Red Bull Rookies: Showdown in Spielberg – a close finale

The title race remains wide open, particularly amongst the top three in the overall standings. Remaining cool, composed and calculated proved very beneficial for Benat Fernandez in the first half of the season. The 18-year-old Spaniard won the first race of the year at Jerez and, with a third-place finish in the second race, retained the lead in the overall standings, which he still holds ahead of the final two races at the Red Bull Ring.

More wins are needed

With three race wins and a further three podium finishes in the first eight races, he has amassed 148 points. However, in the last four races, Fernandez has managed to score just six points. With two races remaining and 50 points still up for grabs, his lead stands at a mere eight points. Ryota Ogiwara is his closest challenger, but the 18-year-old Japanese rider has also hit a rough patch in his title bid.

Ogiwara’s brilliant victory in Race 1 at the Sachsenring significantly reduced the points gap to Fernandez. Then both crashed in Race 2. At Misano, Fernandez fell well short of expectations, finishing 12th and 14th, whilst Ogiwara fared only marginally better with 10th and 7th places. Not a disaster for Ogiwara, but a far cry from his masterful one-two at Mugello.

Germany’s Kratochwil has a chance

This is Ogiwara’s first Cup season, and all the circuits are new to him, whilst Fernandez is already in his second season. Fernando Bujosa is also a first-year rookie, but the 17-year-old Spaniard has not let that intimidate him, and his victory in Race 1 at Misano showed just how determined he is. With fourth place in Race 2, he further boosted his points tally, meaning he is now just 19 points behind Fernandez.

The winner of Race 2 at Misano, Carlos Cano, is 41 points behind Fernandez, meaning the 16-year-old Spaniard’s chances of winning the Cup are likely purely mathematical at this stage – a situation in which Kristian Daniel Jr., Fynn Kratochwil and Kiandra Ramadhipa.

Topic of the week

Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring: track – hit or miss?

The people of Madrid had set their sights high for their city’s first Formula 1 World Championship race since 1981. But have the high expectations for the new Madring mixed-circuit track really been met?

Mathias Brunner

Read More

TV Program

Live

Red Bull Ring: Rennen 1

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

19.09.2026 - 16:50

In pursuit of Grand Prix victories

Naturally, everyone is aiming for victory, and a place in the top three of the Rookies Cup also allows riders to compete in the Moto3 World Championship at the age of 17 rather than 18. Thanks to this exemption, Maximo Quiles was able to compete in the 2025 World Championship and secure three GP victories, which earned him third place in the overall standings – even though he missed the first two races whilst waiting for his 17th birthday. Following his eleventh Grand Prix victory on Sunday at Misano, the former rookie now leads the 2026 World Championship by 107 points.

His former rookie colleague Manuel Gonzalez extended his lead in the Moto2 World Championship with his tenth Grand Prix victory in Italy, whilst Jorge Martín shares the top spot in the MotoGP standings.