Moto3 race at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas at the Circuits of The Americas in Austin, Texas on March 30, 2025. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
The Moto3 race was a vivid display of youthful talent, strategic grit, and pure speed as the riders battled on a drying Circuit of The Americas under relentless Texan sun. José Antonio Rueda, starting from fourth on the grid, took the initiative with astonishing decisiveness. In the first few corners he surged forward, finding grip on the drying surface and executing a textbook move into the lead. From that moment on, Rueda was in a league of his own, precise, smooth, and utterly composed.
Behind him, Joel Kelso and Matteo Bertelle, both on KTM machinery, held firm. Kelso, starting third, trailed Rueda closely, his strength in braking zones keeping him within striking distance in the opening half of the 14 lap contest. Bertelle, on pole, fought to maintain podium position, but it was his first taste of rostrum success, and the pressure showed in sporadic bobbles under braking.
Maximo Quiles, making his debut, stunned the paddock on Lap 1 by slotting into the lead. An audacious move at turn 5 earned cheers, but rookie nerves caught up under the heat. As Rueda began to pull away, Quiles slipped to fifth by race’s end, a spirited effort nonetheless. “What a start,” remarked one commentator. “Quiles led on his first lap in Moto3, that’s a story!”
Rueda’s commanding ride built momentum lap by lap. By Lap 7 he held a comfortable half second gap, and by the flag it stretched to 2.399 seconds, a definitive win under pressure and heat. Kelso finished second, securing LevelUp MTA’s first real dry weather podium. Bertelle held on for third, breathing a sigh of relief at his first career Moto3 top three finish. Angel Piqueras carved through the chaos to grab fourth, his consistency showing races in, race out. Quiles finished fifth, with Alvaro Carpe flirting with the rostrum until the final turns.
Dennis Foggia, battling back from early contact, took seventh; Adrián Cruces scored a confidence-boosting eighth. Taiyo Furusato‘s charge yielded ninth, and Cormac Buchanan capped off the top ten with a composed ride amid clattering front runners. Rueda’s win was not just about outright pace: it was about seizing the moment. The drying slick line rewarded smoothness, and he delivered from front to back. “Two laps in, I thought ‘this could be special,’” said his team mechanic on pit radio. “He just kept his head and the tire.” Kelso’s second felt like a breakthrough, a statement of consistency. Bertelle soaked up the moment, stewards nodding to a first step into the world championship spotlight.
The result shakes up the Moto3 standings, Rueda vaults forward as a serious championship threat, and the LevelUp MTA duo of Kelso and Bertelle has suddenly injected a spark into the rookie class. In the searing afternoon heat of Austin 14 laps of nerve, speed, and precision, Moto3 showed us how the smallest margins, the smoothest lines, or the boldest starts can carve a path to victory. And for Rueda, Kelso, and Bertelle, this was their day in the sun.
| Pos | Rider | Number | Nationality | Team | Time / Difference |
| 1 | José Antonio Rueda | 99 | ESP | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 31:23.456 |
| 2 | Joel Kelso | 66 | AUS | LEVELUP-MTA | +2.399 |
| 3 | Matteo Bertelle | 18 | ITA | LEVELUP-MTA | +4.200 |
| 4 | Ángel Piqueras | 36 | ESP | FRINSA - MT Helmets - MSI | +5.345 |
| 5 | Máximo Quiles | 28 | ESP | CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team | +5.522 |
| 6 | Álvaro Carpe | 83 | ESP | Red Bull KTM Ajo | +7.309 |
| 7 | Dennis Foggia | 71 | ITA | CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team | +21.815 |
| 8 | Adrián Cruces | 11 | ESP | CIP Green Power | +22.069 |
| 9 | Taiyo Furusato | 72 | JPN | Honda Team Asia | +22.251 |
| 10 | Cormac Buchanan | 14 | GBR | DENSSI Racing - BOE | +22.459 |
| 11 | Guido Pini | 94 | ITA | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP | +22.558 |
| 12 | Adrián Fernández | 31 | ESP | Leopard Racing | +24.189 |
| 13 | David Almansa | 22 | ESP | Leopard Racing | +24.919 |
| 14 | Jacob Roulstone | 12 | GBR | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | +25.592 |
| 15 | Nicola Carraro | 10 | ITA | Rivacold Snipers Team | +26.786 |
| 16 | Ruche Moodley | 21 | ZAF | DENSSI Racing - BOE | +26.966 |
| 17 | Eddie O'Shea | 8 | IRL | GRYD - Mlav Racing | +31.800 |
| 18 | Jakob Rosenthaler | 34 | AUT | GRYD - Mlav Racing | +57.135 |
| 19 | Ryusei Yamanaka | 6 | JPN | FRINSA - MT Helmets - MSI | +2:01.645 |
| Ret | Valentín Perrone | 73 | ARG | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | Ret (crash) on lap 9 |
| Ret | Scott Ogden | 19 | GBR | CIP Green Power | Ret (injury) on lap 8 |
| Ret | Stefano Nepa | 82 | ITA | SIC58 Squadra Corse | Ret (crash) on lap 7 |
| Ret | David Muñoz | 64 | ESP | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP | Ret (crash) on lap 6 |
| Ret | Luca Lunetta | 58 | ITA | SIC58 Squadra Corse | Ret (crash) on lap 4 |
| Ret | Riccardo Rossi | 54 | ITA | Rivacold Snipers Team | Ret (crash) on lap 1 |
| DNS | Tatchakorn Buasri | 5 | THA | Honda Team Asia | DNS (injury) |
MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the oldest established motorsport world championship and the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Grand Prix motorcycles are purpose-built racing machines that are unavailable for purchase by the general public and unable to be ridden legally on public roads. The championship is currently divided into four classes: the eponymous MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE.
Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is the premier destination for world-class motorsports and entertainment in the United States. Just outside downtown Austin, Circuit of The Americas has hosted the biggest names in racing, action sports and music. At its heart is a 3.41-mile racetrack that was designed to challenge the world's most exacting competitors while providing a thrilling spectacle for audiences.
The 20-turn, counterclockwise circuit takes advantage of the naturally undulating landscape, including an intimidating 133-foot hill at Turn 1. It has hosted the Formula 1 United States Grand Pix, MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, ESPN's X Games, the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Pirelli World Challenge and more. Nestled within the track is Germania Insurance Amphitheater, the largest permanent outdoor amphitheater in Central Texas, and its 251-foot signature observation tower.
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