Ivan Ortola secured the victory in the final moments of the race. Credit: MT Helmets
In an exciting Moto3 competition in Assen, Ivan Ortola made a last-minute overtake to steal the victory from local hero Colin Veijer. David Muñoz completed the podium, ensuring an thrilling end to the race.
Angel Piqueras, starting from his first pole position, maintained the lead in the first sector. However, Ortola executed a daring maneuver halfway through the first lap to take control.
Championship leader David Alonso made an impressive climb from 13th place on the grid, gaining six positions in the first 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 rider in fourth place.
In the seventh lap, Ortola and Furusato established a 0.8-second advantage over the chasing group. However, Veijer, with his medium front and rear setup on the Husqvarna, closed the gap in the following laps.
In the ninth lap, Muñoz overtook Fernandez at the challenging Turn 7, securing fourth place. This maneuver slowed down the riders behind due to the difficulty of the corner.
Veijer moved up to second place halfway through the race and then made a daring move on the inside of Ortola’s MT Helmets KTM to take the lead at Turn 16 in the 11th lap.
After taking the lead, Veijer and Ortola began to build a gap at the front, while the pack behind them continued to battle for position.
The Furusato race came to an end on the 15th lap, when he went off track at high speed. Later, 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 appearing strong in second place, Ortola was overtaken by Alonso and Muñoz.
Ortola fought back and made a double overtake on Alonso and Muñoz, reclaiming second place and pulling away to secure the position.
Alonso and Muñoz engaged in a series of aggressive overtakes at Turn 7 and Turn 16 on the penultimate lap. They made contact again on the final lap as they battled for the last spot on the podium.
Ortola, with superior tire wear, closed in on Veijer’s Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP bike in the last 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 secured his first victory of the season after already stepping onto the podium three times. Veijer narrowly missed out on the win.
Muñoz and Rueda finished in third and fourth place, respectively, in the closing moments of the race, denying Alonso a spot on the podium. Luca Lunetta made an impressive climb through the ranks to finish in sixth place.
The Leopard Racing duo, Fernandez and Piqueras, claimed seventh and eighth place, respectively. Stefan Nepa and Ryusei Yamanaka completed the top 10, separated by less than a tenth of a second.
Further down the field, championship contender Holgado had a smooth race, finishing in 11th place on his GasGas bike. He crossed the line five seconds ahead of Australian rider Joel Kelso.
Furusato only managed to secure 13th place after going off track in the fast final part of the circuit. Rookie Jacob Roulstone and Joel Esteban completed the scoring positions.
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The Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brazil, which was scheduled to take place in November of this year, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was announced by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Formula 1 on Friday.
The race, which would have taken place at the Interlagos Circuit in São 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 chosen to cancel the event.
“Unfortunately, due to the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, we cannot hold the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brazil this year. The health and safety of all involved are our top priority,” said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1.
The cancellation of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brazil is a blow to fans of the sport and to the city of São Paulo, which loses the opportunity to host one of the most important events in global motorsport. However, the FIA and Formula 1 are committed to finding a solution to hold the race next year.
“We are disappointed that we cannot bring Formula 1 to Brazil this year, but we look forward to returning in 2025. We appreciate the understanding and support of the fans and hope to provide an exciting spectacle next year,” said Domenicali.
With the cancellation of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brazil, 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 if 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 24th. Fans eagerly await to see the drivers in action again and cheer for their favorites.
