Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team) delivered the race of his young career at the Catalan Grand Prix, producing a lights-to-flag masterclass that brought him his maiden Moto2™ win. Starting from pole, the Spaniard controlled every lap, barely putting a wheel wrong, and crossed the line over two seconds clear to become the ninth different winner of the 2025 season. Behind him, Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) fought his way to second place, denying stand-in rider Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) what would have been a sensational runner-up finish in his first race at this level. Meanwhile, championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) kept his cool to extend his lead in the standings, capitalizing on a chaotic afternoon for several title rivals.
A Start Full of Drama
Holgado’s launch off the line was faultless. He grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1 and immediately set the tone, with Dixon settling into second. The opening lap was anything but calm further back: Dixon’s teammate Filip Salač was forced wide at Turn 4, bouncing through the gravel, while Ayumu Sasaki (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), who had rocketed away from the line, saw his race end instantly after crashing at the same corner.
By Lap 3, the lead trio had formed. Holgado looked smooth out front, Dixon tried to hang on, and Muñoz — deputizing for an injured rider — was riding with the confidence of a seasoned contender in third. Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) followed in fourth with Gonzalez keeping a watching brief in fifth.
Muñoz Makes His Move
On Lap 6, Muñoz underlined his intent by diving past Dixon into Turn 1, grabbing second place in decisive fashion. The young Spaniard wasn’t done there, keeping Holgado honest for several laps. Further back, more incidents shaped the race. Jorge Navarro (Klint Forward Factory Team) collided with Salač at Turn 1, eliminating the Czech rider from contention, while Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) suffered a violent high-side at Turn 7. The crash was a hammer blow to his championship challenge, especially with Gonzalez still well inside the top five.
By mid-race distance, Gonzalez launched an attack on Guevara at Turn 1. The move didn’t stick the first time, but on the following lap he finally forced his way through to reclaim fourth, continuing his steady collection of points.
Holgado in Control, Dixon Resurgent
As the laps ticked down, Holgado was untouchable. He calmly built a gap to more than two seconds, his CFMOTO Aspar machine looking planted and fast in every sector. Behind him, Muñoz’s fairy-tale debut podium bid began to come under threat. Dixon, who had regrouped after losing second, closed in again, and with just two laps left he launched a textbook pass at Turn 1 to snatch back P2.
Elsewhere, Diogo Moreira’s (Italtrans Racing Team) difficult weekend unraveled further when he was handed a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding track limits, dropping him out of the fight for the top ten.
Maiden Glory for Holgado
After 21 laps of concentration and relentless pace, Holgado took the chequered flag with arms aloft, celebrating a career-defining first Moto2™ victory. It was also Aspar’s second success of the year — though this time it was Holgado’s side of the garage rejoicing, not his teammate’s. Dixon’s runner-up spot marked his first podium since the German GP, while Muñoz, in only his debut Moto2™ appearance, deservedly took home third — a result that immediately put him on the radar for the future.
Championship leader Gonzalez finished fourth, doing exactly what was required on a day when others faltered. Guevara matched his best finish of 2025 with a solid fifth. Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) led teammate Alonso Lopez home in sixth and seventh, while David Alonso (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team) produced one of the rides of the day, storming from 25th on the grid to eighth at the flag. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) rounded out the top ten.
For Moreira, 14th place and a handful of points were scant consolation as his championship hopes took another hit.
Looking Ahead
Holgado’s triumph makes him the ninth different race winner of a wildly unpredictable 2025 season — a statistic that speaks volumes about the depth of talent in Moto2™. With Misano up next, the burning question is simple: will we see a tenth new winner before the year is done? If the rollercoaster season so far is any indication, don’t rule it out.
