Moto3, Qualifying: Crash fest at Motegi – Marco Morelli 1st

In the Moto3 class’s FP1 session at Motegi, local hero Ryusei Yamanaka (MSi) set the fastest time of 1:55.676. David Muñoz (Intact GP) and Álvaro Carpe (KTM Ajo) finished in second and third places respectively. Austrian rider Leo Rammerstorfer finished the weekend’s first session in 24th place. David Almansa crashed twice, but fortunately escaped uninjured.

FP1 is followed by free practice on Friday. The aim here is to go straight through to Qualifying 2, which only the fastest 14 riders manage to do. The remaining riders must take part in Q1 on Saturday, from which the top four then progress to Q2.

At the start of the timed practice session, it was a pleasant 22 degrees Celsius. The sun was peeking through the clouds. The riders took to the track on time. After just two minutes, Ruche Moodley crashed in Turn 9.

After five minutes, David Munoz led the session with a time of 1:55.561. By way of comparison, the Moto3 lap record at Motegi had been set by Ivan Ortola in 2024 with a time of 1:54.761.

After nine minutes, Intact rider Almansa suffered his third crash of the day. Things weren’t going smoothly for the Spaniard yet. The order at that point was: Munoz, Quiles, Carpe, Kelso, Yamanaka and Almansa.

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MotoGP World Championship

03.10.2026 - 01:35

With 22 minutes remaining in the 35-minute session, World Championship leader Maximo Quiles crashed in Turn 3 – the Aspar rider’s front wheel slipped out from under him. He picked up his KTM and rode back to the pits. Shortly afterwards, Adrian Cruces crashed in Turn 1. He, too, was able to ride his bike back to the pits under his own power.

The top five at the halfway point of the session: Muñoz, Quiles, Yamanaka, Carpe and Kelso. With 15 minutes to go, Carpe set a new fastest time of 1:55.419.

Seven minutes before the end, David Munoz crashed in Turn 7. The Intact team’s mechanics had their work cut out for them on Friday. Brian Uriarte set a new fastest lap of 1:55.364.

Three minutes later, Hakim Danish had a heavy crash coming out of Turn 14. He ended up on the grass with his bike, which then flew wildly through the air. Fortunately, Danish escaped uninjured; it was his second crash of the day. Rammerstorfer, who was riding directly behind him, just managed to swerve out of the way. Eddie O’Shea crashed shortly afterwards in Turn 7.

Two minutes before the end, Yamanaka set a new fastest lap time of 1:55.296 minutes. Carpe crashed in Turn 8 – he also escaped uninjured. Shortly before the end, Scott Ogden crashed in Turn 1. Jesus Rios crashed in Turn 9.

In the final stages, Aspar rider Marco Morelli set a new fastest lap of 1:55.280. No one else managed to beat his time. The following riders qualified directly for Q2: Morelli, Yamanaka, Brian Uriarte, Carpe, Perrone, Quiles, Muñoz, Pratama, Bertelle, Almansa, Fernández, Esteban, Kelso and Cruces.

Leo Rammerstorfer finished the session in 24th place. He will have to compete in Q1 on Saturday.