Guevara on Escrig: “I didn’t expect him to be that strong”

Izan Guevara is really stepping up his game in the final third of the 2026 Moto2 season. Following victories in Austria and Japan, things also went perfectly for the Pramac rider at the Indonesian Grand Prix.

But first things first. On Saturday, Guevara secured pole position at Mandalika. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Intact GP) had to start Sunday’s race from 10th on the grid, on the fourth row. Guevara won the sprint to the first corner, whilst behind him a serious collision occurred: Daniel Holgado crashed into the rear of his Aspar team-mate David Alonso. Both riders crashed, as did Joe Roberts (American Racing) and Collin Veijer (KTM Ajo). In the process, the fuel tank/seat unit came loose from one of the Aspar bikes. The race was stopped, and the race stewards ruled the incident a racing accident.

The race was then restarted. This time, Forward rider Alex Escrig got off to the best start. Guevara settled into second place. The leading duo quickly pulled away from the chasing pack in the early stages, whilst behind them Manuel Gonzalez ploughed his way through the field. In the penultimate lap, disaster struck for Escrig: instead of securing his first Grand Prix victory, he was forced to retire his turquoise motorbike due to a technical fault. Guevara seized the victory and crossed the finish line 3.5 seconds ahead of Gonzalez.

Guevara lag bis zur vorletzten Runde hinter Escrig

Foto: Gold & Goose

Alex Escrig caught Izan Guevara off guard

“It was a very tough race, and [Alex] Escrig really made it difficult for me. To be honest, his pace took me by surprise. The team had told me he was in good form, but I hadn’t expected him to be so strong throughout the whole race,” said Izan Guevara after the race. “I decided to keep a bit of a gap rather than put too much pressure on him too early, because I wanted to save my tyres and keep something in reserve for the final laps. Towards the end, I was closing in on him, and my plan was to launch an attack on the final lap. I knew he was very strong, so I had to be patient and carefully gauge the right moment.” A head-to-head battle on the final lap never materialised – Escrig rolled his Forward to the side of the track.

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For Guevara, who will be competing in MotoGP next year, it was his third consecutive victory and his fourth of the season. In the overall standings, the Spaniard reduced his deficit to his compatriot Gonzalez to 5.5 points.

“To win again, especially after two wins in a row, is something I honestly hadn’t expected. I’m very proud of the team and the work we’re doing together. We’re closing the gap in the championship, so now is the time to enjoy this result with the team and keep pushing flat out,” said Guevara. The next race takes place in two weeks’ time at Phillip Island. “Manu is a strong rider, so it’s not easy to make up points on him, but I’m in good form at the moment. Australia isn’t my best circuit – it’s a difficult track for me and for the Boscoscuro. But given my pace over the past few race weekends, I think it’s possible to keep up in Australia and secure another podium finish.”