Izan Guevara: 25 points made up and a gift for Yamaha

Izan Guevara has completely reopened the battle for the Moto2 World Championship title with his victory at Motegi. Whilst championship leader Manuel Gonzalez had to start from the pit lane following a problem at the start and failed to score any points, the future MotoGP rider made the most of the opportunity. In one fell swoop, Guevara made up 25 points and is now just 10.5 points behind.

“I tried to stay focused throughout the race and manage the tyres well. I had a great race. I’m very happy about that. Now I’m closer to Manu Gonzalez in the championship,” said the Pramac rider happily.

It didn’t escape Guevara’s notice that his title rival had struggled at the start. “Yes, I saw Manu right at the start. But I tried to focus on my own race.” Starting from pole position, he had the opportunity to make the most of Gonzalez’s problems.

Manuel Gonzalez (Nr. 18) muss die Startaufstellung verlassen

Foto: Gold and Goose

But being aware of this opportunity brought with it additional pressure. “At that moment, I tried to stay calm and focus on the race. I wanted to push in the opening laps, but under that pressure I tried to maintain my rhythm. I concentrated on staying calm and holding onto the lead in the first few laps.”

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Pressure right until the end of the race: Tony Arbolino made a move

The victory was by no means a foregone conclusion. Tony Arbolino put Guevara under pressure and attacked in the closing stages. On top of that, there were technical difficulties that caused the Spaniard particular problems on one section of the track.

“Tony put me under a lot of pressure during the race, but I tried to control the gap between us. He always put particular pressure on me at Turn 3 because I felt severe chattering in that sector throughout the race. That sector is tricky with the Boscoscuro. That’s why I tried to push in the other sectors to maintain the gap,” explained Guevara. “He attacked me in Turn 9, but I regained the position. After that, I tried to control the lead right up to the final corner and see the race out for the win.”

With the gap in the World Championship standings having narrowed significantly, Guevara’s title chances have improved. Nevertheless, the Spaniard wants to focus on the approach that has recently propelled him forward. “My aim now is to carry on working in this way. It’s important to concentrate on my riding style during the races. In these two races in Austria and Japan, I was able to put my riding style into practice and secure these victories. In Australia or on other circuits in this region, the bike behaves differently. I’m now closer in the championship. I’m delighted about that.”

A strong signal to the Yamaha management

The success had another significance for Guevara: numerous Yamaha officials were present in Japan. The Pramac Moto2 team serves as a development platform for the manufacturer in the middleweight category. Guevara will continue on this path in 2027 and move up to MotoGP within Pramac, where he will be team-mate to Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Großer Jubel bei Pramac und Yamaha

Foto: Gold & Goose

Even though his Moto2 bike is a Boscoscuro, the victory was therefore an important success for Yamaha’s youth development project. Guevara explicitly dedicated it to the Yamaha president, who was in attendance. “It’s important to win the race here. It’s brilliant because the manufacturer is from Japan. The president is here and I’d like to dedicate this victory to him. He really enjoyed the race. This is a gift for him. Now it’s time to celebrate this brilliant victory with everyone at Yamaha.”

Congratulations from the Yamaha camp were not long in coming. “The lads congratulated me. I maintained a really good pace throughout the race. That’s why it’s a brilliant victory for me and for them. We worked very well throughout the Japanese Grand Prix. This victory belongs to the whole Yamaha team.”