The Sepang stage of the Moto3 was marked by a dramatic start and a historic victory. Taiyo Furusato won for the first time in the category this Sunday (26), in a race shortened to 10 laps after a serious accident on the presentation lap. Angel Piqueras finished second and Adrian Fernandez completed the podium, ensuring a Honda double at the top and three bikes from the brand among the top four positions.
The original start was delayed after a violent accident involving Noah Dettwiler, from CIP Green Power, and Jose Antonio Rueda, from Red Bull KTM Ajo, still on the presentation lap. The two riders were taken to the hospital by helicopter. Later, Rueda was confirmed to be conscious and stable, with a suspected fracture in his hand and multiple bruises. Dettwiler’s team reported that the Swiss rider will undergo several surgeries, asking for privacy at the moment.
With the helicopter back at the circuit and safety conditions restored, the race finally started. Furusato started very well, taking the lead in the first lap, ahead of pole David Almansa and Maximo Quiles. The Japanese rider controlled the pace from the beginning, while behind him a intense battle for the podium was forming.
In the third lap, Almansa managed to retake the lead, but Furusato quickly responded and maintained the lead with authority. Guido Pini also entered the dispute and managed to overtake Quiles in the 4th turn of the 5th lap, but was overtaken in the 9th turn. Adrian Fernandez, starting from the fourth row, also advanced with a strong pace, overtaking rivals and taking second position.
While Furusato sustained a lead of almost a second, the chasing group alternated positions at every turn. Pini even managed to finish second, but a mistake in the 15th turn of the 8th lap took him out of the race. Almansa also had a difficult moment when he escaped the track in the final turn, falling to sixth and leaving the direct fight for the podium.
In the final lap, Piqueras took advantage of a big scare from Fernandez, who almost lost the front of the bike in the 9th turn, to secure second position. Unchallenged, Furusato crossed the finish line with authority, achieving his first victory in the Moto3 and also the first triumph of Honda in 2025.
“It’s an incredible feeling to get my first win. We worked very hard and today everything went right,” said Furusato after the race.
Piqueras finished second, Fernandez third, and Almansa fourth, completing Honda’s strong performance. Ryusei Yamanaka closed the top-5, followed by Alvaro Carpe. Quiles finished seventh and, with that, guaranteed the Rookie of the Year title, surpassing Scott Ogden, who finished eighth after starting 15th. Brian Uriarte finished ninth, even after a touch with Quiles in the last lap, and Valentin Perrone completed the top-10.
Malaysian wildcard Hakim Danish, who participated as a wildcard, even managed to set the fastest lap of the race, but abandoned due to technical problems.
With the victory, Furusato entered the map of the 2025 Moto3 season and gave Honda an important result in Sepang. The next stage will be in Portimão, Portugal, where the fight for the last positions in the top-10 of the championship promises strong emotions.
