English Jake Dixon clinches first world title with win at the Dutch Grand Prix
British rider Jake Dixon, aboard a Kalex, secured his inaugural world championship by winning the Dutch Grand Prix. In Moto2, Spaniard Pedro Acosta, also on Kalex, finished third at Assen and narrowed the points gap to the leaders in the standings. Tony Arbolino, riding a Kalex, placed seventh as the season resumes after the summer break.
In a close battle for the overall middleweight crown, Fermín Aldeguer from Mazarrón held off the challenge of his Italian rivals to move within eight points of the championship lead. He heads into the summer hiatus still very much in the title mix. The dramatic late-race action left little doubt that the fight for the Moto2 title will continue to intensify once racing resumes.
From lights out, pole-sitter Alonso López led the field on his Darkwood machine, with the ever-rapid Ai Ogura on Kalex and Jake Dixon close behind. Acosta, starting from sixth, began the race determined to climb through the pack and challenge the leading trio as the race unfolded into the later stages.
As the laps wore on, the Murcian rider pushed hard and looked set to dominate, until a moment near the finish line altered the outcome. A long lap penalty for a track-cut infringement was issued, dropping him from the lead position to the final podium spot. The decision sparked controversy, with television footage suggesting a potential breach of the cornering rules. Still, Acosta remained a force to be reckoned with, keeping pace with the frontrunners as the race concluded.
Ogura initially led through most of the race, but Dixon closed the gap in the final laps and overtook on the last stretch to seal victory. Ogura settled for second, while Aldeguer made a strong late push to clinch third place, just ahead of Arón Canet and Alonso López, who finished fifth and sixth respectively. The top ten was rounded out by Manu González in eighth and Albert Arenas in ninth.
Further back, Sergio García Dols and Jeremy Alcoba finished 13th and 15th on Kalex machines. Carlos Tatay ended 17th, and Yeray Ruiz failed to finish, riding for Forward. Borja Gómez, Izan Guevara, and Alex Escrig could not complete the race, each experiencing their own struggles on track.
The outcome at Assen keeps the championship tightly bunched as the calendar moves forward. With the summer break behind them, riders and teams will regroup and refocus on the challenges ahead, aiming to convert performance into championship points in the second half of the season.