Rueda Realizes Childhood Dream with Home Glory at Jerez

The saying goes that every Spanish rider dreams of winning the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez — but for some, it holds even deeper meaning. For José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), that dream was deeply personal. Born just an hour away in Sevilla, Rueda grew up watching the Grand Prix on television with friends and family, imagining one day standing atop the podium himself. On Sunday, that dream became reality. In a dominant display, Rueda delivered a magical Moto3™ victory to kick off the day in front of his adoring home fans.

Commanding from the Start: Rueda Takes Control

From pole position, Rueda made no mistakes off the line, snatching the holeshot and leading into Turn 1 to the roar of the Spanish crowd. But the drama wasn’t far behind. At Turn 6 on the opening lap, Ruche Moodley (DENSII Racing – BOE) collided with David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), sending both Almansa and Muñoz sprawling. Although Muñoz was able to remount, his race was severely compromised — adding to the difficulty after starting from the back of the grid due to a penalty.

Lap 2 proved just as dramatic. Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team), Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA), and Cormac Buchanan (DENSII Racing – BOE) each suffered separate crashes, with Buchanan managing to rejoin, albeit far adrift.

Rueda in a League of His Own

As the chaos unfolded behind him, Rueda remained focused, showcasing the exceptional pace he had already demonstrated throughout practice and qualifying. Although Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) and Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) worked hard to stay within striking distance, the trio at the front steadily distanced themselves from the chasing pack, with Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) left battling for fourth.

Past half-race distance, Rueda underlined his dominance by setting the fastest lap, putting extra pressure on his pursuers. On Lap 13, sensing Rueda edging away, Piqueras made a move on Kelso at Turn 1 to take second. But in pushing to close the gap, Piqueras ran wide, allowing Kelso to retake the position and giving Rueda a clear 1.5-second cushion.

From there, the #99 machine of Rueda was untouchable. In front of a sea of Spanish flags, he crossed the finish line to complete a commanding home victory — a win that had felt almost inevitable after his supreme weekend form.

Final Lap Duel: Piqueras Seals Spanish 1-2

The fight for second, however, was far from over. On the final lap, Kelso and Piqueras scrapped fiercely at Turns 5 and 6, exchanging aggressive moves. Ultimately, Piqueras edged ahead, securing a Spanish 1-2 much to the delight of the Jerez crowd. The pair even shared a celebratory moment on their slow-down lap at Turns 9 and 10, a fitting end to a thrilling battle.

For Kelso, third place marked his second podium of the season — another strong result for the Australian. Just missing the podium was Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who finished fourth after a strong ride, narrowly beating Yamanaka who came home fifth.

Rising Stars Shine in Top Ten

Furusato delivered a solid performance to finish sixth, while Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) achieved a career-best seventh. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), another rising Spanish star, secured eighth place, making it a standout day for the new generation of homegrown talent — notably, all three of the most recent JuniorGP™ Champions finished inside the top eight.

Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and his teammate Valentin Perrone completed the top ten, both recovering well after serving Long Lap Penalties incurred during qualifying.

That wraps up an unforgettable weekend at Jerez, with José Antonio Rueda fulfilling a childhood dream and sending the Spanish fans home in celebration. Next up: the electric atmosphere of Le Mans awaits — and after a weekend like this, expectations couldn’t be higher. See you in two weeks!

Official MotoGP Press Release