Round seven of the Moto3 championship, the Italian Grand Prix, saw David Alonso make it three wins in a row as he picked up his fifth win of the season in the shortened race.
Dominating the weekend on his way to pole, the CFMoto Valresa Aspar rider was leading the original start and pulling away. Once back on the grid the second start was very different, with the Colombian now in a lead group and battling for position.
Lap eight saw the #80 make his move as he once again gapped the field. Collin Veijer worked his way back to the front of the riders behind, but had left it just too late, Alonso was victorious again but by just 0.142s.
| 2024 Moto3 Italy – Race Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | David Alonso | COL | CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team (CFMOTO) | 21m 17.796s |
| 2 | Collin Veijer | NED | Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP(Husqvarna) | +0.142s |
| 3 | Ryusei Yamanaka | JPN | MT Helmets – MSI (KTM) | +1.253s |
| 4 | Taiyo Furusato | JPN | Honda Team Asia (Honda) | +1.700s |
| 5 | David Munoz | SPA | BOE Motorsports (KTM) | +5.399s |
| 6 | Ivan Ortola | SPA | MT Helmets – MSI (KTM) | +12.556s |
| 7 | Luca Lunetta | ITA | SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) | +13.839s |
| 8 | Adrian Fernandez | SPA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | +13.971s |
| 9 | Jacob Roulstone | AUS | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (GasGas) | +14.099s |
| 10 | Matteo Bertelle | ITA | Rivacold SnipersTeam (Honda) | +14.106s |
| 11 | Angel Piqueras | SPA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | +14.299s |
| 12 | Joel Kelso | AUS | BOE Motorsports (KTM) | +14.335s |
| 13 | Riccardo Rossi | ITA | CIP Green Power (KTM) | +16.899s |
| 14 | Daniel Holgado | SPA | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (GasGas) | +22.031s |
| 15 | Jose Antonio Rueda | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo(KTM) | +22.091s |
| 16 | Nicola Carraro | ITA | LEVELUP – MTA (KTM) | +22.122s |
| 17 | Scott Ogden | GBR | MLav Racing (Honda) | +22.205s |
| 18 | Joel Esteban | SPA | CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team (CFMOTO) | +22.259s |
| 19 | Filippo Farioli | ITA | SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) | +25.856s |
| 20 | Noah Dettwiler | SWI | CIP Green Power (KTM) | +25.857s |
| 21 | David Almansa | SPA | Rivacold Snipers Team (Honda) | +33.633s |
| 22 | Tatchakorn Buasri | THA | Honda Team Asia (Honda) | +37.688s |
| 23 | Joshua Whatley | GBR | MLav Racing (Honda) | +53.010s |
| 24 | Tatsuki Suzuki | JPN | Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (Husqvarna) | DNF |
| 25 | Stefano Nepa | ITA | LEVELUP – MTA (KTM) | DNF |
| 26 | Xabi Zurutuza | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | DNF |
Veijer had an issue leaving for the restart, his Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact team rushing to him with the starter to make sure he exited before pit lane closed.
The Netherlands rider slipped back into the group, but made his move once he realised Alonso was set to break, but couldn’t quite bridge the gap, finishing second after a series of new fastest race laps.
The final podium spot went to Rysei Yamanaka, who inherited the place from his teammate Ivan Ortola who crashed at turn twelve.
It is Yamanaka’s first rostrum visit in his 82nd grand prix start after a fast start saw him able to jump positions from 14th on the restart and fight in the lead group.
His fellow countryman Taiyo Furusato just missed out in the run to the line, fourth for Honda Team Asia .
David Munoz was dropped late in the race after a spirited run to bring him into contention for BOE Motorsports. The Spanish rider still had a run to be proud of from 13th on the original grid.
Ortola was able to rejoin following his late fall, with a gap big enough to still claim sixth.
Luca Lunetta was the top rookie in the race, fighting his way to the front of the chasing group to claim seventh over the line for SIC58 Squadra Corse as the top home rider at Mugello.
Adrian Fernandez had held that position for much of the race before being shuffled back to eighth for Leopard.
Jacob Roulstone faded but fought back in the closing laps to take ninth for Red Bull GasGas Tech3, their highest placed rider.
There was pressure all the way from Matteo Bertelle who had to settle for a top ten finish for Rivacold Snipers.
The pack was incredibly close over the line with Angel Piqueras right behind in eleventh on the second Leopard with Joel Kelso dropping to twelfth in the frantic battle to the chequered flag for the BOE team.
There was a small wait before Riccardo Rossi arrived at the line for 13th for CIP Green Power, just ahead of Daniel Holgado.
Former championship leader Holgado, who won in Italy last year, received a penalty for the restart, which saw him clip Jose Antonio Rueda, who in turn took out Stefano Nepa as he fell.
The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider took his double loop punishment quickly because of the shortened distance, dropping back to 17th, before fighting back for 14th .
The final point on offer went to Rueda after he rejoined the race.
Filippo Farioli and Joel Esteban were both served a double long lap penalty by race direction before a wheel was turned. Farioli was able to restart after the red flag for 19th . Esteban had been around the loop once before the stoppage and completed his penalty sooner in 18th.
Red flag for Zurutuza fall
The red flag came out for an incident involving Farioli and Xabi Zurutuza at turn nine, Arribbiata 2. Farioli was unable to control his crashing bike, and Zurutuza was unlucky to be in behind on track, leaving the KTM rider nowhere to go. Nicola Carraro managed to find a space and avoided the fallout and was unlucky not to make it back to finish in the points in 16th.
It was Zurutuza who needed extra assistance trackside after the announcement that both riders were conscious, so the yellow flag was upgraded to red to allow for the Spaniard to be safely attended to at the fast corner, with a stretcher required.
A later update added the #85 had suffered back trauma but remained conscious and was going to receive a full check up.
Crashes, Injuries and Replacements
Suzuki had his own issue as the red flag came out, with mechanics in his Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP garage working furiously in the run up to the race restart. He soon crashed out on the restart.
Championship Standings
It was advantage Alonso again as he extended his lead to 37 points over Holgado with a victory, now on a total of 143.
Two extra points moves Holgado on to 106, with Veijer closing in in third overall, now on 95 points. Ortola remains fourth after his recovery with a tally of 80.