Last-Lap Drama Sees Aldeguer Take Moto2 Victory at Phillip Island
Fermin Aldeguer wins the Australian Moto2 GP after a dramatic final-lap battle with Aron Canet as local hero takes maiden…
For Australian rider Senna Agius, the home Grand Prix at Phillip Island will forever be etched in his memory. Starting 13th on the grid, Agius carved his way through the pack to finish 3rd, capping off an unforgettable home GP weekend with a first-ever Moto2 podium finish.
“I have no words,” Agius said post-race, visibly overwhelmed. “I was a bit disappointed about starting on the fifth row, but I felt that I had a lot more potential. I just wanted to stay calm after the start, understand the tyres – not to stress them and also stay away from all the tricky situations.”
His measured approach paid dividends. Following the chaos of the first three laps of the race, Agius gradually found his rhythm and, despite having trouble overtaking in thee early parts, was soon able to make headway.
“It was quite difficult to overtake. I saw the guys at the front pulling away, but then I felt good,” he reflected. “I was able to catch up with Lopez, but I damaged the left side of the tyre a bit. However, I knew that I was a few tenths faster, so I wanted to catch him at the end.”
Agius’ raw speed was evident, but it was patience that won him the final spot on the podium. “Then Lopez made a mistake, and in the end, it was probably the longest five laps of my career,” he said with a grin.
“I am so happy. It’s so nice that I was able to share all of this with the people here. The weather was also good for great racing. I think I could have kept up with the top four if I had started further forward. With a few more laps, I would probably have had problems at the end.”
Yet, his pace throughout the weekend was undeniable, and he saved his biggest scare for after the checkered flag.
“Fortunately, I saved the crash for the in-lap – it was just crazy, suddenly everyone was on top of me!” he laughed, sharing a moment of levity after the tense final moments of the race.
Senna Agius has crashed after the flag! 😅
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 20, 2024
Too keen to get the celebrations going, he's dropped it on the grass! 👏#AustralianGP 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/oruEe1U0G1
For Agius, the weekend was more than just a maiden Grand Prix podium finish: “To be honest, this weekend brought back the joy. I felt super calm this weekend and wanted to do my job in every session.”
The podium at Phillip Island was the fulfillment of a long-held childhood dream for the 19-year-old: “I rode here as a junior but was not allowed to ride under 16. The guys here have been racing on this track for years. I don’t think I had much of an advantage from the track. The track is just special, it’s extremely fast and it’s all about the tyres.”
