Maiden Magic: Adrian Fernández Triumphs in Moto3 Finale

After 85 previous attempts and countless close calls, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) finally stood on the top step of a Moto3™ podium. In Valencia, on his 86th Grand Prix start, he delivered a calm, calculated, and beautifully controlled ride to take an emotional maiden victory. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) joined him in parc fermé, while Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) secured second in the Championship thanks to a measured run to P6.

The race kicked off with fireworks. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) muscled ahead into Turn 1, but Fernandez immediately snatched the lead back at Turn 2. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) briefly hit the front at the end of Lap 1, only to be pushed wide at Turn 14 a lap later, dropping him into the teeth of the chasing pack.

Fernandez kept things steady at the front while chaos erupted behind. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) capitalised on the early jostling to climb into podium contention, and the leading eight became a tightly packed group with Piqueras trying to latch on from ninth. Almansa fought back to fourth by Lap 8, but another shuffle saw Furusato, Lunetta, Carpe and Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) all surge past, leaving the #22 back in the queue.

Up front, Fernandez and Quiles remained locked together until the Leopard rider turned up the heat. A new fastest lap stretched the elastic, thinning the group to a five-rider showdown: Fernandez, Furusato, Quiles, Carpe and Pini. Behind them, Lunetta and Almansa led the chase, with Piqueras and Morelli swapping paint for P7.

The final lap arrived with the top five still glued together. Carpe and Quiles clashed for position through Turns 6–8, but Fernandez kept his lines tidy and his nerves ice-cold. Furusato threw everything at him into the last corner but but it wasn’t enough. Carpe up to a career-matching P2. Pini muscled through to fourth in the final metres, while Quiles ended his season with P5.

Piqueras crossed the line in sixth to seal runner-up honours in the Championship. Lunetta, Almansa, Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) locked down the top ten.

An overdue triumph for Fernandez. A hard-fought podium for Carpe. A breakthrough season-ender for Furusato. And a finale that served up exactly the kind of Moto3 madness we’ve come to expect.

Further down the order, the battle for the final points was anything but quiet. Valentin Perrone claimed 10th after edging out Jesús Rios in a tight midfield shuffle, with Stefano Nepa close behind in 11th as the SIC58 rider wrapped up his season with another steady finish. Marco Morelli secured 12th for GRYD–MLav Racing, holding off a late charge from Casey O’Gorman, who crossed the line 13th after a gritty recovery ride. Malaysian favourite Hakim Danish brought the FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI machine home in 14th, just seven thousandths ahead of Adrian Cruces, who grabbed the final point in 15th for CIP Green Power after a photo-finish scrap to the line.

*Furusato crossed the line second but was demoted to P3 for exceeding track limits on the final lap.

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