Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) pulled off one of the most important rides of his season at the Catalan Grand Prix, timing his charge to perfection and beating title rival José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to the line. The win not only tightened the championship fight — cutting Rueda’s lead by five points — but also highlighted Piqueras’ ability to keep his cool in the chaos of a 20-rider freight train fight. Rueda salvaged second after serving an early Long Lap penalty, while Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) completed the podium with a well-earned third, despite being mugged in the final corner.
Almansa Leads From Pole, Chaos Behind
The drama began immediately when Moto3 rookie David Almansa (Leopard Racing), starting from his maiden pole position, nailed his launch to lead into Turn 1. Just behind him, Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) rocketed up the order from ninth on the grid to slot into fourth. Early on, Almansa was chased by Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA) and David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), while Piqueras dropped from the front row to sixth. Crucially, Rueda — Piqueras’ main rival for the crown — was forced to serve his Long Lap penalty on Lap 3 after exceeding track limits in qualifying, tumbling from fifth to fifteenth.
The setback didn’t rattle him. By the time Piqueras had bullied his way into third on Lap 4, Rueda had already carved back through the pack to tenth, setting up a showdown between the two title protagonists.
Lead Swaps, Title Pressure Mounts
For several laps, Almansa confidently held the lead, keeping his Leopard machine planted at the head of the slipstreaming snake. By Lap 7, the group had swollen to more than a dozen riders, with every lap looking like a lottery ticket for position. At the start of Lap 9, Quiles hit the front, briefly adding Barcelona to his list of race-leading venues, but Almansa and Piqueras immediately retaliated. The fight was relentless, with three and sometimes four bikes fanning out on the straights.
On Lap 11, Rueda completed his fightback to the front, slipping into the lead for the first time and making a statement. At the same time, Quiles’ chances unraveled — a mistake under braking into Turn 1 forced him wide and dropped him from podium contention to 14th. It was a costly error that he would never recover from.
Rueda Breaks Clear, Then Pulled Back
With just four laps to go, Rueda seemed to be breaking the elastic, eking out half a second on Almansa, Piqueras, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Furusato, and an inspired Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), who had surged from the very back of the grid into sixth. David Muñoz, by contrast, had slipped back after a small mistake at Turn 2.
But in Moto3, gaps vanish in a heartbeat. Within a lap, Rueda’s advantage was gone, the chasing pack swallowing him up again. The tension was thick as the riders thundered into the final lap — ten riders within a second, any of them capable of stealing glory.
Last Lap Fireworks
Turn 1 saw the first twist. Piqueras dived inside to seize the lead, while Rueda suddenly found himself shuffled back to fourth behind Almansa and Furusato. Desperate to recover, Rueda tried a lunge at Turn 5 but ran wide, losing momentum. Piqueras, unflustered, soaked up the pressure all the way to Turn 10, refusing to yield an inch.
At the final corner, the moment everyone expected came: Rueda threw his KTM up the inside of Furusato in a daring move reminiscent of Valentino Rossi. He made it stick, salvaging second place at the very last opportunity. But there was no stopping Piqueras, who powered out of the final turn to claim a famous victory in front of the Barcelona crowd — one that could have a major say in the title battle.
The Podium and Beyond
Furusato had to settle for third but could still celebrate his second podium of 2025, adding to his earlier success in Qatar. Almansa, who had led so much of the race, was forced to settle for fourth, while teammate Fernandez crossed the line in fifth, just missing the podium but underlining Leopard’s strength.
Behind them, Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) brought his bike home in sixth, followed by Kelso and Muñoz. Yamanaka’s heroic comeback ride earned him ninth place, and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completed the top ten.
Further back, Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) took an encouraging 11th on his return, with Quiles — after his earlier mistake — finishing a disappointed 12th. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power), and Marcos Uriarte (LEVEL-UP MTA) rounded out the points-paying positions.
Constructors’ Glory for KTM
Amid the rider drama, another story unfolded: KTM wrapped up the Moto3 Constructors’ World Championship with races to spare, a testament to their depth of talent and consistency across teams. It marked yet another feather in the cap for the Austrian manufacturer in the lightweight class.
As the paddock now heads to Misano, the spotlight will shine even brighter on Piqueras and Rueda. With momentum shifting back toward the #36, the championship fight is set for another twist on Italian soil.
