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Red flag at Turn 11 sets stage for Agius' late pass to win

Red flag at Turn 11 sets stage for Agius' late pass to win

Senna Agius, 20, won the Moto2 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas after the race was red-flagged and shortened following a multi-rider crash. The restarted race ran for 10 laps; Agius, who had qualified fifth, worked his way forward and made a decisive pass with two laps remaining to hold off Celestino Vietti and record his third Moto2 victory. Reports listed his winning margin at about 0.5 seconds (timed at 0.497 seconds in one account). Agius dedicated the result to his Intact GP mechanic Roberto Lunadei, who was killed in a road accident two weeks earlier, describing it on Instagram as “More than a win,” and he received public congratulations from Mark Webber. Because he is 20, Agius was unable to celebrate with a traditional shoey in the United States, where the legal drinking age is 21.

The race was halted after a large pile-up at the Turn 11 hairpin that was variously described as involving seven riders and specifically named Sergio Garcia, David Alonso, Daniel Munoz, Colin Veijer, Filip Salac, Alberto Ferrandez and Angel Piqueras. Reports said Alberto Ferrandez failed to slow and struck Filip Salac, and that Ferrandez and Piqueras were taken to the on-site medical center. Officials red-flagged the event and shortened the distance to 10 laps for the restart; pole-sitter Barry Baltus received a long-lap penalty for riding the wrong way under the red flag and was passed by Agius on lap three of the restart. Deniz Oncu crashed on the sighting lap before the restart, and Dani Holgado collided with Joe Roberts on the opening lap before serving a long-lap penalty that dropped him down the order. Several accounts noted that the crash, the shortened distance and ensuing penalties were decisive in shaping the final finishing order.

Agius rode for Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP on a Kalex with Pirelli control tires, Vietti finished second on an HDR SpeedRS Boscoscuro machine and Izan Guevara was third on Boscoscuro equipment for Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha. David Alonso was recorded as finishing fourth and Manuel Gonzalez fifth, with Joe Roberts ninth for the OnlyFans American Racing Team. Sources differ on some details: while one report listed David Alonso among the riders involved in the Turn 11 incident, others record him recovering from 17th on the grid to fourth; and summaries vary on the championship lead after COTA — one set of standings put Manuel Gonzalez on top with 39.5 points (3.5 clear of Guevara) and Daniel Holgado third on 33, while another account described Holgado as the championship leader. Moto2’s next race is scheduled at Jerez on April 24-26.

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