A new star is shining on the world motorcycling scene, a precocious talent who is already rewriting Moto3 records. David Alonso, fresh world champion in the entry-level category of the MotoGP, took the title in an extraordinary season, embellished by no fewer than 13 victories, many of them characterised by an unmistakable trademark: the decisive last-lap overtaking move.
René Pierotti and Giulia De Ieso interviewed him at Eicma, on the Airoh stand.
Born in 2006 with DNA halfway between Colombia and Spain - his mother Colombian and father Spanish - Alonso perfectly represents this dual cultural identity: ‘I can't say whether I feel more Colombian or more Spanish, it's 50/50,’ confesses the young rider, who has chosen to race under the Colombian flag, paying homage to his mother's origins.
His 2024 season has exceeded all expectations, he himself admits that the initial objective was more modest: ‘We wanted to be there at the front to play for the world championship, but we didn't expect all this’.
Among his 13 victories, some have a special place in his heart: ‘The first one in Japan, where I won the world championship, and the one in Qatar, my first solo win. It was important for me to prove that I could also win by breaking away from the pack’.
His driving style, characterised by his ability to manage the race finishes to perfection, is no accident: ‘It is something we have always worked on with the team,’ explains Alonso. ‘No matter if you are fighting for first place or fifteenth, you always have to think about how to win in your group, studying the best strategy for the final laps.
His exploits have not gone unnoticed by the motorcycling greats. Marc Marquez admitted he cried with joy at his victory in Japan, while Pecco Bagnaia sent him congratulatory messages. ‘It is a great emotion to receive such recognition from the riders I have always watched on TV,’ the young champion confessed.
Now the challenge of Moto2 awaits him, a category that has reserved different fates for previous Moto3 champions: Pedro Acosta adapted immediately, while Izan Guevara struggled more. Alonso faces this new adventure with maturity: ‘It won't be easy, in the first races I might not even be in the top 20. The important thing is to work step by step, understand the bike and not be in a hurry to be in the front straight away.
