing conditions at Motegi to take a commanding Moto3 victory at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, crossing the line nearly two seconds clear of the chasing pack. The LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP rider seized control by mid-distance and never looked back, while Jose Antonio Rueda put in a determined late charge to secure second and edge closer to the world title. Maximo Quiles held firm in the closing stages to beat fellow rookie Valentin Perrone to the final step on the podium.

Rueda and Perrone launched well from the front row, with Taiyo Furusato slotting into third in front of his home crowd. Joel Kelso, Muñoz and Quiles soon joined the mix, and by the second lap, Kelso had shoved past Rueda for the lead, Muñoz quickly following him through. Within a few laps, the lead changed hands multiple times as light rain spots added to the tension. Quiles briefly hit the front before Muñoz began to stamp his authority, pulling out a one-second advantage by Lap 8.

Furusato had been running strongly in second before disaster struck. The Honda rider highsided at Turn 2 on Lap 9, and after remounting, crashed again at Turn 5, ending his hopes of a home podium. That left Muñoz clear, while behind him, Quiles, Perrone and the fast-charging Leopard duo of David Almansa and Adrian Fernandez fought over the remaining podium places.

The championship picture also shifted when Angel Piqueras, second in the standings, crashed at Turn 10. He remounted quickly but dropped to 11th, crucially losing more ground to Rueda, who had worked his way into the top five. Almansa’s superb comeback ride ended with a crash in the final laps, and Rueda then pushed his way past Quiles and Perrone to claim second, strengthening his position in the title fight.

At the flag, Muñoz had checked out to win his third race of the season, with Rueda a deserved second.

David Muñoz – P1

“I am super happy because it was a very important day for me and the team. Despite the rain, I pushed myself hard when I saw the riders ahead of me, even though it wasn’t easy because of the slippery track. But gradually I developed a good feel for the conditions and gave it my all right to the end. In the end, I won. Another important victory for me and the championship, and of course for the team and everyone around me. Now I’m looking forward to Indonesia, where I really like the track. But as always, we’ll take the weekend step by step and then see what we can do on Sunday. But first of all, a big thank you to the team!”

Quiles and Perrone staged a dramatic rookie duel for third, the Spaniard fending off a last-ditch attack from the Argentine to secure his eighth podium of the year.

Fernandez completed the top five ahead of home favourite Ryusei Yamanaka, while Guido Pini recovered from a double Long Lap penalty to take seventh.
Kelso faded to eighth after his early heroics, with Luca Lunetta and Dennis Foggia rounding out the top ten.

Joel Kelso – P8

Overall, it was a good weekend with a strong race pace. In the race, when the rain came, we lost a bit of focus and didn’t push enough, losing ground to the leaders. Once the track dried, however, our speed was really strong and we were faster than the riders ahead. There are many positives to take away. Now it’s about learning from that episode and coming back even stronger at the next one.”

Piqueras crossed the line in 11th after his fall, leaving his title hopes slipping further away. Jacob Roulstone, Matteo Bertelle, Alvaro Carpe and Stefano Nepa claimed the final points.

Jacob Roulstone – P13

“Pretty chaotic race. I had a really good start, a really good first corner, and I actually did a good entry into turn 2, but I had to avoid a crash just in front of me, so I dropped to the back. I was able to put my head down, and catch back up. I actually felt really confident when it started to rain, and that’s when I started gaining positions. Overall, we are happy with today’s race, I could ride well and be aggressive in the overtakes. We had made a few changes heading to the track, and I changed a lot of my riding, so it was good! We still have things to improve on the overall weekend though, I hope we can figure out our bike set up earlier into the weekend, so let’s head to Indonesia, a faster track which suits my style better! Big thanks to the team, as always.”

The result means Rueda can now wrap up the championship next time out in Indonesia.

Motegi Moto3 Results

Motegi Moto3 Top Speeds

Moto3 Championship Standings

2025 MotoGP Calendar

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