6th in the championship as Acosta and GASGAS sign-off 2024 MotoGP™ in Barcelona

Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 pulled the curtain down for 2024 with a fast-paced and action-packed performance by Pedro Acosta to claim 10th position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Spaniard grabbed six points to end his rookie season with 6th in the championship and a total of nine podiums between Grands Prix and Sprints. Teammate Augusto Fernandez was 19th for round twenty. In Moto3™ Daniel Holgado ended the year with the silver medal after a rampaging quest to seal P2 in Catalunya.

• Acosta caps an educational and attention-grabbing debut MotoGP term with a top ten at the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona
• Fernandez battles for the most effective grip during the 24-laps and finishes his second year in the premier class with 19th and 20th in the standings
• Moto3™ glory for Daniel Holgado thanks to a determined charge to 2nd through the 18 laps on Sunday. Jacob Roulstone matches a personal best result with 8th and ranks 15th in his first season in Grand Prix racing

A special late autumn light shone down on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the finale of 2024 MotoGP and the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona: the twentieth round of the world championship campaign. Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez faced the last 24-laps of a long term by starting from 6th and 21st positions on the grid and in full knowledge that tire-wear and preservation would be critical around the slippery 4.6km layout.

Acosta, who was unlucky to have podium contention in the Sprint on Saturday ended by contact from another rider, swept into the top six from the outset. Pedro drilled the GASGAS RC16 but then suffered with a brake issue in the closing stages and soldiered on to 10th. He has managed points in 14 from 20 races. 2024 was the best season for GASGAS red in the series.

Fernandez tried a set-up adjustment for the race and his last outing with the team in the pursuit of more adhesion and a better feeling. Augusto reached a highest position of 14th before then managing his speed to take 19th. He ended 2024 with seven points-scoring outings and 20th in the list.

Pedro Acosta, 10th: “I had to manage the situation with my brakes and it made the race more difficult. It was a 50-50 season. Many mistakes but also many good moments where we were fighting for victories and we improved a lot. We also understood more about MotoGP and how it works. We had some super-nice races so we have to be happy with 2024.”

Augusto Fernandez, 19th: “A hard day. We expected a bit better after warm-up because we’d worked a lot to turn things around and I had a good start but when it came time to make the pace I just didn’t have it. A strange feeling all race with the lack of grip. I’m looking forward now to what will come with my future.”

Nicolas Goyon, GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager: “It’s been an unbelievable season with Pedro. His rookie year has been amazing and we finished with five podiums and four Sprint podiums. A season full of emotion and Pedro showed us his fantastic speed and how he is a great champion. We wish him all the best and we feel we achieved our targets with him and helped him to become a fast MotoGP rider. A frustrating day for Augusto. He showed some speed at one point but could not convert this into a good position. It’s been a difficult championship for him but he always fought to regain the confidence and we wish him all the best. Thanks to the entire Red Bull GASGAS team and now we’ll look to the last test of 2024.”

Results MotoGP Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 40:24.740

2. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati +1.474

3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +3.810

6. Brad Binder (RSA) KTM +7.081

10. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +10.618

13. Jack Miller (AUS) KTM +14.560

19. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +29.145

World Championship standings MotoGP

1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 508 points

2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 498

3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 392

5. Brad Binder (RSA) KTM, 217

6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 215

14. Jack Miller (AUS) KTM, 87

20. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 27

Moto3

The closing 18-laps of Moto3 2024 thrust Daniel Holgado into the spotlight and the last charge to be vice champion. The Spaniard had been on the pace through Friday and Saturday in Barcelona and qualified on the second row for the showdown. Jacob Roulstone was 9th fastest and with hopes of penetrating the leading posse on his farewell bid to a decent rookie season.

Holgado scurried to the front in the first two laps and then remained poised for the podium in the 11-rider group. On the final lap he pushed the limits to try and pass world champion David Alonso but took a worthy P2 by just 0.1 of a second to guarantee the points and the status of the second best Moto3 racer of the year. Roulstone was part of the same rushing pack and his 8th place at the flag equaled a season-best for the rookie. The Australian rubber-stamped 15th in the championship list.

Daniel Holgado, 2nd: “I’m really happy with my last race in Moto3. I did my very best today and it was a very fast race. I tried everything I had on the last lap to overtake for the lead but it was impossible. Happy for my year! I’m second in the championship. 1st would have been better but I did my best. Thanks to Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, they are an amazing team.”

Jacob Roulstone, 8th: “Quite happy to finish the season on a high like this. To be 8th after some struggles is great and I think the team are happy. I tried to make positions as quick as I could today and pleased that Dani is second in the championship and how I could ride. I got used to the late, aggressive moves into Turn 1. Overall, an up and down season and I proud how I was able to come back and overcome the difficulties I was having. A big thanks to the team and those that helped me and support me. I think we have a lot of potential for some big goals next year.”

Results Moto3 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 32:27.723

2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.147

3. Angel Piqueras (ESP) Honda +1.210

4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) KTM +1.352

8. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +2.025

10. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +2.713

13. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +10.823

19. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) KTM +13.437

22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM +16.645

Final World Championship standings Moto3

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 421 points

2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 256

3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 242

7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), KTM, 157

14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 91

15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 66

17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 45

23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM, 13