Manuel Gonzalez experienced a weekend full of twists and turns in Indonesia. Second under the checkered flag, the Spanish rider of the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP team was abruptly disqualified for using unauthorized software, in accordance with the FIM technical regulations. This dramatic turn of events disrupted the championship standings: Gonzalez lost his second place and the 20 points that went with it, maintaining a lead of just nine points over Diogo Moreira.
At the Mandalika circuit, the Moto2 race was marked by extreme temperatures, exceeding 60°C on the asphalt. Despite the conditions, Gonzalez quickly established himself among the leaders. After briefly losing a position at the start, he rejoined the leading group on lap eight and began chasing Diogo Moreira. Throughout the race, he maintained his lead without taking unnecessary risks, controlling the situation until the end.
A few hours after the finish, the sanction was imposed: his onboard software no longer met the standards of the Moto2 World Championship. Gonzalez testifies his frustration : “What can I say… I’m obviously extremely disappointed by the bad luck we had with the firmware update, which led to my disqualification from today’s race. Despite all this bad luck, we’re taking the positives from today. The championship is now more competitive, but that doesn’t stress me out; on the contrary, it motivates me to fight even harder and prepare even more intensely. We can’t change what happened, but we can leave Australia at 100% and fight for the title. I also wish David (Munoz, rider of the same team in Moto3. Editor’s note) a speedy recovery. We hope he can get back on track soon.” underlines the world leader in the intermediate class.
Gonzalez's penalty has completely reignited the suspense in the title race. Diogo Moreira is closing in, and the Moto2 championship promises a fierce battle in the upcoming rounds. Behind them, Aron Canet and Barry Baltus are also back. The Fantic riders are now 33 and 43 points behind the leader.
© Intact GP
