Moto2 Sunday Japan

The slick tyre gamble: Gonzalez wins as Ogura pockets crucial P2 to extend title lead

Manuel Gonzalez Claims Maiden Moto2™ Win in Dramatic Japanese GP

The Moto2™ field faced a tricky question during the Japanese GP: wet or dry tyres? After a red-flagged race, the decision eventually landed on dry. Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) made a bold move by opting for slick tyres, and it paid off in spectacular fashion as the Spaniard secured his first-ever Grand Prix victory. Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) took a huge risk with his tyre choice too, and it rewarded him with a valuable 20-point haul, finishing second. Filip Salač (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) also capitalized on the right tyre strategy, powering to his first podium of the season.

Rain Threat and Red Flag Drama

The Moto2™ race began under the looming threat of rain at the Mobility Resort Motegi. As the lights went out, polesitter Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) got a perfect start, grabbing the holeshot. However, Turn 1 saw drama unfold as Dixon’s teammate Izan Guevara and Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) made contact, losing several positions. The rain started to fall at the far end of the track, and before the opening lap could be completed, red flags waved, stopping the race and signaling a restart with the original grid positions.

The Slick Tyre Gamble

After a short delay, a 12-lap sprint was declared, leaving riders and teams with a critical decision: head out on wet or slick tyres. Ai Ogura made a bold gamble, opting for slick tyres. As the riders headed out for the sighting lap, the Japanese Championship leader chose not to pit, committing to his dry tyre choice, while most of the field stuck with wet tyres.

Would this decision prove genius or disaster for Ogura? As the restart commenced, Dixon again led the pack, with Guevara right behind to make it an Aspar 1-2, while Ogura dropped to P14 at Turn 2. van den Goorbergh, starting from P2, slid all the way back to P22. At the end of Lap 1, Ogura was still down in P14, 3.2 seconds off leader Dixon.

Ogura’s Rapid Climb Through the Field

On Lap 2, Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) overtook Guevara for P2, as Ogura started making his move through the field. Within a few laps, Ogura surged to P7, then P4. In a stunning display of speed, he quickly climbed to P3, then P2, and by Lap 4, Ogura took the lead at Turn 1. His slick tyre gamble was working wonders, as he now had nine laps to go.

Meanwhile, Manuel Gonzalez, another rider on slicks, moved into P2 on Lap 5. With Dixon lapping over four seconds slower than the slick-tyre runners, other riders like Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Racing), Filip Salač, and van den Goorbergh began to surge into the top five.

The Final Showdown: Gonzalez vs. Ogura

With six laps to go, Gonzalez started to chip away at Ogura’s lead, gaining 0.9 seconds in one lap. As the laps dwindled, Salač, Alcoba, and van den Goorbergh battled for the final podium spot, while Gonzalez hunted down Ogura.

On Lap 9, Gonzalez was right on Ogura’s rear tyre. A clean move at Turn 9 saw the Spaniard take the lead, with Ogura now focused on holding onto second place and a valuable Championship lead. Despite setting the fastest lap of the race on Lap 11, Ogura couldn’t close the gap to Gonzalez, who held a 1.1-second advantage going into the final lap.

A Dream Victory for Gonzalez

As the checkered flag waved, Gonzalez crossed the line to claim his maiden Moto2™ win, having expertly managed his slick tyre strategy. Ogura finished 2.5 seconds behind, securing crucial Championship points and extending his lead. Salač fended off Alcoba to take third, his first podium since the 2023 French GP.

Final Results and Championship Implications

Jeremy Alcoba came agonizingly close to his first intermediate class podium, finishing just 0.137 seconds behind Salač in fourth. Zonta van den Goorbergh earned a career-best P5, while Xavier Artigas (Klint Forward Factory Team) capitalized on a slick tyre gamble to score his first points of the season in P6. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the highest finisher on wet tyres, crossing the line in P7.

The top 10 was completed by Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), Alonso Lopez, and Izan Guevara. Jake Dixon, despite his early lead, finished down in P12, while Tony Arbolino, Fermin Aldeguer, Sergio Garcia, and Darryn Binder rounded out the point scorers. Garcia’s P14 finish handed Ogura a commanding 60-point lead heading into Phillip Island, where he could potentially clinch the title.

Looking Ahead: Match Point for Ogura

Ai Ogura’s incredible tyre gamble not only earned him a crucial 20 points but also placed him firmly in control of the Moto2™ Championship. With a 60-point lead, the Japanese rider heads to Phillip Island with a chance to seal the title. As the Moto2™ paddock moves to Australia, all eyes will be on Ogura as he enters match-point territory in the Championship chase.

Moto2™ continues to deliver the unexpected, and the dramatic Japanese GP serves as a reminder that anything can happen in Grand Prix racing. Congratulations to Manuel Gonzalez on his stunning victory and to Ai Ogura, who stands on the verge of Championship glory.

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