Moto3 Thailand Race: David Alonso Buries Valentino Rossi's Record

The Moto3 race has just finished in Thailand! After forty minutes of intense effort, the competitors in the smallest category can congratulate themselves on having delivered an exceptional battle. While the title has already been awarded to David Alonso (CFMoto Aspar Team), nothing is yet decided for the places of honour. Before the start, it was quite difficult to predict the outcome of the race. Admittedly, Alonso had crushed the first two sessions, but he was caught by Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) during P2. Then, in qualifying, at the end of a rather absurd session, Joel Kelso (KTM Boé Motorsport) had distinguished himself right under the noses of all the favourites, who preferred to wait until the last moment to leave the box, but were unable to complete a full lap before the end of the time trial! This was the Australian's first pole in Moto3; he was one to watch closely, as were Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Angel Piqueras (Honda Leopard Racing), who also qualified very well.

You already know the result of this race! It doesn't matter, come and relive it with us! Before starting, here is a table which summarizes the known facts:

Moto3™ Thailand, Buriram	2023	2024
FP	1'42.318 Jaume Masia	1'40.544 David Alonso
P1	1'42.319 Jaume Masia	1'40.703 David Alonso
P2	1'41.907 Deniz Öncü	1'40.577 Taiyo Furusato
Q1	1'42.450 Joel Kelso	1'41.241 Filippo Farioli
Q2	1'42.061 Deniz Öncü	1'40.603 Joel Kelso
Course	Alonso, Furusato, Veijer (See here)	Alonso, Lunetta, Veijer
All time lap record	1'41.907 Deniz Oncü 2023	1'40.544 David Alonso

The weather was mild throughout the weekend in Buriram, despite the sometimes extreme heat. However, when the Moto3 race started, the sky was grey and the first drops of rain seemed to settle on the camera lenses. The race was postponed by five minutes, so that the serious stuff would not start until 6:05. The race was then reduced to 12 laps.

This does not prevent Joel Kelso from maintaining his advantage at the start, despite the assaults of Collin Veijer in the first bends of the event. The two men begin to engage in a few exchanges of arms under the watchful eyes of Adrian Fernandez and David Alonso.

Angel Piqueras, Taiyo Furusato and Ivan Ortola are also hanging on to this group that is moving much faster than average. After only three passes, David Munoz is already more than 1,5 seconds behind them, in eighth position. The fight for victory is slowly taking shape.

Joel Kelso swerved to fifth while running wide, allowing Furusato to try to escape. The #72 then took the lead with a five-tenths advantage, chased by David Alonso, who led the rest of the field.

His rivals and their repeated attacks did not make things easy for Alonso, who nevertheless managed to get rid of them by delaying a certain number of his braking. He then set the best lap in the race and came back at high speed on Furusato, whom he managed to get rid of easily.

However, it was Ivan Ortola who started the last lap in the lead, after regaining the advantage over the n°80. The Colombian responded with the authority he knows how to show on the track, and defended his position until the last corner. It was then that in a last hope, Ortola tried to brake the leader. However, the latter delayed his braking as much as possible, and started to slide slightly from behind. He was nevertheless more cautious than his rival who went straight on, letting Furusato and Veijer pass.

David Alonso takes his twelfth victory of the season by winning the Moto3 race in Thailand. A result that allows him to definitively erase Valentino Rossi from the records. This is the fifth consecutive victory of the 2024 world champion, who has not been beaten since Misano 1.

Luca Lunetta and Collin Veijer completed the top three, while the latter clashed with Furusato in the final straight of the race. The Japanese rider narrowly crossed the finish line. Sent to the ground, he and his bike used their momentum to slide and manage to cross it. This is how Ivan Ortola managed to overtake him on the wire.

Note the mutual falls of Angel Piqueras and Adrian Fernandez at the start of the last lap of the race. An incident under investigation.

3 Moto2024 Thailand Grand Prix Result:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Moto3 Thailand Racing