Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) sealed the 2025 Moto3™ World Championship in the most fitting way possible — by winning a chaotic and red-flagged Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia.
In a race that had everything — crashes, penalties, and high-stakes title drama — Rueda kept his head while those around him faltered, taking victory after post-race penalties reshuffled the order.
Joining him on the final podium were Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), after both Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) were demoted for infractions in the closing laps.
Early Chaos and a Flying Start
The 20-lap contest began in typical Moto3 fashion — elbows out and no shortage of action.
Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) rocketed into the lead through Turn 1, chased by David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Adrian Fernandez.
For the newly-crowned champion-in-waiting, things didn’t look ideal early on — Rueda slipped to 13th by the end of the first lap, while his title rival Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) surged up to sixth, then fourth, with a brave move on Lap 2.
Meanwhile, at the head of the pack, Fernandez and Quiles moved past Kelso as the freight train of twelve leaders formed.
But fortunes shifted again on Lap 5, when Piqueras was forced wide after contact with Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Muñoz, losing ground and dropping to tenth — one place behind Rueda.
Moments later, Kelso’s podium hopes vanished when he lost the front at Turn 10, tumbling out of contention.
Rueda Charges Forward
By Lap 7, Quiles had taken control of the race while Rueda, now up to sixth, began slicing through the group with calculated aggression.
At that stage, with Quiles leading, Rueda wasn’t yet in a title-winning position — but that changed rapidly.
Midway through the race, the #99 had climbed to third, putting him in control of the championship fight regardless of Piqueras’ result.
On Lap 12, Rueda was sitting second behind Fernandez, with Quiles third and Piqueras struggling back in ninth.
Then, at Turn 10 on Lap 13, Rueda made his move — sliding past Fernandez to take the lead and put one hand firmly on the world title.
Behind him, Piqueras and Quiles’ challenges began to unravel, the pair handed Long Lap penalties for cutting Turn 9 as the intensity cranked up.
Late Drama and Red Flag Chaos
The closing laps were a mix of brilliance and bedlam.
Muñoz briefly snatched the lead from Rueda at Turn 10 with three laps to go, only to be wiped out moments later when Fernandez attempted a desperate move up the inside, the contact sending Muñoz sliding into the runoff.
Fernandez inherited the lead — but his joy was short-lived.
Just as Rueda reclaimed first place, the red flags came out following multiple crashes, freezing the order.
With race control applying countback and penalties, the results were reshuffled once more: Fernandez received a double Long Lap penalty converted to a time sanction, and Quiles was docked three seconds for failing to complete his own penalty before the stoppage.
That chaos elevated Rueda to race winner and confirmed him as the 2025 Moto3 World Champion — an achievement sealed not just with points, but with pure composure under pressure.
Lunetta and Pini were promoted to second and third respectively, the latter celebrating his first Moto3 podium.
Quiles was relegated to fourth, ahead of Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who earned his best-ever Moto3 finish in fifth.
Fernandez was classified sixth after his penalty, while Piqueras finished seventh — his title hopes officially extinguished.
Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), and the resilient Kelso (who remounted after his earlier crash) rounded out the top ten.
With the crown secured, Rueda can now race freely in the final rounds — but the Australian leg awaits next, and there’s still plenty left to play for as Moto3 heads Down Under.
Jose Antonio Rueda: The 2025 Moto3™ World Champion
Jose Antonio Rueda’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) triumph in Indonesia marked the crowning moment of a journey years in the making.
The Spaniard’s consistency, raw pace, and calm under fire carried him to the Moto3™ World Championship with four races still to run — a fitting testament to one of the sport’s brightest young talents.
Early Promise
Rueda’s rise through the ranks was nothing short of meteoric.
He began making waves in the European Talent Cup back in 2018, where his blend of precision and maturity stood out.
By 2020, he had stepped up to JuniorGP™, and after a learning year, he established himself as a frontrunner in 2021.
Then came the breakthrough — in 2022, Rueda achieved an unprecedented double by winning both the JuniorGP™ title and the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup in the same season — a feat never before accomplished.
Learning the Hard Way
The full-time move to Moto3™ came in 2023 with Red Bull KTM Ajo, and Rueda didn’t disappoint.
He picked up a podium in Barcelona and finished the season inside the top ten overall.
But 2024 tested him like never before — appendicitis, crashes, and mechanical gremlins all played their part in derailing momentum.
Despite that, he still celebrated his first Grand Prix win at MotorLand Aragon, becoming the 400th different GP winner across all classes.
The Perfect Season
If 2024 was about resilience, 2025 has been about mastery.
From the opening round, Rueda was the benchmark. Victories in Thailand, the USA, Assen, Brno, and San Marino — plus podiums in Argentina, Germany, and Japan — built an unassailable lead.
Even in races where he wasn’t on the podium, he was always there or thereabouts — a model of precision and control.
By the time the championship reached Mandalika, Rueda’s tally of wins, podiums, and points made the outcome almost inevitable.
And in Indonesia, he delivered the final statement — a champion’s performance in chaotic circumstances.
Rueda’s journey, from teenage prodigy to Moto3™ World Champion, cements him as one of Spain’s next great hopes in Grand Prix racing.
For Red Bull KTM Ajo, it’s yet another chapter in their legacy of nurturing world champions.
For Rueda, it’s just the beginning.
Congratulations, Jose Antonio Rueda — the 2025 Moto3™ World Champion!
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