Manuel Gonzalez wins Moto2 Thailand after dominant race

Spanish rider Manuel Gonzalez secures victory at Buriram Circuit, with Canet and Agius on the podium.

Manuel Gonzalez of Spain and Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP rides down a straight during the Moto2 race at the MotoGP of Thailand at Chang International Circuit on March 2, 2025, in Buriram, Thailand. Photo by Mirco Lazzari/Getty Images

By Hayu Andini and Adila Ghina

The Moto2 Thailand 2025 Grand Prix at Buriram Circuit delivered intense action from start to finish, with Manuel Gonzalez securing a commanding victory. The Spanish rider led the race with confidence, while Aron Canet and Senna Agius completed the podium after a dramatic battle.

Early drama before the start

The race weekend began with unexpected technical issues for Alex Escrig, forcing his team into last-minute checks in the pit lane while the rest of the grid prepared on track. Meanwhile, Celestino Vietti made an aggressive start, surging past Manuel Gonzalez to take the lead as the lights went out.

Behind them, chaos unfolded when Darryn Binder and Izan Guevara were penalized with a double long lap penalty for jumping the start. The penalties reshuffled the midfield, giving other riders an opportunity to advance.

Mario Suryo Aji made an impressive start, climbing to 13th place in the opening laps. The Indonesian rider continued his strong pace, moving up to 12th after Guevara dropped down the order.

Gonzalez takes control

By the third lap, Gonzalez reclaimed the lead from Vietti, showing strong pace as he began to build a gap at the front. The Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 rider pulled away, leaving Vietti under pressure from Senna Agius.

The leading trio created a gap of over a second from the chasing group. Aron Canet pushed hard to bridge the gap but found himself locked in a battle with Diogo Moreira. Further back, the midfield fight remained intense, with overtaking opportunities limited due to the tight competition.

Mario Aji continued to impress, overtaking Filip Salac on lap 10 to move into 11th place. However, his charge was halted as he lost positions to Albert Arenas and Salac, dropping back in the order.

Vietti crashes as Gonzalez extends lead

Drama unfolded when Vietti and Agius made contact at Turn 10, causing Vietti to crash out of the race. The incident reshaped the podium battle, allowing Canet and Moreira to move into contention. Race Direction quickly reviewed the incident and handed Agius a long lap penalty for irresponsible riding.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez extended his lead at the front, building a comfortable 3.2-second gap over his nearest rivals.

Final laps and podium fight

With five laps to go, Mario Aji began losing momentum. Tony Arbolino overtook him, pushing him down to 13th place. Deniz Öncü followed shortly after, further demoting Aji to 14th.

At the front, Agius and Moreira engaged in an intense duel for third place, swapping positions multiple times in the closing stages.

Aji’s struggles continued as Adrian Huertas made a late overtake, pushing him down to 15th. Despite losing ground, Aji managed to hold onto the final points-paying position until the checkered flag.

Gonzalez takes the win

Gonzalez sealed his dominant performance with a celebratory wheelie across the finish line, securing his first victory of the Moto2 season. Canet crossed the line in second, while Agius, despite his penalty, managed to secure third place.

Moreira narrowly missed the podium, settling for fourth. Marcos Ramirez, Barry Baltus, Jake Dixon, Dani Holgado, Filip Salac, and Alonso Lopez rounded out the top ten.

Mario Aji finished in 15th place, securing a valuable championship point. The result marks another step forward for the Indonesian rider as he continues his progress in the Moto2 class.