Maximo Quiles clinched a dramatic victory in the Moto3 San Marino Grand Prix at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on Sunday, edging out championship leader David Almansa at the line by a mere 0.021 seconds. It was Quiles' second consecutive win since returning from a collarbone injury, and it made up for his second-place finish at Rimini last year.
The 20-lap race was intense from the start. Almansa, starting from pole, led early and seemed in control. But Quiles, who started fifth, steadily carved his way forward, even setting a new race lap record. In the closing stages, a three-way battle for the lead emerged between Almansa, Quiles, and rookie Brian Uriarte.
Almansa, riding for Liqui Moly Dynavolt, looked comfortable out front, employing a defensive strategy from lap 12. “I thought it was the right strategy, but Maximo was very strong at the end,” Almansa said after the race. Quiles admitted he was relieved to finish strongly after his injury. “This win is emotional. I just focused until the line,” he added.
Brian Uriarte, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie, completed the podium in third, finishing clear of the duelling pair but impressing throughout the weekend. Matteo Bertelle had to settle for fourth after leading the chasing group. Valentin Perrone and Rico Salmela, both Tech3 rookies, followed in fifth and sixth.
Joel Kelso, who started from the front row, ran wide early and finished eighth as the top Honda. Marcos Uriarte, substituting for Cormac Buchanan at CODE Motorsports, served a double long lap penalty from Germany. Jesus Rios also received a long lap penalty for disrupting others. Four other riders, including Cruces, Hakim Danish, and Nicola Carraro, were given grid penalties.
Further back, David Gonzalez finished 11th as David Munoz's replacement at Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP. Ryusei Yamanaka was 13th, while Adrian Fernandez dropped to 14th after a long lap penalty for causing Joel Esteban to crash. The Moto3 race at Misano once again highlighted the fierce competition in the 2026 rookie class.
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Maximo Quiles wins Moto3 Misano after a last-corner pass on David Almansa. The victory extends his championship lead to 102 points over Almansa.
Maximo Quiles beats David Almansa by 0.021s in a thrilling Moto3 race at Misano. Read our analysis and updated championship standings.
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