Acosta bags 7th at German Grand Prix

Pedro Acosta reset the speed for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 by circling the revolving layout of the Sachsenring to score nine points. The MotoGP rookie filled 7th position after 30 laps in Germany for round nine of 20 in the 2024 campaign. Augusto Fernandez leant on his improving race set-up and was unlucky to classify 16th at the packed circuit.

• Acosta learns the twist and turns of the Sachsenring with the GASGAS RC16 and applies his pace and talent to earn a top seven result
• Fernandez makes further progress with his upward rate of competitiveness and was only denied championship points by a post-race tire pressure penalty
• Daniel Holgado raises the GASGAS red flag in Moto3 as part of an entertaining multi-rider scrap for the podium. The Spaniard finishes 7th

Almost 100,000 spectators crammed into the hills and corners of the Sachsenring for a bright, dry and breezy ninth spectacle of 2024 MotoGP. Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 were in a determined rumble for maximum points around the compact 13-corner layout that saw lap-times wedged close and chances for overtaking at a premium.

Pedro Acosta ended the first lap in 13th position after starting from 10th on the grid. The Spaniard then began to find his pace, his confidence and the possibilities to move forwards. He followed Brad Binder for the majority of the distance but pulled up and away to reach 7th.  Pedro sits 6th in the world championship standings.

Augusto Fernandez blasted away from 15th. The former Moto2 world champ has been improving his feeling and race setting with the GASGAS RC16 and was able to circulate Sachsenring at a more effective pace. He took 14th by the flag but was later dropped to 16th for a tire pressure rule infringement.

MotoGP engines will remain dormant for the rest of July and into the summer break. The paddock will reform in the vast expanses of the Silverstone circuit for the British Grand Prix at the beginning of August.

Pedro Acosta, 7th: “Tough! On one hand we saved the race with this result and on the other we learned and understood many things that we can send to the boys in the factory. We will have an important couple of weeks. Let’s see what we can do and how we can improve.”

Augusto Fernandez, 16th: “A hard race and a long one because I struggled a lot with rear grip but, on the positive side, we are back to a better feeling and better level. We were close on lap-times to the other GASGAS and KTMs and it’s a shame about the penalty because that would have given us a few points. Let’s see at Silverstone if we can continue in the way we’ve been working and be more competitive in the second half of the year.”

Nicolas Goyon, GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager: “We end this German GP in a positive way and the last two weekends have shown just how competitive and difficult this category can be. Pedro had a decent start but dropped back to 12th before he fought back to 7th. It was good but we need more, and we want more and we need to analyze the package to find something for Silverstone. Not a bad weekend for Augusto, despite the final result on the sheet. This is how we want to see him fighting on the bike. We’ll start our summer break and come back fully charged for the next race.”

Results MotoGP Grand Prix of Germany

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 40:40.063

2. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati +3.804

3. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +4.334

7. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +14.746

9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +15.084

13. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +25.425

16. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +41.495

World Championship standings MotoGP

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 222 points

2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 212

3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 166

6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 110

7. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 108

16. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 35

17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 15

Moto3

Moto3 opened the program on race day at Sachsenring with a serving of close action and overtaking that had to be watched through the fingers. 12 riders disputed P1 and the other podium places during 23 intense laps in Germany and with Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 in the main thrust of the contest. Daniel Holgado brought the red heat and was in contention until the last three laps when the group splintered and he finished in 7th. Jacob Roulstone made his rookie run of the racetrack in Saxony. The Australian was also in the heart of the scrap with his teammate but was punted off after contact with another rider. Jacob was able to survive the massive moment and stay on the bike but dropped down to 19th. He then fell at Turn 11 a lap later.

Daniel Holgado, 7th: “Finally it was a good race for me after the rest of the weekend had been quite tough. I’m really happy with my pace and the way I could fight. I did my best and the team worked great. Now we can disconnect for a while and when we get to Silverstone I want to be fighting for the podium and the title again.”

Jacob Roulstone, DNF: “That happened quite quick! I felt so comfortable on the bike and had figured everything out. I was controlling the pace and the tires. I was happy but then the contact happened and I’m a bit lost for words. Everything was bent on the bike afterwards and I lost it while trying to get back in the rhythm. It was good to have more experience back at the front. I’m disappointed but these things happen.”

Holgado holds 3rd position in the Moto3 points table with a slender gap of 1 to further promotion. Roulstone is poised in 12th as the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 team stand 3rd from the 13 on the grid.

Results Moto3 Grand Prix of Germany

1. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS 33:02.956

2. Taiyo Furusato (JPN) Honda +0.187

3. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM +0.339

7. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +3.869

9. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +5.685

14. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +25.069

16. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM +38.789

18. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +39.387

DNF. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) KTM

DNF. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

World Championship standings Moto3

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 179 points

2. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM, 121

3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 120

4. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 115

9. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 58

12. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 44

14. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 38

15. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 38

22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 3