MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

It was a predictably hot and slippery start for race day in Mandalika and the lightweight class proved that with plenty of mistakes early on, but none of them came from the faultless championship leader. David Alonso overcame a difficult weekend, resisted the pressure of a feisty and sizeable leading group and made a last lap bid for a ninth victory of the season. Coming just eight hundredths of a second off victory was Adrian Fernandez and the Spaniard was delighted with his first grand prix podium – significantly chirpier than David Muñoz in third, who wanted more despite starting in 13^th position. 

It was Taiyo Furusato who stole the show at the start of the 20-lap race, getting ahead of poleman Ivan Ortola and fellow front row starter Collin Veijer. However, the Japanese rider only lasted half a lap at the front, until Veijer slipstreamed into the lead alongside Fernandez. Ortola and Alonso kept close, with Jose Antonio Rueda climbing into 6^th position on a rapid first lap, however, both him and Ortola lost a lot of ground after their trip through the long lap lane on the second lap - Ortola dropping to 19^th place and Rueda to 24^th. Helped by some early crashes ahead, Ortola was knocking at the doors of the top 10 by the time he served his second long lap penalty on lap 4, demoting him back to 19^th. 

Veijer managed to enjoy clear air at the front while Fernandez and Furusato kept each other busy, but then Fernandez started challenging for control of the race on lap 3. Veijer responded to the Spaniard’s advances and continued to lead a 10-man group, still including Fernandez, Furusato, Alonso, a fast-starting Muñoz, Angel Piqueras, Tatsuki Suzuki, Luca Lunetta and Joel Kelso, as well as a quickly recovering Dani Holgado, who had started 14^th after his troubles on Saturday. Ryusei Yamanaka led the pursuit three seconds back, in a group also including Ortola, who quickly rejoined the top 15. The poleman took control of that group by the end of lap 6, and although he quickly distanced his chasers, he struggled to close the 5.5 seconds gap to the leader. 

Veijer continued unchallenged towards the halfway point of proceedings, with Fernandez and Alonso keeping a close eye on him, while Holgado was making waves amongst the group behind, squabbling with Furusato, Suzuki and Lunetta. Piqueras, Muñoz and Kelso were still in contention but had dropped to the back of the group. Suzuki then started his podium charge, attacking Alonso for 3^rd on lap 11 and having a go at Fernandez soon after. 

Disaster struck on lap 12, when Veijer tried to break away but crashed out of the lead at turn 13, handing Fernandez control of the pack. The Spaniard had Holgado, Furusato and Suzuki in tow, while Piqueras, Lunetta and Muñoz also attacked Alonso. Kelso held station at the back of the group, with no threat from behind, where Ortola kept five seconds back, but that gap soon grew to nine seconds, when Ortola received a third long lap penalty. It didn’t affect him too much in terms of position, but it did put the poleman back into the clutches of the Rueda group on lap 12. 

Fernandez started the final five laps still leading the way, but Holgado made his way into victory contention and attacked his compatriot at the start of lap 17. He didn’t last there for long, as Alonso decided it was time to make his move and attacked for the lead by turn 10. However, that was just the start of the storm and a handful of chaotic laps ensued. Lunetta had a go at the lead next time around turn 10, with Fernandez back ahead by turn one on the penultimate lap. Meanwhile, Furusato abandoned ship with three laps to go, after a couple of eventful and mistake-strewn laps, leaving a group of eight to settle victory. 

Fernandez started the final lap still in charge of proceedings, while Alonso attacked Muñoz for second at the first corner, and then both of them demoted Fernandez at turn 10. The Leopard racer responded to Muñoz’s attack at turn 11 but ran out of time to catch up with Alonso, who took the chequered flag eight hundredths of a second ahead. Fernandez and Muñoz completed the podium positions, while Piqueras robbed Lunetta of 4^th place on the final lap. Holgado settled for 6^th ahead of Suzuki, with a pretty anonymous Kelso claiming 8^th. Ortola responded to some late attacks to keep 9^th, with Nicola Carraro completing the top 10. 

Alonso’s victory gets him another big step closer to the title, the Colombian now 97 points ahead of Holgado, with Ortola’s deficit growing to 105 points and Veijer dropping a further two points back. 

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