Agius takes historic Moto2™ home win as Moreira's title lead shrinks

Senna Agius has given a huge Australian crowd a perfect Sunday by taking an emphatic win in the Moto2™ race at the Liqui Moly Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2025 at Phillip Island.

From second on the grid the Aussie made a perfect start, seizing the lead before running onto the paint at Doohan Corner on lap three, and losing the lead for just 30 seconds. But that seemed to maximise the focus of the 20-year-old, who stole the lead back 30 seconds later, steadied the ship and then ran away.

By the chequered flag Agius was 3.684s clear of the field on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact Triumph-powered Kalex.

“It means everything,” said Agius after becoming the first Australian rider to take a home win in the intermediate (250cc or Moto2) category.

“Last year we set the benchmark here and my aim was a victory, and I can’t believe we got it done.

“It was a long race and a new experience, and I am just over the moon. I have no words! I am really proud of myself and the whole team.”

A four-bike battle fought it out for the podium positions over the first half of the race, with points leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact Kalex), his closest challenger and pole man Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Kalex) and David Alonso (CFMoto Aspar Kalex) fighting tooth and nail for the final 15 laps of the race.

Gonzalez fought hard, in spite of feeling the pain from two hard falls at the track on Friday, as the championship lead ebbed and flowed as he swapped positions with Moreira, until he dropped like a stone to P6 on lap 18.

That group became six-strong over the final 10 laps, Daniel Holgado and Jake Dixon dragging Barry Baltus into the platoon. The Belgian, fourth in the Moto2 points coming to Australia, dropped from 12th on the grid to 22nd after a shocking start, only for the Fantic rider to streak through the pack, setting lap times similar to the leaders.

Alonso held on to second ahead of Moreira and Holgado, from VDS’s Dixon and Baltus, who rounded up Gonzalez around the outside of The Hayshed on the final lap.

“I finish the race so tired I could not say hello to the people,” said Colombian Alonso, a former Moto3 world champion.

“I think it is one of my best races of my year, I made a good start but it was the hardest one of the physical condition, my arm was dead. When Senna goes, I just stayed and kept my physical condition again.”

Moreira was a drained man after the 23 laps.

“It was a difficult race, a lot of wind,” he said.

“It was difficult to race, but [I am] very happy to make a race like this.”

As a result Gonzalez has his points lead over Moreira trimmed to two points, with Aron Canet’s ninth place leaving him 35 points from the championship leader, and just seven points clear of Baltus.

The other Australian in the race, Harrison Voight, had a lonely ride and finished at the back of the field in 26th place.