RACE PREVIEW
# SanMarinoGP
Moto3™ consistently provided great racing throughout 2023 , as well as an epic championship battle between Jaume Masia and Ayumu Sasaki , which was decided at a dramatic penultimate race .
With both men now racing in Moto2™ , a host of riders will be eager to fill the power vacuum at the front of the class . Especially Aspar CFMOTO entrant David Alonso , who starts his second season at world level . The Colombian teenager was the revelation of 2023 , and he ’ s started this season brilliantly , scoring an epic last gasp win in Qatar before backing them up with victories in the USA , France , Barcelona , Mugello , Germany and Austria . He currently looks unbeatable in the title fight .
But he won ’ t have it all his own way . Ivan Ortola has switched to the MT HELMETS – MSI squad for 2024 and will be eager to build on a solid season last year when he took his first and second victories and finished sixth overall . Despite getting tangled up in a crash in race one , the Spaniard scored podiums in Portugal , Spain and Barcelona to get back in the hunt , before epic victories at Assen and Silverstone .
GASGAS Tech3 ’ s Dani Holgado will be out for revenge after his title challenge fell short in the autumn of last year . The Spaniard has shown he gained experience and scored a brilliant victory at Round 2 , and was back on the podium in Austria .
LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Inact GP ’ s Collin Veijer is another in contention for the crown . The tall Dutchman scored a brilliant victory in 2023 , his rookie season . His Jerez triumph also showed he is a contender for this year ’ s crown , but a crash out of the lead in Germany hurt his chances .
As ever , there are a host of exciting rookies that will be eager to grab international attention . Leopard Racing ’ s Angel Piqueras is the most eye-catching after he won both the Junior GP and Red Bull Rookies series in 2023 . CFMOTO Aspar Team ’ s Joel Esteban , Tech3 GASGAS ’ s Jacob Roulstone and SIC58 Honda ’ s Luca Lunetta are other names to keep an eye on .
Like Moto2™ , the junior category has switched tyres for this year , with Pirelli coming in as the sole supplier . Expect to see lap records broken through the second half of the season , with the 26 entrants switching riding style to get the best out of the Italian rubber .
Ten KTMs , ten Hondas and two Husqvarnas , GASGAS and CFMOTO machines apiece with 26 riders making up the 2024 grid .
Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini | 81