If there was any doubt that Moto3 would deliver another thriller before the summer break, Sachsenring quickly put that to bed. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) turned pole position into his second Grand Prix victory of the season after fending off Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in a tense final-lap duel. Behind them, Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) left his move until the very end to snatch another podium finish.

The weekend had already been eventful before Sunday arrived. Quiles escaped a heavy crash at Turn 7 during practice, while Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) suffered a violent highside at the same corner that left Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) with nowhere to go. Thankfully, both riders walked away.

David Almansa’s (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) weekend never really got going. The Spaniard missed Friday’s running after developing a fever, briefly returned for Free Practice 2, but was later forced to withdraw from the remainder of the Grand Prix weekend.

Qualifying belonged to the rookies. Uriarte secured his first Moto3 pole position ahead of Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI), creating an all-rookie front row. Five rookies filled the top eight on the grid, while Kiwi Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) celebrated his best qualifying result of the season with 11th.

When the lights went out, Uriarte wasted no time converting pole into the race lead. Danish initially tucked into second before Morelli muscled his way through at Turn 7, but the opening laps soon produced the first slice of Moto3 chaos.

At the start of Lap 2, contact between Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Marcos Uriarte (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) sent Perrone crashing out. Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) and Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) were also forced into the gravel while trying to avoid the incident. Perrone looked sore after the crash but was later seen back in his garage, while Kelso, Carraro and Marcos Uriarte all managed to continue.

At the front, five riders began to edge away from the rest of the field. Uriarte led the train from Quiles, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Morelli, with nobody prepared to give an inch.

Further back, Casey O’Gorman’s (SIC58 Squadra Corse) race ended with a crash before Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) also hit the ground a lap later. Ogden managed to restart and continue, Cruces crashed heavily, leaving Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) with nowhere to escape. Esteban collided with the fallen machine and both riders slid into the gravel, bringing another heart-in-mouth moment to an already hectic race.

The fight at the front continued to intensify. Carpe looked set to challenge for another podium until one of the biggest saves of the season. A huge moment at Turn 7 almost launched the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider into the air, but somehow he wrestled the KTM back under control. The spectacular save cost him valuable time and dropped him out of podium contention.
A few laps later it was Uriarte’s turn to make a mistake. Running wide at Turn 2 briefly handed the lead to Quiles, although the Championship leader couldn’t make it stick for long as Uriarte reclaimed first place just a handful of corners later.

While all eyes were fixed on the battle for victory, Bertelle quietly worked his way into podium contention. The Italian reeled in Morelli and Salmela before moving into fourth with just a handful of laps remaining, putting himself firmly in the fight for the final podium position.

With four laps to go, Quiles attacked again to reclaim the lead, setting up a fascinating head-to-head between the two title contenders. Every lap they traded fastest sectors, every corner they searched for an opening, but neither rider could break the other.

As expected, it all came down to the final lap.

Quiles led across the line to start the last tour but a small front-end moment at Turn 3 proved costly. Uriarte needed no second invitation, diving through into the lead before immediately defending every inch of the Sachsenring circuit.

Behind them, Bertelle, Morelli and Salmela were locked in their own battle. As the trio powered towards the chequered flag, Bertelle timed the slipstream perfectly to steal third place by just seven thousandths of a second, denying Morelli a maiden Moto3 podium.

Uriarte crossed the line to secure his second Grand Prix victory of the year, while Quiles settled for second. Despite missing out on the win, the Championship leader extended his advantage once again and heads into the summer break firmly in control of the title race. Bertelle completed the podium after another intelligent race, while Morelli narrowly missed out in fourth. Salmela continued his impressive rookie campaign with fifth, matching his career-best Moto3 result.

Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) was the highest-finishing Honda rider in sixth ahead of Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team). Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) collected more valuable championship points in eighth, Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) celebrated his first top-ten finish of the season in ninth, and Eddie O’Shea (GRYD Racing) rounded out the top ten.

Just outside the top ten, Carpe recovered to salvage 11th after his spectacular near-highside. Danish crossed the line 12th ahead of Buchanan, Kelso and Pini, who completed the points-paying positions.

Moto3 once again proved that rules, grid penalties and starting positions are sometimes just polite suggestions. After a weekend full of steward decisions and slow-sector penalties, Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) looked at a 12-place grid penalty and decided to treat it more like a minor inconvenience than an actual punishment.

Starting from 14th on the grid, the Malaysian rookie carved his way through the field to claim his maiden Moto3 victory and become the first Malaysian rider to win in the class since Khairul Idham Pawi back at Sachsenring in 2016. He is also the first Malaysian rider to win in the dry.

Before the race even began, several riders had been handed penalties after slow sectors in qualifying exceeded 135% of the session benchmark. Danish, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia), Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) all received 12-place grid penalties after repeat offences, while Eddie O’Shea (GRYD Racing), David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) escaped with warnings. Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) also collected a Long Lap Penalty for dangerous slow riding after interfering with Cormac Buchanan during Free Practice 2. Casual Moto3 weekend things.

When the lights went out, polesitter David Almansa looked to have nailed the launch, but Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) had other ideas and stole the holeshot immediately. By the end of the opening lap, it already looked like the front group had no intention of waiting around for the rest of the field. Quiles, Almansa and Red Bull KTM Ajo teammates Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte quickly pulled clear, but there was one rapidly approaching problem in the mirrors. Danish had gone from 14th to fifth by Lap 2 and clearly hadn’t read the memo saying penalties are supposed to make life difficult.

He wasn’t arriving alone either. Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) had followed him through and suddenly a four-rider battle had become six, before Veda Pratama decided he wanted in too. Starting from 20th after his own grid penalty, Pratama quietly appeared in the front group by Lap 5 like he’d simply teleported there. Seven riders at the front, multiple lead changes and everyone swapping places every few corners — Moto3 was doing Moto3 things.

Almansa briefly reclaimed the lead at Turn 1 on Lap 6, but it didn’t last long. O’Gorman’s race ended with a crash at Turn 9, reducing the front battle back down by one. The lead continued changing hands almost every lap. Uriarte moved to the front before Quiles took over again, while Carpe got aggressive with Almansa at Turn 4 and ran him wide, briefly splitting the pack apart.As the race entered the final laps, nobody looked safe. Almansa was attacking, Quiles was defending like his life depended on it, and Carpe eventually made a mistake that allowed Quiles, Uriarte and Danish to break away slightly.

Then came the final lap.

Because of course Moto3 wasn’t going to make things simple.

Contact between Quiles and Uriarte at Turn 8 opened the door, and Danish immediately threw himself through the gap. Suddenly the rider who started 14th was leading when it mattered most. Five riders went charging towards the final sector looking like they had collectively forgotten braking markers existed. Into the final corner it was practically elbows and fairings everywhere, but nobody was getting close enough to stop Danish.

From a 12-place grid penalty to standing on the top step, the Malaysian rookie delivered an absolute masterclass.

Uriarte won the fight for second place ahead of Championship leader Quiles, while Almansa somehow slipped from second to fourth in the final corners despite looking set for another podium. Pratama completed another of the comeback rides of the afternoon in fifth after starting 20th, while Carpe crossed the line sixth after losing ground in the closing laps.

Further back, Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) produced an excellent recovery ride from 17th on the grid to seventh, while Joel Kelso secured his best finish of the 2026 season in eighth for GRYD Racing. Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) collected his second top-ten finish of the year in ninth, with Perrone rounding out the top ten.

Just outside the top ten, Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) finished 11th ahead of Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power), Marcos Uriarte (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI), who completed the points-paying positions.

Elsewhere, it wasn’t the easiest afternoon for everyone. Eddie O’Shea and Rico Salmela crashed out on the final lap, while Nicola Carraro, Rammerstorfer, O’Gorman and Joel Esteban also failed to make it to the chequered flag.

Before the lights had even gone out in Hungary, the Moto3 paddock had already been thrown into drama. On Friday, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who had been running third in the Championship, was disqualified from the first six Grands Prix of the season after engine seal irregularities, reshuffling the standings before the weekend began. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was also removed from the Catalunya results after his oil failed post-race checks due to assembly fluid being present. Add in David Almansa’s (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) return from illness, having missed Mugello despite originally taking pole, and Hungary arrived with no shortage of storylines before lights went out in the Grand Prix.

Once attention turned to qualifying, it was Almansa who delivered the perfect response to his recent setback. A week after withdrawing from the Italian GP through illness, where he had been due to start from pole, the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP rider returned to the top with a 1’45.686 at Balaton Park. In hospital on Wednesday and putting it on the front row on Saturday, these guys really are built different. Almansa and Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) were in a class of their own throughout qualifying, pulling more than half a second clear of the chasing pack and separated by just six hundredths. Uriarte came through Q1 and made it count to complete the front row for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

When the race finally got underway, Almansa launched perfectly from pole and grabbed the holeshot ahead of Quiles, immediately recreating the early-season duel that had shaped the opening rounds. Behind them, however, chaos arrived almost instantly.

At Turn 2, Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) crashed after contact with Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA), with Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) also caught up in the incident. More drama followed at Turn 5 when Ruche Moodley (CODE Motorsports) collided with Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI). Moodley’s race was over before the first lap was complete, while Danish was able to rejoin after a trip through the pits, only to later receive the black-and-orange flag.

Once the first laps were completed, Almansa and Quiles began to edge away at the front, while Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) slotted into third and fourth. Salmela soon moved into the final podium position at Turn 5 on Lap 4 and set off in pursuit of the leading duo. Behind the front four, the recovery rides were already in motion. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Muñoz, both starting from the sixth row, were carving their way through the pack and had quickly placed themselves back into contention. By Lap 7, the change for the lead arrived as Quiles made his move on Almansa at Turn 9.

Into the second half of the race, the battle for victory became increasingly settled. Quiles continued to edge away setting the fastest lap, while Almansa held a comfortable advantage over the pack behind. The real fight was for the final podium spot, where Carpe, Muñoz, Perrone, Salmela and Uriarte all became locked together. Carpe’s ride from 18th on the grid was one of the performances of the race. After starting deep in the pack, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider forced his way into the podium battle and eventually moved into third. With five laps remaining, Quiles had stretched his lead over Almansa to more than a second, while the scrap behind them only grew more intense.

By the final lap, Uriarte had moved ahead of his teammate into fourth and was chasing Muñoz. Then came a frightening end to the race. Contact between Carpe and Muñoz on the exit of Turn 11 triggered a multiple-rider incident involving Muñoz, Perrone and Uriarte. Muñoz crashed directly in front of Perrone and Uriarte, with both riders unable to avoid contact, both running over the Spaniard. The red flag was shown just half a lap from full distance.

With the race result declared, Quiles returned to the top step of the podium and extended his Championship advantage with a composed victory at Balaton Park. It was his second consecutive Moto3 win in Hungary, but unlike some of his recent triumphs, this one came without a last-lap battle. Almansa finished second, marking his first podium since his Buriram victory and a strong comeback after the disappointment of missing Mugello. Carpe completed the podium after a superb charge from the sixth row, keeping his bike upright despite the late incident.

Uriarte was classified fourth, ahead of Salmela, who secured a career-best fifth place. The result was also Finland’s best Moto3 finish since Niklas Ajo’s fifth place at Mugello in 2014. Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) delivered an excellent ride to sixth, converting his career-best qualifying into a career-best race result.

Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) came home seventh, with Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) finishing eighth as the top Honda rider. Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) claimed ninth, while Fernandez rounded out the top ten after a turbulent week for both rider and team. Just outside the top ten, Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) took 11th ahead of Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing), Esteban, Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) and Bertelle, who completed the points-paying positions.

David Muñoz was taken to a local hospital for full checks, with his team later confirming on social media that he had sustained fractures to his pelvis and was undergoing surgery on Sunday evening. Hopefully he will have a speedy recovery and be back in the paddock later in the season.

Pos	Rider	No.	Team	Time / Gap	Pts
1	Maximo Quiles	28	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	33:39.745	25
2	David Almansa	22	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+3.147	20
3	Alvaro Carpe	83	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+7.037	16
4	Brian Uriarte	51	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+7.194	13
5	Rico Salmela	27	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+7.374	11
6	Adrian Cruces	11	CIP Green Power	+19.231	10
7	Marco Morelli	97	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	+20.276	9
8	Jesus Rios	54	Rivacold Snipers Team	+24.202	8
9	Casey O’Gorman	67	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+27.130	7
10	Adrian Fernandez	31	Leopard Racing	+27.266	6
11	Scott Ogden	19	CIP Green Power	+27.450	5
12	Joel Kelso	66	GRYD Racing	+27.492	4
13	Joel Esteban	78	LEVEL UP – MTA	+27.730	3
14	Cormac Buchanan	14	CODE Motorsports	+28.570	2
15	Matteo Bertelle	18	LEVEL UP – MTA	+30.442	1
16	Veda Pratama	9	Honda Team Asia	+33.461
17	Ryusei Yamanaka	6	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+33.592
18	Eddie O’Shea	8	GRYD Racing	+36.542
19	Leo Rammerstorfer	5	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+43.876
20	Zen Mitani	32	Honda Team Asia	+45.158

 

Status	Rider	No.	Team	Laps
Not Classified	Valentin Perrone	73	Red Bull KTM Tech3	19
Not Classified	David Muñoz	64	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	19
Not Classified	Hakim Danish	13	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	12
Not Classified	Nicola Carraro	10	Rivacold Snipers Team	9
Not finished 1st lap	Ruche Moodley	21	CODE Motorsports
Not finished 1st lap	Guido Pini	94	Leopard Racing

Mugello produced another classic Moto3 showdown, and this time it was Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who rose above the chaos. The 17 year old delivered a superb final-lap performance to take his maiden Grand Prix victory, leading home teammate Alvaro Carpe for a Red Bull KTM Ajo one-two. Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) completed the podium after an impressive ride from pole position, securing his first Moto3 rostrum.

The drama had started before race day. Qualifying proved costly for several riders, with many leaving their final runs too late and failing to make it back around for one last flying lap before the session ended. Joel Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing), however, timed his run well and secured a front-row start. David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) had claimed pole position, but was later forced to withdraw from the race due to tonsillitis, handing Danish the top spot on the grid.

Danish made the most of the opportunity when the lights went out, launching cleanly from the front and leading the field into the opening corners. His time at the head of the race was brief, though, as Kelso quickly attacked and moved into the lead before the first lap was complete. Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) also made early progress, passing Danish for second, while Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) ended the opening lap down in 14th.

The championship leader wasted little time working his way forward. By the fourth lap, Quiles had climbed into the top eight, while Uriarte used Mugello’s famous slipstream to charge into the lead. From that point, the front of the race became a constant rotation, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Carpe and Quiles all taking turns at the front.

Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing) soon became one of the race’s standout stories. After steadily climbing through the lead pack, he hit the front on Lap 13 to lead a Moto3 race for the first time. The moment did not last long, with Fernandez, Quiles and Kelso all responding quickly, but it underlined another impressive step forward for the Brit who spoke positively of his performance after the race.

At the final corner on the penultimate lap, Quiles suffered a huge rear-end slide that lifted him out of the seat and dropped him outside the top ten. After looking ready to fight for another win, he was suddenly left scrambling to rescue points. As the final lap began, Uriarte chose his moment perfectly. The rookie made his decisive move through the Casanova-Savelli section, taking the lead and then benefiting from the fierce scrap unfolding behind him. While Fernandez, Carpe, Danish and the rest of the group fought for podium positions, Uriarte found clear track at exactly the right time.

He did not waste the chance.

The #51 kept his composure through the final sector and crossed the line to claim his first Moto3 victory, a breakthrough result on one of the most demanding and unpredictable circuits on the calendar. Behind him, Carpe emerged from the late battle in second to complete a dream result for Red Bull KTM Ajo, while Danish held on for a brilliant first podium in the class.

Fernandez was shuffled out of the podium places on the final lap and had to settle for fourth, though it still proved a valuable result with Quiles finishing outside the top ten. Esteban came home fifth, with O’Shea taking a career-best sixth despite losing ground in the last-lap fight.

David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) finished seventh, ahead of Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia), Kelso and Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team), who completed the top ten.

Just outside the top ten, Quiles salvaged five important championship points in eleventh after his late scare, finishing ahead of Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) in twelth. Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) followed in thirteenth after also running wide in the final-corner shuffle, while Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) claimed fourteenth. Home favorite Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) completed the points in 15th after losing ground late on.

Pos	Rider	No.	Team	Time / Gap	Pts
1	Brian Uriarte	51	Red Bull KTM Ajo	33:07.801	25
2	Alvaro Carpe	83	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+0.418	20
3	Hakim Danish	13	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+0.456	16
4	Adrian Fernandez	31	Leopard Racing	+0.482	13
5	Joel Esteban	78	LEVEL UP – MTA	+0.842	11
6	Eddie O’Shea	8	GRYD – MLav Racing	+0.970	10
7	David Muñoz	64	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+1.069	9
8	Veda Pratama	9	Honda Team Asia	+1.081	8
9	Joel Kelso	66	GRYD – MLav Racing	+1.085	7
10	Jesus Rios	54	Rivacold Snipers Team	+1.091	6
11	Maximo Quiles	28	CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team	+1.202	5
12	Matteo Bertelle	18	LEVEL UP – MTA	+1.285	4
13	Marco Morelli	97	CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team	+1.351	3
14	Scott Ogden	19	CIP Green Power	+1.569	2
15	Guido Pini	94	Leopard Racing	+2.330	1
16	Ryusei Yamanaka	6	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+5.565
17	Adrian Cruces	11	CIP Green Power	+5.596
18	Valentin Perrone	73	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+5.636
19	Cormac Buchanan	14	CODE Motorsports	+5.740
20	Nicola Carraro	10	Rivacold Snipers Team	+8.904
21	Ruche Moodley	21	CODE Motorsports	+9.679
22	Zen Mitani	32	Honda Team Asia	+26.357
23	Leo Rammerstorfer	5	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+26.435

Barcelona delivered the Moto3 battle we have been waiting for, but even in the middle of the slipstream chaos it was Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) who once again found the answer. The championship leader timed his charge to perfection, survived a final-corner attack from David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), and claimed a third consecutive victory to extend his advantage to 64 points after six Grands Prix.

Before the race had even begun, there had already been drama in the lightweight class. A number of riders received warnings for one or more slow sectors in excess of 135% of the best session time, with most avoiding further punishment as it was their first offence. For Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse), however, it was a second offence, earning the Irishman a 12-place grid penalty.

When the lights went out, polesitter Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) made a superb launch and immediately grabbed the holeshot. Behind him, Quiles was forced to fight in the pack, battling with Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) as the front group began to form.

As expected at Barcelona, the slipstream quickly became the deciding factor. The long run down the front straight kept the lead group tightly bunched, with Uriarte, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Muñoz, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Danish, Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team), Quiles, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) all locked into a frantic battle. It was a refreshing change from much of the season so far, where Quiles’ dominance has often left the field chasing shadows. This time, the championship leader had to be patient. He sat in the group, allowed the fight to unfold around him, and waited for the right moment to strike.

Quilez did not need to control every lap. Instead, he stayed calm, stayed close, and with five laps remaining began to move himself into the podium fight. One lap later, Quiles hit the front for the first time. He was unable to hold the lead immediately, with Almansa, Muñoz, Uriarte and Danish all still firmly in contention, but the message was clear. The #28 had arrived when it mattered.

The closing laps became a classic Moto3 scrap. Riders continued to attack and counter-attack, with the podium places changing constantly as the pack thundered through the final sector. Jesus Rios was one of the standout performers and looked firmly in the podium fight before his race ended cruelly at Turn 10 on the penultimate lap.

Rios was not the only rookie to impress. Uriarte backed up his pole position with a composed and aggressive ride to finish fourth, while Danish produced one of his strongest Grand Prix performances yet on his way to seventh. Both narrowly missed out on the podium, but their pace and racecraft offered another glimpse of just how exciting this rookie class could become in the coming years.

At the front, Quiles began the final lap with the lead, but the fight was far from over. The championship leader defended through Turn 5 and again at Turn 10, leaving Muñoz with one last opportunity at the final corner. Muñoz launched a bold move up the inside, briefly snatching the lead in a dramatic last-corner attack. For a moment, it looked as though the victory might be stolen away. But a front-end moment on the exit cost Muñoz the drive he needed, allowing Quiles to power back past on the run to the chequered flag.

Behind them, there was one final twist. Carpe, who had started down in 13th, produced a perfectly timed run to the line to snatch second from Muñoz, completing an all-Spanish podium for the second time this season. Uriarte crossed the line in fourth for his best Grand Prix result to date, with Almansa completing the top five. Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) came through to finish sixth, while Danish secured seventh after a strong ride inside the lead group.

Pratama was the leading Honda rider in eighth, ahead of Fernandez in ninth. Fernandez remains second in the championship standings, but now sits 64 points adrift of Quiles after another damage-limitation result. O’Gorman completed the top ten after recovering well from 24th on the grid following his penalty.

Barcelona finally gave Moto3 a proper group battle, full of slipstreaming, late moves and rookie promise. Yet even when the race refused to follow the usual script, the final line remained familiar: Quiles under pressure, Quiles composed, Quiles victorious.

Pos	Rider	No.	Team	Gap/Time	Points
1	Maximo Quiles	28	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	32:28.964	25
2	Alvaro Carpe	83	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+0.094	20
3	David Muñoz	64	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+0.098	16
4	Brian Uriarte	51	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+0.128	13
5	David Almansa	22	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+0.552	11
6	Marco Morelli	97	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	+0.581	10
7	Hakim Danish	13	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+0.623	9
8	Veda Pratama	9	Honda Team Asia	+0.984	8
9	Adrian Fernandez	31	Leopard Racing	+1.011	7
10	Casey O’Gorman	67	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+1.151	6
11	Eddie O’Shea	8	GRYD – MLav Racing	+5.236	5
12	Valentin Perrone	73	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+9.805	4
13	Adrian Cruces	11	CIP Green Power	+9.853	3
14	Matteo Bertelle	18	LEVEL UP – MTA	+9.909	2
15	Ryusei Yamanaka	6	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+9.951	1
16	Joel Esteban	78	LEVEL UP – MTA	+10.008
17	Rico Salmela	27	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+10.074
18	Joel Kelso	66	GRYD – MLav Racing	+10.785
19	Scott Ogden	19	CIP Green Power	+18.949
20	Ruche Moodley	21	CODE Motorsports	+20.287
21	Guido Pini	94	Leopard Racing	+21.969
22	Zen Mitani	32	Honda Team Asia	+27.942
23	Leo Rammerstorfer	5	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+27.991
24	Cormac Buchanan	14	CODE Motorsports	+40.082

Title photo credit: Pirelli Press office

Treacherous conditions at Le Mans produced a survival test in Moto3, but through the chaos it was Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) who once again emerged in complete control. The championship leader delivered a composed wet-weather masterclass, leading every lap to claim consecutive victories and strengthen his advantage at the top of the standings.

The race began under unusual circumstances after an entirely dry weekend was suddenly interrupted by rain before lights out. Race Direction officially declared the Grand Prix wet, opening pit lane for 10 minutes prior to the start so riders could gain valuable experience in the changing conditions.

Quiles immediately seized command with a brilliant launch off the line, surging into the lead before the field had even completed the opening sector. Behind him, the race unraveled rapidly. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) became the first rider to crash after losing control at Turn 2, while David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) slid out moments later at Turn 3. The opening lap chaos continued when Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) suffered a violent highside exiting Turn 7.

The wet circuit continued to catch riders out as the race settled. Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) crashed after making early progress through the field, while Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Joel Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing) also became victims of the slippery conditions.

At the front, however, Quiles looked completely unfazed. Lap after lap, the Spaniard steadily extended his lead while rivals behind him struggled simply to stay upright. Championship contender Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) saw his race end in the gravel at Turn 10, while Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) briefly rose into second position before crashing out just corners later.

Those incidents elevated Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) into second place, with Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) moving into podium contention despite earlier serving a Long Lap Penalty. Fernandez settled into a comfortable rhythm in the closing stages, while Bertelle secured his long-awaited return to the rostrum.

By the chequered flag, Quiles had built a margin of nearly two seconds to complete another commanding performance and extend his championship lead to 46 points. Fernandez finished runner-up for his second podium in succession, while Bertelle celebrated his first top-three result since Austin in 2025.

Further behind, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) continued his impressive form with fourth place, while Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) stormed from 20th on the grid to fifth after an outstanding recovery ride. Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) recovered from a disappointing Jerez weekend with sixth, and Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) delivered a strong home performance in seventh.

Elsewhere, Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing) celebrated a career-best ninth-place finish, while Uriarte somehow managed to recover from two separate crashes to still leave Le Mans with a championship point.

Just outside the top ten, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) recovered from an earlier crash to finish 11th ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI). Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) salvaged 13th despite his late fall from podium contention, while Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) claimed 14th. Remarkably, Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) fought back from two separate crashes to secure the final championship point in 15th.

Pos	Rider	Team	Gap/Time	Points
1	Maximo Quiles	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	24:41.640	25
2	Adrian Fernandez	Leopard Racing	+1.888	20
3	Matteo Bertelle	LEVEL UP – MTA	+4.227	16
4	Veda Pratama	Honda Team Asia	+7.659	13
5	Joel Esteban	LEVEL UP – MTA	+10.916	11
6	Guido Pini	Leopard Racing	+17.707	10
7	Adrian Cruces	CIP Green Power	+20.164	9
8	David Almansa	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+20.893	8
9	Eddie O’Shea	GRYD – MLav Racing	+21.075	7
10	Hakim Danish	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+21.847	6
11	Valentin Perrone	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+26.119	5
12	Ryusei Yamanaka	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+26.193	4
13	Marco Morelli	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	+32.602	3
14	Leo Rammerstorfer	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+33.641	2
15	Brian Uriarte	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+34.968	1
16	Zen Mitani	Honda Team Asia	+43.820	0
17	Ruche Moodley	CODE Motorsports	+44.174	0
18	David Muñoz	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+95.800	0

A home crowd at Jerez got its spectacle as a relentless Moto3 dogfight ended with Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) returning to the top step. The lights stayed on at the start for a lengthy period after Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) appeared to have a technical issue on the starting grid. As he was in last place it was deemed safe to race and we got underway. Quiles second win of the season didn’t come easy—he had to absorb pressure, respond to attacks, and then deliver a decisive late-race surge to finally break clear. Behind him, the scrap for the remaining podium places turned into an all-out last-lap brawl, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) narrowly beating David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) in a drag race to the flag.

Muñoz made the early statement by launching into the lead, but Quiles wasted little time in hitting back, reclaiming P1 at Turn 8 before the end of the opening lap while Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) saw his strong weekend end abruptly in the gravel at Turn 1.

As the race settled into a rhythm, the lead fight intensified. Muñoz regrouped and charged back into contention, joined by Fernandez as the trio traded positions at the front. Fernandez briefly seized control, pushing Quiles back, while Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) kept himself firmly in the picture in fourth. Further down the order, the attrition list grew as Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) and Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) both crashed out.

The pivotal moment came in the closing stages. Quiles struck again at Turn 1 to retake the lead and immediately raised the pace, dropping into the high 1:44s to stretch the field. Muñoz tried to respond but a small mistake with three laps remaining proved costly, allowing the race leader to escape. Fernandez stayed close enough to capitalise, setting up a three-way fight for the podium behind the leader.

The final lap delivered the fireworks. Fernandez, Muñoz, and Morelli went bar-to-bar through multiple corners, swapping positions and leaning on each other in classic Moto3 fashion. Muñoz threw everything at it, but Fernandez held his nerve to secure second by just 0.018s. Up front, Quiles was already gone—crossing the line to seal a statement win and lead an all-Spanish podium on home turf.

Behind them, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) headed the next group in fifth, followed closely by Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3). David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team), and Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) completed the top ten.

Just outside the top ten, Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) led a tightly packed midfield battle from P11, narrowly ahead of Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) added more points in 13th, while Joel Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing) and Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rounded out the points scorers after a close-fought scrap.

---

Moto3 – Jerez Full Results

Pos	Rider	Team	Time/Gap	Points
1	Maximo Quiles	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	33:23.556	25
2	Adrian Fernandez	Leopard Racing	+1.991	20
3	David Muñoz	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+2.009	16
4	Marco Morelli	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	+2.049	13
5	Alvaro Carpe	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+9.926	11
6	Veda Pratama	Honda Team Asia	+10.027	10
7	Valentin Perrone	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+11.526	9
8	David Almansa	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+11.601	8
9	Jesus Rios	Rivacold Snipers Team	+11.482	7
10	Joel Esteban	LEVEL UP – MTA	+11.647	6
11	Brian Uriarte	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+11.758	5
12	Casey O’Gorman	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+12.537	4
13	Hakim Danish	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+12.584	3
14	Joel Kelso	GRYD – MLav Racing	+13.091	2
15	Rico Salmela	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+21.818	1
16	Scott Ogden	CIP Green Power	+25.870	0
17	Ryusei Yamanaka	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+29.334	0
18	Eddie O’Shea	GRYD – MLav Racing	+29.713	0
19	Cormac Buchanan	CODE Motorsports	+30.066	0
20	Adrian Cruces	CIP Green Power	+30.068	0
21	Zen Mitani	Honda Team Asia	+30.104	0
22	Ruche Moodley	CODE Motorsports	+30.180	0

Not Classified

• Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) – 11 laps
• Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) – 8 laps
• Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) – 7 laps

Did Not Start

• Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse)

A sensational start to the 2026 season with a thrilling race that came right down to the finish line.

David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) claimed a maiden Grand Prix victory in a breathtaking final-corner showdown with Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), the pair separated by just 0.003 seconds at the line. The finish was so tight it required a video review confirmation. The last time the class produced a margin this small was in 2013 at Phillip Island, when Alex Rins edged Maverick Viñales in Australia. Behind the leading duo, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) secured his first podium in third.

Polesitter Almansa grabbed the holeshot and controlled the early exchanges, resisting Quiles in a drag race into Turn 3 to lead the opening lap. We had some early fallers with Cormac Buchannan (CODE Motorsports) and Matteo Bertelle (Level Up – MTA) crashing out early. They were followed by Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) crashed at Turn 5 on Lap 2, while Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) also hit trouble at Turn 12 a lap later on his debut with the team, eventually recovering to 20th.

What initially appeared to be a four-rider escape group — Almansa, Quiles, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) — was soon swallowed back up. Rookie Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) and Perrone joined the fight, with just one second covering the top six in the opening phase. As the race developed, Almansa and Quiles turned the screw. By mid-distance, they had broken clear — and by the closing stages, the Spaniards were a remarkable nine seconds up the road from the chasing pack. It became a straight duel for victory, both riders circulating in the 1’41s and matching each other corner for corner.

Quiles briefly seized the lead on Lap 11 at Turn 12, only to hand it back after running wide at Turn 1. From there, it was a tactical chess match.

On the final lap, a small mistake from Quiles at Turn 12 handed Almansa half a second of breathing room. But the #28 responded with an outstanding final sector, closing rapidly and launching one last attack at the final corner. Almansa defended firmly, forcing Quiles to adjust mid-corner — and it looked settled. Yet on the drag to the line, Almansa found superior drive, inching ahead by 0.003 seconds.

Behind the runaway leaders, Perrone executed a decisive last-corner move on Carpe to clinch third and open his podium account in style. Pratama impressed hugely in fifth, top Honda on debut, ahead of Fernandez in what had been a brilliant four rider battle for the last podium place.

Just behind the lead group, Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) claimed seventh, followed by Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) and David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) completing the top ten. Rookie Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) narrowly missed out, finishing 11th.

Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) took 12th followed by teammate Adrian Cruces. They lead both GRYD – MLav Racing riders Joel Kelso and Eddie O’Shea who picked up 14th and 15th in a rare double points for the Honda team.

Pos	Rider	Team	Time/Gap	Pts
1	David Almansa (ESP)	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	32:14.186	25
2	Maximo Quiles (ESP)	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	+0.003	20
3	Valentin Perrone (ARG)	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+9.480	16
4	Alvaro Carpe (ESP)	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+9.573	13
5	Veda Pratama (IDN)	Honda Team Asia	+9.687	11
6	Adrian Fernandez (ESP)	Leopard Racing	+9.723	10
7	Brian Uriarte (ESP)	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+11.068	9
8	Marco Morelli (ARG)	CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team	+11.334	8
9	Joel Esteban (ESP)	LEVEL UP – MTA	+11.541	7
10	David Muñoz (ESP)	Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP	+11.657	6
11	Casey O’Gorman (IRL)	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+11.863	5
12	Scott Ogden (GBR)	CIP Green Power	+13.732	4
13	Adrian Cruces (ESP)	CIP Green Power	+16.365	3
14	Joel Kelso (AUS)	GRYD – MLav Racing	+17.264	2
15	Eddie O’Shea (GBR)	GRYD – MLav Racing	+17.459	1
16	Leo Rammerstorfer (AUT)	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+25.668	—
17	Jesus Rios (ESP)	Rivacold Snipers Team	+25.731	—
18	Hakim Danish (MYS)	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	+25.810	—
19	Rico Salmela (FIN)	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+25.898	—
20	Guido Pini (ITA)	Leopard Racing	+36.323	—
21	Ruche Moodley (RSA)	CODE Motorsports	+36.854	—
22	Zen Mitani (JPN)	Honda Team Asia	+37.978	—
23	Nicola Carraro (ITA)	Rivacold Snipers Team	+54.641	—
24	Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN)	AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI	DNF	—

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.

Pos	Pts	Rider	Team	Gap
1	25	Adrian Fernandez (ESP)	Leopard Racing	32:48.909
2	20	Alvaro Carpe (ESP)	Red Bull KTM Ajo	+0.286
3	16	Taiyo Furusato (JPN)	Honda Team Asia	+0.109*
4	13	Guido Pini (ITA)	LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP	+0.397
5	11	Maximo Quiles (ESP)	CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team	+0.448
6	10	Angel Piqueras (ESP)	FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI	+5.844
7	9	Luca Lunetta (ITA)	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+5.934
8	8	David Almansa (ESP)	Leopard Racing	+5.935
9	7	Jesus Rios (ESP)	Rivacold Snipers Team	+14.236
10	6	Valentin Perrone (ARG)	Red Bull KTM Tech3	+14.382
11	5	Stefano Nepa (ITA)	SIC58 Squadra Corse	+14.507
12	4	Marco Morelli (ARG)	GRYD – Mlav Racing	+15.021
13	3	Casey O’Gorman (IRL)	LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP	+17.079
14	2	Hakim Danish (MYS)	FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI	+17.166
15	1	Adrian Cruces (ESP)	CIP Green Power	+17.173

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