When Spain’s Sergio Garcia won round three of the 2024 Moto2 season in Austin, Texas, last weekend, he became the 25th different winner in the Triumph Moto2 era.
Fresh off the back of his first Moto2 victory last time out in Portugal, Aron Canet looked to be the man to beat as he scored his 9th Moto2 pole position.
Fermin Aldeguer took 2nd spot on the grid ahead of Garcia in 3rd for his first dry front row start in the class. Aldeguer also bagged the new all-time lap record in P2 with a 2m 07.543.
In Sunday’s race, Aldeguer got off the line well but had a big moment at turn one as Marcos Ramirez went in hot, clipping Aldeguer as he rejoined, dropping the pre-season favourite back down the order to 8th.
Garcia got himself clear of the chaos to take the lead from 3rd on the grid, ahead of home hero Joe Roberts and Dennis Foggia, with Jake Dixon in 4th who got a lightning start from 14th on the grid.
There was drama as team-mates Albert Arenas and Manuel Gonzalez came together letting Aldeguer through.
Gonzalez was then deemed to have jumped the start and had to serve a double long-lap penalty effectively taking him out of the running.
Rookie and reigning Moto3 champion Jaume Masia had a huge rodeo moment that he did well to hang on to. Meanwhile, Arenas and Ai Ogura were battling it out, the Japanese rider getting the better of the Arenas as he began a charge through the field, ultimately making up 10 places from his starting grid position to finish 7th.
Back at the front, Garcia was pulling a gap over Roberts and Foggia as team-mates Aldeguer and Alonso Lopez engaged in a dramatic battle for 4th. Aldeguer eventually came out on top and closed onto the back wheel of Foggia before he passed him into the final podium position and set about chasing Roberts.
Roberts went wide letting Aldeguer through but the home hero was able to come back through in 2nd much to the American fan’s delight. The pair couldn’t catch Garcia who crossed the line to take his first Moto2 victory making him the 25th different Moto2 winner in the Triumph powered era.
Roberts crossed the line in 2nd for his best result at the Circuit of the Americas and Aldeguer took 3rd for a hard fought first podium of the season. Lopez finished 4th with Ramirez rounding out the top 5.
Moto2 returns to Europe in a week’s time for round five, the Grand Prix of Spain, Jerez, April 26-28.
Photo courtesy Triumph
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