Rueda Reigns in Spain as Kelso Claims Sensational Podium

Tactical brilliance from the Spaniard seals home victory, while Australia’s Kelso confirms title credentials with third place

Spain’s José Antonio Rueda produced a tactical and ruthless performance to claim a dominant victory at Jerez in the Moto3 category — delighting the home fans as he led a Spanish 1-2 ahead of rising star Ángel Piqueras, with Australia’s Joel Kelso delivering a mature and hard-fought ride to a well-deserved podium.

Rueda rocketed off the line to seize the holeshot, while Kelso initially made a strong getaway but was shuffled back in the opening corners by Piqueras and Ángel Carpe, and later lost further ground to Taiyo Furusato on lap one. Drama soon followed when David Muñoz and two others crashed at Turn 6, highlighting the frantic early pace.

Despite falling back to sixth, Kelso methodically fought back through the field. By lap four, he had found his rhythm, passing Furusato and Ryusei Yamanaka, and setting the fastest lap as he closed in on the leaders. Rueda and Piqueras threatened to break away, but Carpe reeled them back in, keeping the front group tight.

Kelso’s relentless form continued as he set three consecutive fastest laps, breaking the existing race lap record in the process. His mature and composed riding saw him first dispatch Carpe for third, and moments later, Piqueras for second, solidifying his place firmly in the fight for the win. The top three soon pulled a sizable gap from the chasing pack.

Strategically, Rueda was on the soft tyre combination, while his key challengers — Kelso and Piqueras — were on harder rears, setting the stage for a gripping tactical battle. Rueda, however, executed his race to perfection. Gradually increasing his pace, he stretched his lead to half a second by lap 12, then continued to hammer away, setting fastest lap after fastest lap and stretching the margin to over three seconds by lap 16.

Behind him, Kelso and Piqueras entered a fierce duel for second. Piqueras made several moves in the dying stages – diving under Kelso at the final turn and then again at Turn 6 – but the Australian fought hard, retaliating where possible. In the end, the Spanish rookie made his decisive move stick, securing second in front of the raucous home crowd.

Kelso crossed the line a brilliant third, securing another podium and solidifying his third place in the world championship standings. His strong, consistent form has confirmed the Darwin rider as a genuine title contender in 2024.

Another Australian standout was Jacob Roulstone, who overcame a long-lap penalty to finish inside the top 10, a gutsy effort on the track where he fractured vertebrae in pre-season testing.

At the front, it was a masterclass from Rueda, who controlled the race with ruthless efficiency. He managed his tyres perfectly and opened the taps when it mattered most, in what was also the largest ever dry-race Moto3 winning margin at Jerez.

A triumphant day for Spain’s young guns — but equally, a statement ride from Australia’s rising stars. Jose Antonio Rueda now leads the standings with 91 points, followed closely by Angel Piqueras with 87 points, while Joel Kelso holds third place with 57 points.

Jerez Moto3 Race

Moto3 World Standings