Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta continues to stun the Moto3 World Championship in his rookie season and claimed his third win in a row – meaning a 100% podium record in 2021 - at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España for the fourth round of 2021 MotoGP™. Remy Gardner maintains his lead in the Moto2™ series after finishing 4th at a sunny Circuito de Jerez.
Moto3
Deep blue sky covered the opening race of the day for Moto3 and track temperatures reached 35 degrees as the 22-laps got underway. Red Bull KTM Ajo duo Pedro Acosta and Jaume Masia together with Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü helped set a very fierce pace at the front as Moto3 carried a very ‘orange’ arrowpoint. Ayumu Sasaki was also in the midst of the competition for podium spots.
The race came down to a climatic last corner. Öncü lost control under braking into the hairpin and unfortunately collided with Masia, taking both riders down and outside of the points by the time they were able to remount and make along the start straight to the finish.
Acosta, leading into the fateful final turn, accepted the checkered flag by half a second. The teenager heads the championship by a mammoth 51 points – more than two Grands Prix - after his podium in Qatar and wins in Doha, Portugal and now Spain. Sasaki was 5th for his second consecutive top five classification and was the second of five KTM RC4s from the first eight finishers.
Pedro Acosta: “It wasn’t easy today and I have a few problems at this track with my riding style. I wasn’t the strongest out there but I was talking with Aki [Ajo] before the race and he said to me ‘if you can go for the win, then do it…but otherwise take the points’. In the end we could make it! Thanks to the team and a special thanks to my mother on Mothers’ Day here in Spain!”
Moto2
Remy Gardner rolled to the front of the Moto2 grid for the first time this season and for his first Pole Position in Red Bull KTM Ajo colors. The Australian then had to contend with two rivals and his teammate Raul Fernandez, competing at his home event, in the tussle for podium honors. At the flag Gardner was less than a second from the rear wheel of Sam Lowes in 3rd place. Fernandez was one slot behind in 5th. Remy leads the standings by 3 points and by just 6 points from Moto2 rookie Raul.
Next up on the schedule for MotoGP is the Shark Grand Prix de France, due to be staged at the world famous Le Mans circuit on May 15-16.
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
in the second round of the 2021 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Daniel Holgado raced to victory on Sunday afternoon. The opening sprint of the weekend had been claimed by local rider Daniel Muñoz by the slimmest of margins but the final dash of the meeting saw Holgado charge to the line. The series will tackle the third event of 2021 at Mugello at the end of the month.
Results Moto3 Gran Premio Red Bull de España 2021
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 39:22.266
2. Romano Fenati (ITA) Husqvarna +0.417
3. Jeremy Alcoba (ESP) Honda +0.527
4. Andrea Migno (ITA) Honda +0.548
5. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.615
20. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +18.162
21. Jaume Masia (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +19.439
Results Moto2 Gran Premio Red Bull de España 2021
1. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) 39:07.396
2. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) +1.722
3. Sam Lowes (GBR) +2.229
4. Remy Gardner (AUS) Red Bull KTM Ajo +3.019
5. Raul Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +8.571