3-3-3 podium! Artigas swings the lasso and takes a grandiose 3rd place in Texas

Finally, here it is! Xavier Artigas rewards himself and the CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP squad with a spectacular 3rd place on the podium at the US Grand Prix in Moto3™

The number 3 was to be a lucky number today for the CFMOTO factory team. In the 3rd run, it was a more than deserved 3rd position at the big rodeo ride in Texas. Artigas thus also moves up to 3rd place in the World Championship standings and CFMOTO can celebrate its rise to 3rd place in the constructors’ competition.

The race weekend got off to a slow start for the CFMOTO team. The mixed conditions of wind, damp track and poor grip meant that only small improvements were possible at first. In addition, substitute rider #92 David Almansa, who had so far completed solid practice sessions, was once again unlucky in qualifying when the track dried properly for the first time and the heat that had been forecast also set in. Almansa crashed just a few laps into Q1 and was unable to place any time. This meant a start from the end of the field for the race day.

For #43 Xavier Artigas, the summer conditions were apparently a blessing in time for Q1, as he finished the session in 1st place by a quarter of a second. In the field of riders with tight top times, Artigas secured a 3rd row grid position in Q2.

At 11.00 a.m. local time (6.00 p.m. German time) the lights switched to “GO”. Xavier Artigas was quickly able to make up a few positions and move in the pack of the leading group. In the last 3 laps, Artigas took another risk and found himself leading the Grand Prix. But the lap of the COTA with its long straights made it difficult to keep this position. In the thriller of the last corners, the Spaniard with start number #43 positioned himself well and crossed the finish line in 3rd place.

David Almansa, who started the race from P28, also showed a good catch up and gained important experience. He ended up in P17 for the second time in a row and unfortunately was not rewarded with World Championship points. The young Spaniard from the Junior World Championship had already proven his great talent two weeks ago in Argentina and left a promising application.

After two overseas stops, the MotoGP™ circus is back on European soil in Spain. From 28-30 April, the Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España will be held at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. If the recovery of Australian #66 Joel Kelso continues to progress so positively, then the CFMOTO factory team will be complete again with its regular line-up in Spain.