Mandalika: Maximo Quiles was crowned Moto3 World Champion with his GP victory

In 16 races in the Moto3 World Championship, the Spaniard Maximo Quiles has built up a lead of 127. This meant the Aspar team’s rising star had the title in the bag; he will continue to ride for the successful Valencia-based team in 2027, albeit on a Moto2 Kalex.

Mathematically speaking, Quiles still had three rivals in contention for the title: David Almansa (Intact GP) and the two KTM Ajo riders, Brian Uriarte and Alvaro Carpe. One thing was certain ahead of the start at Mandalika: a 13th victory would crown Maximo Quiles champion of the junior World Championship with five rounds to go. In qualifying, Quiles had secured sixth place on his KTM in CF Moto colours. All his direct World Championship rivals were faster: Uriarte on pole ahead of Almansa and Carpe, along with the two Leopard Honda riders, Adrian Fernandez and Guido Pini.

Right behind Quiles, the Indonesian hero was getting ready for his home race. Starting from seventh on the grid at Mandalika, Veda Pratama was capable of anything. The Austrian Leo Rammerstorfer had impressed on Lombok. For the second time in his rookie season, the Honda rider had reached Q2, where he finished 17th – yet, following a penalty for lazing about, Rammerstorfer started from 22nd on the grid. Hakim Danish was hit even harder. The Malaysian rider from the MSi team was relegated to the very back of the grid.

At 12 noon local time, the 26 youngsters thundered off on the warm-up lap for the Indonesian Grand Prix. The early lead went to Intact ace David Almansa, who reached Turn 1 ahead of Uriarte. But right behind him was Maximo Quiles, and on the very first lap the number 28 rider attacked the lead. The Honda riders Fernandez and Pratama were also extremely aggressive from the start. The pair moved up to 2nd and 3rd behind Quiles.

Lap 3 turned into a disaster for Paolo Simoncelli’s SIC58 team. Casey O’Gorman crashed at Turn 4, and Leo Rammerstorfer at Turn 5. At the front, Maximo Quiles seized the opportunity to pull away. Whilst Fernandez, Pratama, Carpe and Almansa battled for second place, the championship leader – who had also set the fastest lap of the race – had already built up a lead of 1.4 seconds. Brian Uriate had dropped back to 10th place after two slips.

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Mandalika: Rennen MotoGP

MotoGP World Championship

11.10.2026 - 08:15

Maximo Quiles impressed with further fast lap times, and his lead grew rapidly. By the time Almansa had re-established himself in second place, the gap was a good 2.5 seconds. Fernandez, Carpe, Pini and Pratama were hot on the heels of David Almansa, and behind them too, the field remained tightly bunched in the first half of the race. The top 15 were all within five seconds of one another.

On lap 8, there was a brief moment of panic for the Aspar team. The seemingly flawless leader made a rare mistake, ran wide and lost half of his comfortable lead. Almansa tried to close the 1.5-second gap, but Quiles held his ground and kept the gap constant.

As the race entered the second half of the 20-lap event, David Muñoz threw in the towel. The Intact rider continues to battle with pain in his arm. At the same time, there was a crash in the chasing pack. Carpe and Fernández collided. Carpe was sent flying off the track, whilst Fernandez was able to continue but dropped back into the group battling for fourth place.

Ahead of them, Almansa was giving it his all to catch Quiles. Although the number 22 was riding marginally faster, with just seven laps remaining, he was still 1.4 seconds behind. Thrilling: with six laps to go, Quiles received a warning for track limits. But in the final stages, it was a flawless race against himself – and on to his first World Championship title. David Almansa could do nothing more, falling back again by over two seconds.

The 18-year-old from Murcia did it: victory and the World Championship title at the Indonesian Grand Prix!

Noteworthy: Brian Uriarte. The rookie had fought his way back up to third place. He crossed the line five seconds behind the new champion and three seconds behind David Almansa. And Veda Pratama? The rookie from Indonesia battled it out with Salmela, Fernandez and Pini for fifth place right up until the final lap – Pratama was flagged off in sixth. The final World Championship points went to Tech3 rider Perrone.

Held der Indonesier: Veda Pratama

Foto: Gold and Goose

In the World Championship standings, David Almansa consolidated his second place ahead of Brian Uriarte – but the World Championship title is gone!