Home hero Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has been mighty all weekend at the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain, and he bagged a first pole of 2025 as he aims to retake the Championship lead he relinquished in Qatar through no fault of his own with that late technical issue. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) takes a third front row of the season in second, with David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) forced to settle for third before a penalty meant he'll go from the back of the grid. Championship leader Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) only just missed out and was set to start fourth on home turf but is promoted to the front row.
Having to fight through Q1, riders such as David Almansa (Leopard Racing), Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) were some of the big names in the hunt to move into Q2. Despite being provisionally inside the top four, late lap time cancellations meant Almansa, Ogden and Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) all missed out and instead, it was Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE) and Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) who moved into Q2.
The fight for pole position in the opening stages of Q2 was tight too, with just 0.047s separating home heroes Rueda and Muñoz at the halfway point. Going into the second half, it was all to play for but Rueda, like he had been all weekend, was in a class of his own and secured pole by just under three tenths of a second. A late charge welcomed Kelso to a third front row of the season in second, pipping Muñoz before the #64 received a penalty for riding slow on the racing line after setting his personal best lap, putting him at the back of the grid. Therefore, all riders move up one place on the grid; Piqueras was P4 and is now primed for a good home GP as he looks to protect his lead, able to do so from the front row. Top rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) could be one to watch at a venue where he's got a wealth of experience, and he's just ahead of Lusail pole-sitter Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).
There was drama late on for Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who was held up on a fast lap by a touring Buchanan, before crashing on his final flying lap. He held onto P7 and is now a beneficiary of Muñoz's penalty and starts from P6 and the second row, ahead of Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Argentine star Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who completes the third row, whilst it's super-sub Perez who rounds out the top ten. Stand-out performances further down included South African rookie Ruche Moodley (DENSSI Racing – BOE) with a personal best of P15. Later on, Perrone was likewise handed a penalty for riding slow on the racing line, along with Noah Dettwiler (CIP Green Power) and Roulstone, both needing to serve a Long Lap Penalty.
Find the full results from Moto3 qualifying in Jerez HERE!