Ivan Ortola secured the victory in the final moments of the race. Credit: MT Helmets
In a thrilling Moto3 contest at Assen, Ivan Ortola made a last-minute pass to steal the win from local rider Colin Veijer. David Muñoz rounded out the podium, ensuring a thrilling finish to the race.
Angel Piqueras, starting from his first pole position, maintained the lead in the first sector. However, Ortola executed a bold maneuver midway through the first lap to take control.
Championship leader David Alonso made an impressive move from 13th on the grid, gaining six places on the opening lap. His rival Daniel Holgado also made progress, moving up five places.
Holgado successfully passed Leopard Racing’s Adrian Fernandez and Husqvarna’s Tatsuki Suzuki on the second lap. Unfortunately, Suzuki crashed on the following lap.
Both Taiyo Furusato and local favorite Veijer overtook Piqueras, putting the Leopard Racing driver in fourth place.
On lap seven, Ortola and Furusato established a 0.8 second lead over the chasing group. However, Veijer, with his medium front and rear Husqvarna setup, closed the gap in the following laps.
On lap nine, Muñoz overtook Fernandez in the challenging Turn 7, securing fourth position. This maneuver slowed down the riders behind due to the difficulty of the corner.
Veijer moved into second place by the halfway point of the race and then made a bold move up the inside of Ortola’s MT Helmets KTM to take the lead into Turn 16 on lap 11.
After taking the lead, Veijer and Ortola began to extend the gap at the front, while the group behind them continued to fight for position.
Furusato’s race ended on lap 15, when he left the track at high speed. Subsequently, he returned to the race in 13th place after a good start.
In the second half of the race, the drivers had to manage tire wear to ensure they could finish the race. Despite initially looking strong in second place, Ortola was overtaken by Alonso and Muñoz.
Ortola fought back and made a double pass on Alonso and Muñoz, retaking second place and pulling away to secure the position.
Alonso and Muñoz were involved in a series of aggressive overtakes at Turn 7 and Turn 16 on the final lap. They touched again on the final lap as they battled for the final podium position.
Ortola, with increased tire wear, closed in on Veijer’s Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP bike in the final two laps. He made a decisive move on the outside before the braking zone.
In the final corner, Alonso was overtaken by Muñoz and Rueda, missing out on a podium finish. However, he will extend his lead in the championship standings.
Ortola achieved his first victory of the season after having already reached the podium three times. Veijer narrowly missed out on victory.
Muñoz and Rueda finished third and fourth respectively in the dying moments of the race, denying Alonso a place on the podium. Luca Lunetta made a notable climb up the ranks to finish sixth.
The Leopard Racing duo, Fernandez and Piqueras, took seventh and eighth place respectively. Stefan Nepa and Ryusei Yamanaka completed the top 10, separated by less than a tenth of a second.
Further back in the pack, championship contender Holgado had a comfortable race, finishing 11th on his GasGas machine. He crossed the line five seconds ahead of Australian rider Joel Kelso.
Furusato took 13th place only after going off the track in the final fast part of the circuit. Rookie Jacob Roulstone and Joel Esteban rounded out the points positions.
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The Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix, scheduled for November this year, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was announced by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Formula 1 last Friday.
The race, which was to take place at the Autodromo Interlagos in Sao Paulo, is one of the most traditional on the Formula 1 calendar and attracts fans from all over the world. However, due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in Brazil and the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the virus, the FIA and Formula 1 have decided to cancel the event.
“Unfortunately, due to the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, we cannot organize the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix this year. The health and safety of all participants is our top priority,” said Stefano Domenicali, Chairman and CEO of Formula 1.
The cancellation of the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix is a blow to fans of the sport and to the city of Sao Paulo, which loses the opportunity to host one of the most important events in world motorsport. However, the FIA and Formula 1 are committed to finding a solution to organize the race next year.
“We are disappointed not to be able to bring Formula 1 to Brazil this year, but we look forward to returning in 2025. We thank the fans for their understanding and support and hope to be able to put on a thrilling show next year,” said Domenicali.
With the cancellation of the Brazilian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Formula 1 calendar undergoes another change. It has not yet been announced whether there will be a replacement for the race in Brazil or whether the calendar will be maintained with one less race.
The next Formula 1 race will be the United States Grand Prix, which will take place in Austin, Texas on October 24. Fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to see the drivers in action again and cheer on their favorites.
