#ArgentinaGP – MOTO3: Piqueras wins fiercely contested Termas Moto3™ battle
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) is a race winner in 2025 after coming out on top in a titanic last lap battle at the Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina. The 2024 Rookie of the Year forced his way through on third place finisher Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at the penultimate corner, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) profiting from the late squabbling to earn P2 in Termas.
Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) grabbed the holeshot from the front row, but it was Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who led at the end of the opening lap. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) took a turn leading in the early exchanges too, as a lead group of 11 formed at the front, with the chasing pack just shy of a second further down the road.
That soon changed though. By the end of Lap 5, the top 25 riders were covered by four seconds – everyone, bar pit lane starting David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), were locked together in Termas. Not a lot changed in terms of how tightly congested the pack were over the next few laps, with four seconds covering the fastest 22 riders.
With two to go, Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP MTA Team) was 0.4s clear at the front and on the last lap, he had edged it up to 0.5s. Could Piqueras and Rueda do anything about it? The advantage had disappeared halfway around the last lap as Piqueras made his move at Turn 7. Rueda followed his compatriot through at Turn 9 and then on the exit of Turn 11, Piqueras was wide and on the green.
That cost the #36 the place to Rueda, but a lunge at Turn 12 followed. Piqueras carved past Rueda, and Fernandez managed to pick off the Thai GP race winner too to shadow Piqueras over the line as the latter clinched his first win of the season. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) pocketed P4 ahead of Bertelle, but that result was flipped after Furusato exceeded track limits on the final lap. Almansa was a career-best P6, Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) claimed P7 ahead of the recovering Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA Team) as the Australian managed to bag P8 despite venturing through the Long Lap penalty lane twice.
Yamanaka and Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse) closed out the top 10, as home hero Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) unfortunately crashed out of contention on the final lap after a solid weekend.
“Second race, second podium! We have had a very good start to the season so far and I’m very happy. We need to keep taking points, because the season is very long, but for the moment we are working in the right direction. What is true, of course, is that we still have to work on some details, like qualifying, to improve our weekends in general. Today I just want to thank my team and my family for their hard work and support. I’m already looking forward to Texas!”
Adrian Fernandez P2
“I finished today’s race with a bittersweet taste. I felt quite comfortable, having also a good rhythm, and I’m happy with the race I did because I was able to be in the fight from start to finish, leading for some laps, fighting at the front… However, I went wide a few laps from the end and then made some mistakes that made me lose positions, crossing the finish line in 6th position at the end. We will definitely take everything we learnt from this race into the next one in Austin”
David Almansa P6
“It was a very difficult race. We struggled with rear grip, and I tried to attack. In the last two laps, I pushed hard and managed to make up four or five positions. In the end, we finished eleventh, earning us new points in the standings. We’ll keep improving, and our time to be at the front and attack will come. Thanks to the team for all the work, see you soon!”
Dennis Foggia P11
Riccardo Rossi P18
Tatchakorn Buasri P21
Click the button below to find out all the images of the #KytCrew during the weekend in Argentina.