David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) kept his cool when it mattered most to take his third victory of the 2026 Moto3 season at Motegi, surviving late pressure from Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in yet another tense head-to-head battle. The pair broke clear of the chasing pack in the closing stages, but despite the best efforts of the #28, it was Almansa who had the final word this time out. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the podium as the three Championship contenders continue to battle it out.

Almansa made the perfect getaway, launching from the front and immediately taking control of the race. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was equally quick off the line and attacked at Turn 5 on the opening lap, but Almansa held firm. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) settled into third, while Quiles found himself in fourth as he looked to make the most of his first opportunity to wrap up the title.

The lead changed hands on Lap 3 when Uriarte made his move at Turn 3. Almansa tucked in behind his fellow KTM rider with teammate Muñoz close by, while Quiles and Carpe began making their presence felt. Carpe soon moved into third, with Muñoz getting shuffled backwards as the pack started to close in. Quiles struggled this race with a few mistakes with the biggest being at the end of Lap 4, leaving the Championship leader seven tenths away from the three riders ahead. Some championship nerves could have been at play.

By Lap 5, eight riders had formed the leading group. Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was up to fifth, with Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) and Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) also firmly in the fight. Muñoz continued to lose ground, dropping to eighth after being passed by Yamanaka and Bertelle in quick succession.

Uriarte was handed a double Long Lap Penalty on Lap 8 after his team worked on his bike on the grid after the three-minute board had been displayed. The penalty dropped the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider out of contention for victory and handed the advantage to Almansa, who suddenly found himself with clear air ahead. The team commented that their was an issue with Uriartes break lever that was found on the sighting lap – yet another reason why a warm up session should be held for all classes. To find mechanical/technical issues and remedy them so as to not risk riders.

By Lap 12, the Quiles was firmly back in the victory fight, he made his move on Carpe at Turn 5, moving into second and immediately setting his sights on Almansa. With the leading pair now clear, it was becoming another classic Moto3 duel with Almansa and Quiles fighting for victory. With five laps remaining, Quiles handed Almansa some breathing room after making another mistake at Turn 8. The error dropped him around a second behind the race leader and back towards Carpe.

Quiles dragged himself back to within half a second of Almansa, while Carpe was left slightly further behind in a safe third. Once again, it was going to come down to the final lap between two riders who have spent much of the season fighting each other at the sharp end. Quiles was right on Almansa’s rear wheel as they entered the final sector, searching for an opening. The first opportunity came at Turn 11, but Almansa was inch-perfect on the brakes and positioned his KTM perfectly to close the door.

Quiles tried again through Turns 13 and 14, but there was simply nowhere to go. Almansa had covered every possible avenue and held his line all the way to the chequered flag to secure his third victory of the year. Quiles had to settle for second, but the result keeps his Championship advantage intact and gives him another opportunity to seal the title next weekend in Indonesia. Carpe’s third place meanwhile gave the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider his seventh podium of the 2026 season.

Despite serving his double Long Lap Penalty, Uriarte produced an impressive recovery to finish fourth. Salmela equalled his career-best result with fifth, while Bertelle brought his LEVEL UP – MTA machine home in sixth. Muñoz recovered to seventh, with Yamanaka taking eighth and enjoying his best result of the season in front of his home crowd.

Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) completed ninth, while Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower) rounded out the top ten.

Further down the order, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) led the next group home in 11th, finishing just over 21 seconds from the race winner. Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) who had a shocking weekend full of crashes, including a huge highside in the Friday practice session followed in 12th, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) 13th, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) 14th and Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing the points-paying positions in 15th.

Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) is proving increasingly difficult to stop. Fresh from returning from a broken collarbone, the Championship leader has now made it back-to-back victories and extended his advantage to more than 100 points after pulling off a ruthless final-lap victory at Misano.

David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) looked destined for victory after taking pole and leading every single lap of the San Marino GP. Quiles spent almost the entire race sitting behind him, close enough to threaten but seemingly unable to find a way through. Then, when it mattered most, the Championship leader read Almansa like a book and struck on the run to the line.

Almansa made the perfect getaway from pole, with Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) initially slotting into second. Quiles was briefly up to third before Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) reclaimed the position. Further back, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a nightmare start to his recovery from 21st after crashing at Turn 4 on Lap 1. Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) also crashed at Turn 14 later that lap.

At the front, Almansa quickly settled into his rhythm and set the fastest lap on Lap 3. Quiles was already working his way forward, passing Perrone before making his move on Uriarte at Turn 13 on Lap 5 to take second.

Behind the leading trio, Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA), Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing), Perrone and Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were locked into their own battle. Bertelle moved into fifth on Lap 6, while Kelso later dropped back after a mistake.

By the halfway point, it was clear that the race had split into two battles: Almansa, Quiles and Uriarte fighting for victory, while Bertelle, Perrone, Salmela and Kelso battled for fourth.

Uriarte briefly found his way past Quiles at Turn 4 on Lap 11, but the Championship leader immediately responded two laps later at his familiar Turn 13. Quiles then began closing rapidly on Almansa, setting the fastest lap of the race with a 1’40.366 and finally getting onto the rear wheel of the leader. With three laps remaining, it was the showdown everyone expected. Almansa versus Quiles and after spending the entire race looking like he couldn’t quite make the move stick, Quiles waited.

Almansa defended all through the final lap before going ultra-defensive through Turn 14 and the final corner. It worked perfectly in terms of keeping Quiles behind — but cost him the drive onto the straight. Quiles didn’t need to lead a single lap. He didn’t even need to lead a sector. He just needed the final 200 metres. The #28 launched alongside Almansa and edged ahead by just 0.021 seconds at the line. It was another masterclass in just how exceptional Quiles’ racecraft is. He didn’t need to lead a single lap or force the issue; he read the race, stayed patient, and knew exactly when to make his move. That ability to see the bigger picture and deliver when it matters is what sets him apart

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.