Spectacular top ten as Acosta launches exciting GasGas Motogp™ story in Qatar

Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 sat back and watched their dynamic Spanish double-act display bravery, judgement and skill at the Lusail International Circuit for the opening thrust of 2024 MotoGP. Pedro Acosta, the 19-year-old reigning Moto2 world champ and shining rookie, enforced his star billing further with a rampant debut race to 9th position after 21-laps in Qatar. Augusto Fernandez strained every sinew to gain positions and make progress with his competitiveness to eventually score 17th

• The LIC propels MotoGP into life after the Sprint ‘preview’ on Saturday and Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 leave the desert with 9 points
• Pedro Acosta confirms his potential and begins his MotoGP journey with a high mark on the steep learning curve of the premier class: he rises as high as 4th and eventually seals 9th to match his 8th from the Sprint
• First GASGAS Moto3™ podium finish for Daniel Holgado in Moto3™ as the Spaniard misses P1 by four hundredths of a second!

 The Grand Prix of Qatar fired MotoGP engines in earnest for the first time in 2024. The Saturday Sprint was notable for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 getting on the gas for their second world championship year but also much more. It was the impressive maiden race outing for new recruit and rookie Pedro Acosta as the 19-year-old scored 8th place but the 22-lap GP on Sunday was the authentic taste of premier class MotoGP. Augusto Fernandez was also looking for gains as he continues his adjustment to the 2024 spec of the GASGAS RC16. The Spaniards had decent knowledge of the 5.4km resurfaced course courtesy of the 11-lap Sprint and the recent two-day test two weeks previously. Warm and decent condition, plus a generous crowd, greeted the main event on Sunday and it was Acosta who made the more forceful early moves. #31 provided all the action highlights as he cut past multiple GP winners and premier class world champions to blaze to the edge of the podium positions. He slowed slightly in the latter phase of the distance but notched another top ten. Augusto took the first step in refining his race package for the long season ahead and had a busy Grand Prix searching for the top fifteen: P17 was the final grade. In contrast to the flat, speedy layout of LIC, the undulations of the Algarve International Circuit will involve a different prospect for the Grand Prix teams at the Grand Prix of Portugal in two weeks’ time.

Pedro Acosta, 9th: “I’ll remember this race! From the start to the first overtakes to running with the big boys! It was super-nice. I think we need to be super-happy with the whole weekend because it was a dream from the beginning until the end. We had a fight with a few riders and it was nice to do that with confidence and to feel the bike working really good. We have to keep working because we are on the way.” 

Augusto Fernandez, 17th: “A bit better. I know we are still far and we did not get any points today but this is the best feeling I’ve had yet this year with the 2024 bike. I’m starting to get the feedback and the team is working really hard to give me what I need and I’m working really hard to adapt if I need to bring something different to be quicker. We’ll take the positives, and we have a base to start with in Portimao.” 

Nicolas Goyon, GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager: “An emotional weekend for the whole team. It was a success with Pedro’s Q2, the first points in the Sprint and then that display today in his first MotoGP race. He reached 4th: what a race for a rookie. It was a big achievement. He had an excellent bike so we have to credit the whole factory that that. We feel we have a bike to fight at the front. Pedro has a brilliant future and we are just at the beginning. On the other side of the garage there were some small steps for Augusto. He was happier and made some positive moves. We are still far and we still want more but we are working towards that.” 

Results MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar 1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 39:34.8692. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +1.3293. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +1.9339. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 11.59517. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +24.10621. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +42.761 World Championship standings MotoGP 1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 31 points2. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 293. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 289. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 917. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 021. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 0 

Moto3 Before MotoGP laid thick Michelin rubber on the Qatari asphalt, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 had the chance to cheer on their exciting Moto3 effort as Dani Holgado started from Pole Position for the 16-lap race and rookie Jacob Roulstone could accelerate his Grand Prix education. Both the Spaniard and the Australian had to find the limits of the new GASGAS Moto3 race machinery and new Pirelli control tires but the speed and potential was both real and fierce.

Holgado, now into his third Moto3 term and settling into his role as title contender, was heavily into the mix among the leading group and actually fronted the pack for the majority of the distance. The last lap was typically hair-raising and only a final corner lunge from David Alonso denied Dani a first win in red: the gap was a minuscule 0.041 of a second at the flag. Roulstone had to deal with the narrow margins and cuts-and-thrusts of Moto3 and reached his first checkered flag with a creditable 10th. The Aussie was fighting hard in the second posse of riders and bounced around the positions. His determined charge to the line was rewarded with his first top ten. Daniel Holgado: “I did an amazing racing but in the last corner it was difficult to manage because [David] Alonso push really hard. Anyway, I’m happy. It’s a long season so I need to keep calm. Thanks to the team for all their work because this bike is amazing.” Jacob Roulstone: “Very happy to finish 10th in the first race. I didn’t have the best first lap but after that I just worked on getting to the front of the second group. I couldn’t quite latch onto the first one but I felt good with the pace. I got to the end of my first race with some good points and that was the most important thing today.” Grand Prix of Qatar MotoGP photographs can be found HERE Results Moto3 Grand Prix of Qatar 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 33:19.778 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.041 3. Taiyo Furusato (JPN) Honda +0.143  5. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna IntactGP +0.3387. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna IntactGP +1.144 10. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +10.626 11. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +10.827 DNF. Vicente Perez (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo DNF. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo 

World Championship standings MotoGP 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 25 points2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 203. Taiyo Furusato (JPN) Honda, 165. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna IntactGP, 117. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna IntactGP, 910. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 611. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 5DNF. Vicente Perez (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 0DNF. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 0