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The final round of the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Championship delivered a thrilling weekend for the Yamaha AD78 FIM Latin America / Yamaha Racing Brasil team at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal. On Sunday (October 12^th), Aymon Bocanegra claimed his first-ever World Championship victory, following a strong podium finish on Saturday (October 11^th). Mario Salles also scored key points and concluded the season 3rd overall in the standings—a remarkable achievement for the Brazilian rider.

The weekend’s success began during Friday’s Superpole (October 10^th), when Bocanegra secured P3 on the grid and Salles earned P6, both starting from strong positions. Guest riders Leonardo Marques (Brazil) and Valentino Milone (Argentina) lined up in P11 and P22, respectively.

Race 1: Intense Battle for the Podium
Saturday’s Race 1 featured fierce competition, with four riders fighting for the vice-championship. Despite having already clinched the title one round early, Italian Alessandro Di Persio remained highly competitive, taking the win just ahead of Aymon Bocanegra, who finished second, only thousandths of a second behind. It was Aymon’s first podium of the weekend.

Mario Salles fought hard throughout the race and secured a solid 7^th place. Milone crossed the line in 21^st, while Marques was unable to finish.

Race 2: A Historic First Victory for Bocanegra
Sunday morning set the stage for a memorable finale. With precision and determination, Aymon Bocanegra rode an exceptional race, crossing the finish line in 1^st place, just 0.01 seconds ahead of the champion, earning his first career victory in the R3 BLU CRU World Championship.

Mario Salles faced more difficulty breaking through the pack but still managed 8^th place. Leonardo Marques finished 14^th, and Valentino Milone took 17^th.

Final Standings – Season Highlights
With consistent performances throughout the season, Mario Salles finishes 3^rd overall, with 138 points, improving significantly from his 7^th place finish in 2024. Aymon Bocanegra, in his rookie season, secured 6^th overall with 123 points, closing the year with an outstanding performance.

The riders now return to Brazil to celebrate their achievements and wrap up the season in the Yamalube R3 BLU CRU Latin America Championship.

Final Round Results – Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Championship (Estoril, Portugal)
SUPERPOLE
P3 – Aymon Bocanegra
P6 – Mario Salles
P11 – Leonardo Marques
P22 – Valentino Milone
RACE 1
P2 – Aymon Bocanegra
P7 – Mario Salles
P21 – Valentino Milone
DNF – Leonardo Marques
RACE 2
P1 – Aymon Bocanegra
P8 – Mario Salles
P14 – Leonardo Marques
P17 – Valentino Milone

Thais Torres, Yamaha Motor do Brasil (YMDB)