Maximo Quiles won the Moto3 Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera 2026 at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, edging out David Almansa by just 0.021 seconds. The race delivered a dramatic showdown, with Brian Uriarte completing an all-Spanish podium in third.
David Almansa made a perfect start and immediately took the lead. However, Alvaro Carpe's race took a different turn. The championship runner-up, starting from 21st due to a grid penalty, crashed at Turn 3 on the opening lap. He managed to continue but his chances of a strong result were dashed. He eventually finished 17th, out of the points.
At the front, a large group formed early on, including Almansa, Uriarte, Valentin Perrone, Quiles, Joel Kelso, Matteo Bertelle, and Rico Salmela. As the race progressed, Almansa, Quiles, and Uriarte broke away from the rest. Almansa controlled the pace for most of the race, but Quiles bided his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
In the closing stages, Uriarte could no longer match the pace of the leading duo, leaving a straight fight between Almansa and Quiles. The tension peaked on the final lap. Almansa defended valiantly but chose a slightly too defensive line into the last corner, compromising his exit. Quiles seized the opportunity and snatched victory by the narrowest of margins, 0.021 seconds. Uriarte finished third, 1.343 seconds adrift.
Bertelle won the battle for fourth, comfortably ahead of Perrone. Salmela was sixth, with Kelso the best Honda in seventh. Adrian Cruces, Marco Morelli, and Casey O’Gorman completed the top ten.
The victory significantly extends Quiles' championship lead. The Spaniard now has 281 points. Almansa moves up to second with 174 points, while Carpe drops to third with 159 points. With the season still long, the title fight is heating up, especially with Quiles' impressive consistency at the front.
The Misano race also served as a reminder of how thin the line between victory and defeat is in Moto3. Almansa, who looked dominant, had to settle for second due to a small mistake at the final corner. Meanwhile, Quiles, calm throughout, proved that patience and timing are key in this class of young talents.
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