Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) extends his Moto2 World Championship lead after the Spaniard and Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) treat us to a fantastic fight for the win in Barcelona. A couple of tenths split the duo over the line, while Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) produced a classy comeback from P11 on the grid to earn a rostrum on home soil.
The holeshot scrap was between Vietti and Gonzalez, and through Turn 2, it was the Italian who led as Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slipped to P10 from second on the grid. Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Bordoy – MSI) got a good getaway, the Le Mans podium finisher was P3, with Guevara and David Alonso (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team) pouncing into the top seven from outside the top 10.
Guevara eventually made a move stick on Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) for P4 in the early exchanges, with Alonso and teammate Daniel Holgado also getting the better of Lopez, with the latter one place ahead of the Colombian. Then, Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) demoted Lopez down another place to slot into P7.
An entertaining joust unfolded between Agius and Alonso for P6 on Lap 7 and 8, while at the front, Vietti was stretching his legs. On Lap 10, the polesitter was 0.7s clear of Gonzalez and Ortola, with Guevara and further 0.9s back in P4.
As the race clicked through the halfway stage, Vietti’s lead had come down by a couple of tenths. Gonzalez was still P2, with Ortola shadowing the title chase leader in P3. But with five to go, it looked like the latter’s victory hopes were fading. Ortola fell 1.5s back from second place Gonzalez, who in turn was clinging onto the coattails of Vietti.
Then, with three laps to go, Gonzalez pounced at Turn 1. Vietti had a couple of rear-end moments on the previous lap and now the question was, could the Italian respond?
Vietti wasn’t letting Gonzalez get away, as both kept lighting up the rear Pirelli rubber. Would three tenths heading onto the final lap be enough for Gonzalez? Turn 10 came around, but Vietti wasn’t close enough to make a move. Turn 14, anyone?
It would have been one hell of a lunge, because Vietti wasn’t close enough. Gonzalez fended off the #13 for a brilliant second win of the season, with just 0.2s splitting the top two. Guevara reeled in and beat Ortola in the battle for the podium, and fifth place went the way of 2025 Catalan GP winner Holgado.
Alonso completed the top six, Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team) earned a solid P7, with Lopez settling for P8 ahead of impressive rookie Luca Lunetta (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team). That’s the Italian’s best Moto2 result to date, as Agius was forced to settle for P10.
Gonzalez heads to Mugello with an 18.5 point lead in the overall standings, with Guevara remaining his chief chaser. We look forward to more of the same at the Italian GP.