Moto3: Six of the very best for Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) who converted pole position to add his name to the iconic Assen winners’ list.
The Championship leader put in a sublime end to the 20-lapper to defeat David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) whilst Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) came through for a second podium of the year. Suffering a DNF, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) lost valuable ground in the Championship, remaining second but 90 points behind Quiles after Round 10.
Snatching the holeshot on the run to Turn 1, Quiles made a perfect start from pole position but was under attack straight away at Turn 5 by a rapid-starting Almansa. The usual Moto3 scrapping began but it didn’t last long for Carpe, who fell from the lead group at Turn 5 on Lap 2 after tagging the back the back of Morelli. The Argentinean stayed up but Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower) collected Carpe, the #11 out of action whilst the #83 rejoined. Halfway through Lap 4, Almansa was under attack from Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) and the Indonesian briefly led at Turn 12, only to be re-passed by Almansa at Turn 15.
As we entered the second third of the Grand Prix on Lap 7, there had been some big comebacks coming through the field and into the top ten. Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) in third, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) elevated themselves from 16th, 19th and 21st respectively and were all fighting in the top six. One rider who was no longer in the fight despite leading a few laps prior was Pratama, falling at Turn 5. At half-race distance, Almansa attempted to stretch the field with Quiles right with him whilst Danish and Rios making it a small breakaway group of four ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing).
At the end of Lap 10, a messy final chicane between Rios, Danish and Almansa gave Quiles some breathing room at the front but on Lap 12, Almansa was back with the Championship leader. The #22 wasn’t content with just catching him either, getting back into the lead at Turn 14 and setting back-to-back personal best laps of the race, keen to break free from the #28 behind. That wasn’t going to work though and the battle that has played out various times in 2026 was doing so again as the #28 took the lead back at Turn 8 on Lap 13. Their squabbling had allowed Czech GP winner Danish to close back in, sat holding station in P3.
With 5 to go, Carpe called it a day after a valiant rejoin whilst as we approached the final three laps, Quiles had pulled the pin – but Almansa was going with him. They’d dropped Danish who was now in a fight for the final podium fight. In that fight for P3, Morelli had rocketed through once again on used rubber but the win was now out of reach.
Onto the last lap and Quiles led Almansa, an all-Spanish duel for honours at Assen. A moment for Almansa at Turn 9 decided everything and Championship leader Quiles was clear to take a sixth win of 2026 and extend his Championship advantage to 90. A second podium in three GPs for Almansa in second to move up to third in the standings whilst Morelli held onto P3. Perrone took his best result since he was P4 in COTA with P4 again, ahead of a mighty Rios.
Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) came home sixth ahead of Danish, Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing), Fernandez and Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) crossed the line fifth but due to a 6-second time penalty equivalent to a double Long Lap, he came home in 11th.
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