The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider finished second at Brno after leading the entire race until the final corner
David Alonso has had his best weekend of the year in the intermediate class. The Colombian secured his first podium finish of the season by finishing the Czech Grand Prix in second place, having led every lap after starting the race from pole position. Victory slipped away by just 96 thousandths after he was overtaken by Iván Ortolá in the final corner. The Spaniard claimed his first win in the intermediate class, and Filip Salac, who finished third, rounded out the podium at his home Grand Prix. Dani Holgado finished seventh in a race where he didn’t feel as confident as he had in the days leading up to the event.
David Alonso started the Moto2 race from pole position for the first time since his debut in the category last year. The Colombian made a great start that allowed him to hold his position throughout the 18 laps of the race. The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider rode with great confidence and maintained a strong pace from start to finish—something he had worked intensely on throughout the Grand Prix. With four laps to go, Alonso also managed to defend his position and, together with Iván Ortolá, was involved in a thrilling battle for the win. Just when it seemed he had first place secured, he was overtaken by his rival in the final corner and crossed the finish line in second place, just a few thousandths of a second behind the winner. This is Alonso’s sixth podium finish in the intermediate category, but his first this season. His teammate Dani Holgado also started the race from the front row of the grid, in third place. The Spaniard got off to a good start but soon began losing positions as he wasn’t feeling as comfortable riding—unlike in the practice sessions, where pace and speed had been consistent throughout at Brno. Holgado didn’t give up, staying in the top ten and finishing in seventh place.
2nd David Alonso (+0.096): “It was a shame to come so close to victory, but I’m very happy with the race I had, even though I finished very tired. I got off to a good start and led the entire race; that was my main goal today, and I finally managed to lead a Moto2 race. Little by little, I’m getting to where I want to be. I really enjoyed today, even though it felt long because I was out front the whole time. It had been a long time since I’d ridden in that position. I want to congratulate Iván Ortolá because he made a great pass; I didn’t like that he passed me, but at the same time, I liked the way he did it. I struggled a bit in the final turns, but I was able to carry the weight of the race and see it from a different perspective. This track isn’t really my style, and I struggled a lot here last year, so having a weekend like this is a huge, very positive step forward. We all deserved it. This result gives me the strength to keep going; it was very important to see that we can be competitive.”
7th Dani Holgado (+7.492): “It was a bit of a difficult Sunday. My feel on the bike wasn’t good—not because there was any specific problem, but because I lacked a bit more pace and speed to fight for the top positions. I didn’t expect this because we’d worked very well all weekend. I had good pace and was fast, but today I just didn’t feel right. We have to keep working; this is a great learning experience for us to keep figuring out how to get the most out of the bike in tough situations.”
