Blow by blow recap from a hectic Moto3 contest at Phillip Island

2024 MotoGP World Championship
Round 17 – Phillip Island – Sunday
Qatar Airways Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix
Moto3 Race Report

Moto3

Ivan Ortola was straight into the lead when Moto3 got underway under clear blue skies on Sunday morning at Phillip Island.

Munoz took the lead from Ortola on that opening lap then Nepa pushed Ortola back to third as home hero Joel Kelso moved up to fourth. Countryman Jacob Roulstone 11th at the end of lap one.

Nepa came in to serve the first of his two long-lap penalties at turn four on lap two as Joel Kelso moved through to the lead ahead of team-mate Munoz.  

Kelso kept his nose in front until they got to the stripe to start lap three but was shuffled back to fourth as they tipped into turn one, Kelso back through to the lead but gazumped again across the line by Munoz.

With 18 laps to run a second covered the top seven. Kelso with his nose in front ahead of Munoz, Ortola, Fernandez, Alonso, Piqueras and Viejer. Two-seconds covered the top 13. Roulstone was still in 11th at this juncture.

Fernandez hit the front for the first time on lap five and things were tightening up even further at the front. Half-a-second covered the top nine at times through that lap before.

Next time into Southern Loop, Ortola went back into the lead ahead of Furusato, Kelso third. The Australian then went back into second place at turn four.  Munoz stole second from Kelso at turn ten, but the Australian returned fire on the entry to turn 12. Ortola led across the line but by the time the throng was into Southern Loop it was Kelso in front once again.

As the race entered its second third things were closer than ever.  Almost 17 riders were running nose to tail at times through the tighter sections before stretching apart a little through some of the faster turns. Alonso leading at this juncture from Munoz. Kelso had been shuffled to eighth while countryman Roulstone was still 11th, but only 1.2-seconds behind the leader.

On lap ten Kelso was nudged by another rider which pushed him all the way down to 17th place, 2-5-seconds from the race leader.

Veijer and Ortola clashed at turn four on lap 12 while tussling over sixth place and both ended up on the deck.

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Fernandez took the lead from Alonso on lap 13. Munoz third, Holgado fourth, Piqueras fifth. Rousltone 12th and Kelso 13th.  After serving both of his long-lap penalties Nepa was seventh!

Alonso led Munoz and Fernandez as they started lap 17. Roulstone just under a second behind in tenth. Kelso 12th.  Less than 1.4-seconds covered that top 14.

The leading group then reduced in numbers to eight.  Nepa was up in to third place but ran wide at turn four early on lap 18 and had to take the long lap exit route before rejoining in 12th place. Alonso leading Munoz and Holgado with four laps to run.   

Those that had the biggest hammers were now dropping them as we got to the business end of proceedings.

Alonso had chosen hard compound tyres and was now pushing them to their limits to pull away from the field. Munoz, Fernandez and Holgado his closest pursuers and that trio had also broken away from the rest of the group as they started the penultimate lap.  Roulstone in 12th and Kelso 14th.

Alonso had a 1.3-seconds lead as they started the last lap but it was elbows out between Fernandez, Munoz and Holgado as they fought over the final steps on the rostrum. Their clashes allowed their pursuers to push their way into that battle also…

David Alonso the clear victor. Crossing the line three-seconds ahead of Holgado while Fernandez took the final step on the rostrum. It was incredibly close at the line in the battle for second place. Nepa had recovered from his third run through the long-lap penalty diversion to get within two-hundredths of a podium at the line. Munoz right beside him in fifth.

Yamanaka a few bike lengths further behind in sixth and almost side by side across the line with Furusato.

After leading many of the opening laps and spending so much of the race in the leading group Kelso was left to rue what could have been. The Australian crossing the line 4.449-seconds behind the winner in 11th place.

David Alonso – Winner

“I thought it would be difficult to win today. This weekend I have had a hard time staying focused. After winning the World Championship, you relax and stop looking after the details. This happened to me yesterday in qualifying. Also, it was the first time I didn’t work on the race plan on Saturday afternoon and I want to apologize to the team for that. Today I have woken up in race mode, very focused. I have been feeling better and better. This celebration is to remember Valentino, because when he got his eleventh victory in 125cc he celebrated like that and since I matched his record today, I wanted to celebrate like he did.”

Rookie countryman Jacob Roulstone bagging points with a 13th place finish.

Jacob Roulstone

“It was very special to race for the first time at home! I loved all of it, and it was nice seeing some flags with my logo around the track! I felt very good today in the race, although we struggled a bit at the start to pass some riders, but then we settled with the leading group, and we managed to stay with them, which I am happy with. We finally scored some points after some difficult rounds. Well done to my grand-mother for holding the umbrella for me, it was very special to have her near me on the grid for my first home GP.”

Phillip Island Moto3 Race Results

Moto3 Championship Standings