A hard crash: the Mandalika Moto2 curse strikes Aspar rider David Alonso

David Alonso, a Colombian living in Spain, has fond memories of the Indonesian Grand Prix on Lombok. In 2024, the Mandalika Circuit was one of 14 victories on his way to the Moto3 title. Alonso won the thrilling race by a narrow margin ahead of Adrian Fernandez and David Munoz.

In the Moto2 World Championship, however, things just didn’t go to plan. Having started from the front row on his debut in 2025, the beach-side event was over after just four laps. Incidentally, just one lap later, his team-mate Dani Holgado was also forced out of the Indonesian Grand Prix. In 2026, neither of them even made it through the first corner.

Crash-Auslöser Holgado ratlos, Alonso rang um Luft

Foto: Gold and Goose

Even though it was a normal racing incident, Holgado – who was coming from the outside – took full responsibility for the crash. Holgado effectively crashed into his team-mate’s rear wheel, triggering his massive highside at the apex.

For Holgado, the unfortunate mass crash – which also involved American rider Joe Roberts – turned out ‘perfectly’. Whilst Alonso’s Kalex rolled over and, amongst other things, lost its rear end, Holgado and his bike escaped with nothing more than a few scrapes. The rider who caused the crash was back on the starting grid a short time later.

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David Alonso was still panting heavily. Not just out of frustration, but also because of the bruised lungs resulting from his dramatic belly-flop onto the hot tarmac. At least the world champion of the smallest class escaped without any fractures. On the Monday after the GP, Alonso was able to board a scheduled flight alongside team manager Nico Terol.

Moto2-Pilot David Alonso

Foto: Gold and Goose

The end of the race was also bitter in terms of the World Championship standings. Before the start, the clever Colombian was in fourth place, 79.5 points behind. With six races remaining and 150 points up for grabs, Alonso was still considered one of the wider circle of favourites. After the race – which wasn’t really a race – that chance is now purely theoretical. He dropped back to fifth place – Dani Holgado, of all people, moved past him into third, and Senna Agius is now just one point behind Alonso ahead of his home Grand Prix at Phillip Island (winner in 2025).

The South Americans’ second hope can now put the Moto2 and Mandalika chapter behind him. In 2027, Alonso will take to the track on the 850cc MotoGP Honda. Official confirmation is still pending, but all the signs point to the number 80 being stuck on the bike in Lucio Ceccinello’s LCR garage.