Moto3, a long-awaited return: José Antonio Rueda is back—what a thrill in Valencia

The last Grand Prix of the 2025 season also counts on the presence of the Moto3 champion, albeit as a guest. Here’s José Antonio Rueda again, guest of honor in the Red Bull KTM Ajo garage and more generally in the MotoGP World Championship paddock. It’s the first public appearance of the young Spanish rider after the very serious crash in Sepang, when the worst was feared for a long time both for him and for Noah Dettwiler. We’ve seen the first timid smile from the Swiss rider together with his father in recent days, while the 20-year-old from Seville has made his first return to a circuit.

Shy as always, as glimpsed in the images shown during Moto3 FP2, but in slow and steady recovery. There’s no shortage of sighs of relief and, above all, smiles, particularly in his garage now that the situation is continuously improving for both him and Dettwiler. The latest official update is that José Antonio Rueda underwent surgery on his injured right hand: an open fracture of the thumb, and of the second and third metacarpals of the right hand, as well as a fracture at the base of the radius and other multiple traumas. The operation took place upon his return to Spain at the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona, after which the Moto3 world champion was discharged a few days later.

We also recall that the latest checks showed a small fracture of the scapula, for which surgery was not necessary, and of course the bruising to the lungs and ribs continues to be monitored. But it’s certainly heartening to see him at the circuit: recovery is proceeding smoothly and the rider is feeling better and better, enough to decide to come already for the Valencia GP, before collecting his world champion award tomorrow evening. After the many shows of affection for him and for Dettwiler in Portimao (the two numbers on helmets and bikes), seeing one of the two protagonists of that terrible moment in person again is the best news of all.