Husqvarna signed-off its 2024 Grand Prix season with 3rd place in the Moto3 world championship. Collin Veijer scored 10th position at the last race of the year to collect ‘bronze’.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya entertained MotoGP for the second time in 2024 as the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona replaced the cancelled Valencian GP after the recent DANA floodings in the eastern region of Spain. The twentieth round of the year took place near the Catalan capital and around the 14 corners of the 4.6km layout that has staged the sixth fixture of the season back in May.

The IntactGP team brought their Husqvarna machinery to the venue with Collin Veijer tied on points for 2nd place in the Moto3 championship standings, Tatsuki Suzuki hoping to get near a first podium result to end his term with the squad and the Moto2™ contingent of Senna Agius and Darryn Binder also optimistic of strong results to cap a season of ‘personal bests’ in the class.

Barcelona was sunny and temperate for the late autumn event with cool conditions in the morning improving with bright skies in the afternoon that made the racing surface slightly easier to judge for grip. The track is renowned for being difficult and lacking in optimum traction and the November scheduling meant another hurdle to negotiate for the team and riders.

Collin Veijer was fastest in FP1 on Friday morning and then ranked 5th in Practice 1 later in the day: 0.2 of a second away. Suzuki was less than a second from the main pacesetters and took 16th. The positive speed rolled into Saturday. The Dutchman managed 2nd in Q2 and the Japanese was 10th for the fourth row of the grid and with a view to 18 hectic laps on Sunday morning.

The opening thrusts and parries of the Moto3 dispute produced the usual barrage of position swapping. Veijer was in-and-around the top ten and Suzuki in the first fifteen riders. The pack filtered out more in the last two laps and Collin could not quite move into the dice for the podium. He crossed the line in 11th and was moved up to 10th due to a penalty for another rider. Suzuki had lost the tow as the group splintered but persevered at the head of the second collective and grabbed 3 points for P13.

The consequences of the twentieth Grand Prix of the year were quickly gathered after the chequered flag. Veijer earns the bronze medal thanks to 242 points, nine podium finishes and a strong second season in which he showed considerable improvement. Suzuki placed 14th, having entered the top ten on nine occasions from twenty. The IntactGP team classified 3rd in the Teams list.

Collin Veijer, 10th: “My start was quite good and I felt confident but after a few laps I could see that we were suffering on the straight a bit. We came up a bit short. We made a choice today that didn’t work out and this can happen. I enjoyed my last race in Moto3. We had some battling! I know I could have been much better but I’m happy with 3rd in the championship because it was the goal. Onto next year!”

Tatsuki Suzuki, 13th: “I’m disappointed with the race. I didn’t have a comfortable feeling. I tried to maximise what I had to finish P13. It wasn’t the result that we needed or what we wanted. No podium this season but otherwise it was quite decent and the team helped me so much. We worked hard this year.”

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya brought a captivating and unpredictable Moto2 year to a close for the Intact unit and their energetic riders Senna Agius and Darryn Binder. The Australian was the quicker of the duo on Friday and placed near the top ten. Through Saturday’s sessions and qualification Agius was again the main protagonist and was clearly relishing his second attempt to get the better of Barcelona. He was 10th quickest after Q2 (popping out of Q1 as well) and Binder ended the day with 22nd on the grid.

The last Moto2 race of the year produced 21 engaging laps. Agius had his eyes on the top ten and hounded the top five after two early big multi rider crashes while Binder had to pull some feisty moves to pick through the second half of the pack. Agius eventually had to slow his pace due to an issue with his right arm and finished 13th while Binder just missed the points in 16th.

The story of 2024 puts Senna 18th in the championship table after his rookie year and with one memorable podium finish at Phillip Island and four top ten results. Darryn ranked 19th with a finish of 5th in Indonesia as the highlight.

Senna Agius, 13th: “I had a really good start and was just trying to save the tyre, and with eleven laps to go my right arm went to sleep for some reason. I could not brake or open the throttle as I wanted. I was wondering if I could finish. I just tried to bring the bike home and I’m really disappointed because I had the package to be going for the podium. I’ve never had a physical problem like this before so it’s confusing. Overall, quite happy with my first world championship campaign. I did my best and had some good moments.”

Darryn Binder, 16th: “It’s been a tough weekend. I was trying to get comfortable and never really found the right feeling to be able to push the pace. I knew it would be difficult from 22^nd place but I went out and did my best. I tried to save some tyre but I was struggling in the last quarter. I’m a bit disappointed to have been pipped for the last point. I did what I could and I just want to say huge thank you to the whole Husqvarna IntactGP team. It’s been a pleasure to work with them for the last two years.”

Results Moto3 Solidarity Barcelona Grand Prix

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 32:27.723, 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.147, 3. Angel Piqueras (ESP) Honda +1.210, 4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) KTM +1.352, 8. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +2.025

10. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +2.713, 13. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +10.823, 19. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) KTM +13.437, 22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM +16.645

Final World Championship standings Moto3

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 421 points, 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 256, 3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 242, 7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), KTM, 157, 14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 91, 15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 66, 17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 45, 23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM, 13

Results Moto2 Solidarity Barcelona Grand Prix

1. Aron Canet (ESP) 36:29.282, 2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.091, 3. Diogo Moreira (BRA) +1.124, 7. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +5.647, 13. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +14.733, 16. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +16.476, 22. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +29.727, DNF. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, DNF. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO

Final World Championship standings Moto2

1. Ai Ogura (JPN), 274 points, 2. Aron Canet (ESP), 234, 3. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP), 195, 7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 165, 8. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 155, 17. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 69, 18. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 66, 19. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 54, 20. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 49