Kelso Battles Back from Double Long Lap Penalty to Secure Gritty P8 Finish
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) announced himself as a race winner in 2025 with a stunning last-lap charge in Termas de Río Hondo, securing victory in the Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina. The former Rookie of the Year battled fiercely with Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), emerging victorious just before the checkered flag. Behind the rostrum action, Joel Kelso carved his way through the pack to salvage an impressive eighth-place finish.
Joel Kelso, starting from 8th on the grid, initially held his position well in the tightly packed group, running inside the top ten in the first few laps. After being forced to take two Long Lap penalties though, the Australian dropped as low as 21st by Lap 5, putting his chances of a strong finish in serious doubt. Despite the setback, he mounted a determined fightback, picking off riders one by one as the race progressed.
At the front, Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP MTA Team) looked to have a gap in the closing stages, but Piqueras began his charge with less than half a lap to go, diving past Bertelle at Turn 7. The Spaniard’s aggression saw Rueda squeeze through at Turn 9, but Piqueras wasn’t done yet – a move at Turn 12 saw him reclaim the lead, with Fernandez also slipping past Rueda to secure P2.
Kelso had pace to equal the race leaders, which saw him claw his way back in touch with the top 10, before his progress was thwarted by increasingly aggressive battles as riders jostled for position. Kelso kept his nose clean to cross the line in eighth, frustratingly less than 2 seconds behind the leader at the finish.
Rueda’s podium keeps in in the championship lead with 41 points, 5 in front of Fernandez. Carpe’s DNF drops him out of the top three, while Piqueras’ impressive win vaults him into third place. Penalties in the opening two rounds have disguised Kelso’s true potential so far in 2025, but his strong fightbacks bode well for coming races.
Argentina Moto3 Race
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. Piqueras | FRINSA-MSI | - |
| 2 | A. Fernandez | Leopard | 0.036 |
| 3 | J. Rueda | KTM Ajo | 0.125 |
| 4 | M. Bertelle | LUP-MTA | 0.373 |
| 5 | T. Furusato | Honda Asia | 0.236 |
| 6 | D. Almansa | Leopard | 1.354 |
| 7 | L. Lunetta | SIC58 | 1.76 |
| 8 | J. Kelso | LUP-MTA | 1.95 |
| 9 | R. Yamanaka | FRINSA-MSI | 4.543 |
| 10 | S. Nepa | SIC58 | 4.702 |
| 11 | D. Foggia | CFMOTO Asp | 4.99 |
| 12 | S. Ogden | CIP | 5.391 |
| 13 | A. Cruces | CIP | 6.121 |
| 14 | C. Buchanan | DENSSI-BOE | 6.739 |
| 15 | R. Moodley | DENSSI-BOE | 6.875 |
| 16 | J. Esteban | KTM Tech3 | 7.822 |
| 17 | E. O'Shea | GRYD-Mlav | 15.691 |
| 18 | R. Rossi | Snipers | 16.604 |
| 19 | N. Carraro | Snipers | 17.065 |
| 20 | J. Rosenthaler | CFMOTO Asp | 21.94 |
| 21 | T. Buasri | Honda Asia | 22.276 |
| NC | A. Carpe | KTM Ajo | 18 laps |
| NC | V. Perrone | KTM Tech3 | 17 laps |
| NC | D. Muñoz | LIQUI INT | 15 laps |
| NC | M. Uriarte | GRYD-Mlav | 11 laps |
| NC | G. Pini | LIQUI INT | 7 laps |
2025 Moto3 World Standings
| Pos | Rider | Nation | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J.A. Rueda | SPA | 41 |
| 2 | A. Fernandez | SPA | 36 |
| 3 | A. Piqueras | SPA | 29 |
| 4 | M. Bertelle | ITA | 24 |
| 5 | A. Carpe | SPA | 20 |
| 6 | S. Nepa | ITA | 19 |
| 7 | D. Almansa | SPA | 19 |
| 8 | D. Foggia | ITA | 15 |
| 9 | L. Lunetta | ITA | 15 |
| 10 | T. Furusato | JPN | 11 |
| 11 | R. Rossi | ITA | 8 |
| 12 | J. Kelso | AUS | 8 |
| 13 | J. Esteban | SPA | 7 |
| 14 | R. Yamanaka | JPN | 7 |
| 15 | R. Moodley | RSA | 6 |
| 16 | A. Cruces | SPA | 5 |
| 17 | S. Ogden | GBR | 4 |
| 18 | M. Uriarte | SPA | 3 |
| 19 | C. Buchanan | NZE | 3 |
| 20 | E. O'Shea | GBR | 0 |
| 21 | N. Carraro | ITA | 0 |
