Estrella Galicia 0,0 Moto3 riders, Alonso Lopez and Sergio Garcia Dols, took part in the Thai Grand Prix race at Buriram -the 15th round of the 2019 season- on Sunday
Lopez achieved his first podium in the World Championship by finishing the race in third position, whilst rookie Garcia Dols was 14th in a 22-lap contest won by Albert Arenas.
The warmup took place in the dry, and there were ambient and track temperatures of 31°C and 42°C, respectively, for the race itself.
Estrella Galicia 0,0 Moto3 will be back on track on October 18th, for the first Free Practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix at Twin Ring Motegi.
ALONSO LÓPEZ – “It was an incredible race!”
The Spaniard started fifth on the grid thanks to his time of 1:42.967 in Q2 on Saturday. In the warmup he clocked the ninth best lap of 1:43.406.
In the race itself, Lopez was among the first riders in a very large lead group. After the first third of the contest, he regained some lost ground after avoiding being involved in a crash that hindered several rivals.
He managed to escape with Albert Arenas and Lorenzo Dalla Porta on the final laps, to secure the first podium of his career in the World Championship. He is now 16th in the overall standings with 61 points.
“I was always in the Top 5, just like at Aragon. We needed to consolidate a good weekend with a good race, and finally we achieved that; it was something that we needed and I hope we continue this progression until the end of the season. The race was very difficult. Off the start I gained several places, then I dropped back a little, which is when I saw that crash involving multiple riders. From there, the race was somewhat easier, and I claimed our first podium. My team provided me with a bike that worked perfectly and I’m very grateful for their work to help me achieve this result. I dedicate this podium to my family and to all those who have supported me. It was an incredible race!”
SERGIO GARCÍA – “We’ve scored points again and that has been the most positive”
Sergio García Dols was 17th on the grid through his Saturday time of 1:44.034. In the warmup, he was 29th with a 1:44.931 lap.
Off the start he rode in 20th on the opening lap, beginning an exchange of positions that led him to move back into 18th at the halfway mark of the race.
On the final laps he climbed up to 12th position, but was required to ride a long lap due to a penalty and eventually crossed the finish line in 13th place -although he was later relegated to 14th for exceeding the track limits. García Dols is 22nd in the standings, with 20 points.
“The race went well. I tried to reach the large front group, but then I was penalised with a long lap and a further 3 seconds at the end of the race. We’ve scored points again and that, in addition to confirming that we must never give up, has been the most positive aspect of the race.”
