The Italian GP polesitter earns his second consecutive podium, with Rueda extending his lead in the overall standings.

Alvaro Carpe took his third podium of the season at the Italian Grand Prix, in a close race that saw him miss out on a first win by just 0.006. Jose Antonio Rueda battled in a large group and placed fourth, 0.102s off the top spot, and continues to lead the way in the Moto3 standings.

Carpe had started from Pole Position at Mugello, and led the field heading into the San Donato corner. After taking the holeshot, he would be overtaken at the end of the straight by some seven riders, who made the most of his slipstream. He regained the lead on the second lap, although the group of 21 riders behind him remained intact. In the second section of the race, several crashes narrowed the field, leaving it at twelve, and Carpe held onto the lead. However, the final lap offered a great fight between Carpe, Quiles and Foggia. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider managed to squeeze in between them, taking second place, just 0.006s away from his first World Championship win. With his second place, Carpe achieved his second consecutive podium finish and his third rostrum of the season. Not only is he currently the series’ top rookie, but also now finds himself in third place in the overall standings with 105 points, one point off second place.

Rueda also got off to a good start, from second on the grid but like his teammate, he was unable to hold off several rivals at the end of the straight. From then on, the Moto3 World Championship leader refused to give up on trying to head the field during the first section of the race. A crash involving other riders in the middle of the pack and several overtakes dropped Rueda to 15th, forcing him to fight back on the final laps. He was able to reconnect with the frontrunners, gradually recovering several positions until he moved into the Top 6. On the final lap, and after several risky but well-executed overtakes, he came home in fourth place. Rueda now increases his points tally to 162, and his advantage over his nearest rival to 56.

The ninth Grand Prix of the season closes at Mugello to make way for the tenth. However, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team ends another weekend with another podium finish, their ninth of the season, to consolidate their lead in the overall team standings with 267 points and a 106-point advantage. They now move on to Assen and the Dutch Grand Prix, which will take place from June 27-29th, to close the first double-header of the season.

Race Results
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 33:17.697
2. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +0.006
3. Dennis Foggia (KTM) | +0.066
4. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +0.102
5. David Muñoz (KTM) | +0.212

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2025
1. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 162 points
2. Angel Piqueras (KTM) | 106 points
3. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 105 points
4. Joel Kelso (KTM) | 93 points
5. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 85 points

Moto3 Teams World Championship Standing 2025
1. Red Bull KTM Ajo | 267 points
2. FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI | 161 points 
3. Level UP MTA | 140 points
4. CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team | 134 points
5. Leopard Racing | 117 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Overall, we had another very good weekend. Both riders found their rhythm from the first Practice and we made all the correct choices with the bike setup. Both riders were also very strong during Qualifying, and taking first and second was a very good result for the team yesterday. Of course, Mugello is a special place in terms of the slipstream and the big groups, but to be honest, overall we can be very happy. Alvaro had a great race, fighting for the victory from the first lap, and was very close to achieving it in the last moment, and Jose Antonio made a great comeback during the last lap. He finished strongly and was very near to the podium, and with this result we are further clear of second position in the championship. Alvaro is only one point behind second place too, so we’ll try to continue in this same way next week at Assen.”

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We managed the race well, despite the difficulty. There were a lot of riders close together, the group was very large, and the slipstream was hugely decisive. I think we ended the weekend very positively; it’s a shame we missed out on the podium by a few thousandths of a second. On the last lap, there was a slight slowdown at the front, and that limited our comeback a bit, as we lost speed, but we finished close to the rostrum and with a good feeling, which is the most important thing. We got this track out of the way, which is surely the most dangerous in terms of how tight the field is, and we’re also more leaders, so the overall assessment is very positive. I want to thank the team for all the work they’ve done and hope to continue like this next weekend.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We were very close to winning today. I had a small scare on the last corner, and I think that hindered us a bit in our ability to take the win. The race was fun, and we did a great job, trying to stay among the front positions at all times. The group was very large, and several riders were constantly passing me at the end of the straight, but it was vital to be well positioned to avoid problems. I thought a lot about how to approach the final laps, and that’s an important aspect, so we will continue to improve and learn. Our position can be improved, but the work we’ve done has been impeccable, so we have to keep going and wait for our moment to arrive.”