David Alonso won the Moto2 race at the TT Circuit Assen on June 28 with a decisive move in the final chicane, claiming his first victory of the 2026 season. The Colombian rider, racing for CFMOTO Aspar in his second Moto2 campaign, overtook Manuel González in the last corner and crossed the line just 0.024 seconds ahead. The finish capped a contest that stayed close to the final metres.
Alonso and González fought at the front of the Dutch Grand Prix, with Senna Agius also in contention. González led into the closing laps, but Alonso’s move in the final sector changed the outcome. Agius finished third, staying within striking distance of the leaders. The Assen win added to Alonso’s record of podium finishes in Brazil and Aragón. He also reached the podium in Austria.
Track-limit penalties and crashes shook up the field, while overtakes added to the disruption. Dani Holgado received a long-lap penalty for exceeding track limits, affecting his position, while Celestino Vietti’s crash added to the unpredictability. Air temperatures reached 28°C and track temperatures climbed to 37°C, putting tyre management and rider performance to the test.
Alonso’s victory was a personal key stage for the rider who became Colombia’s first world champion when he won the 2024 Moto3 title with 14 victories. González’s runner-up finish extended his championship lead after ten rounds. The standings shifted considerably as the season progressed: later, with five races remaining, González had 265.5 points and led Izan Guevara by 5.5, while Alonso was fifth on 166 points and Agius sixth on 165. González had recovered 52.5 points after the Dutch Grand Prix, a sign of how his consistency kept him at the centre of the title fight.
Alonso’s campaign was also disrupted by crashes, including a fall in Indonesia that caused lung injuries before the Australian round. He returned to the track there and placed eighth in the opening Moto2 practice session, clocking 1:30.768. Adrián Huertas led with a 1:30.393. Agius was third in 1:30.450, while González placed fifth in 1:30.669. Alonso’s season-long results kept him among the leading competitors, even as González and Guevara emerged as the principal contenders for the championship.
The win marked another step in Alonso’s rise from Moto3 champion to Moto2 race winner. He is set to make his MotoGP debut with LCR Honda in 2027, alongside Johann Zarco. Earlier in the Assen weekend, Jorge Martín secured pole position in MotoGP qualifying amid mechanical issues and penalties, as detailed in this report on the shifting grid at Assen.
Moto2 remains a proving ground for riders aiming to reach MotoGP. Introduced in 2010, the class has provided a pathway to the premier category for generations of racers. At Assen, a last-corner decider and penalties, alongside on-track incidents, showed how quickly a race and a season’s championship picture can change.
Known as the “Cathedral of Speed,” the Assen circuit has hosted motorcycle racing since 1949 and is renowned for its fast, flowing layout. Alonso’s 0.024-second victory added another close finish to the circuit’s history and gave him a defining result in his second Moto2 season.
