Magic at the Sachsenring: Bertelle seals a golden podium and lifts Italy's spirits in Moto3

Matteo Bertelle wraps up the first part of the 2026 Moto3 season with his second podium. A boost of confidence in a tough year for our riders...

A superb late charge by Matteo Bertelle just before the summer break. It’s another disappointing year for Italian racing in the smaller World Championship classes, but in Moto3 the Padua native from LevelUp MTA, with his second podium of the season, helps lift the mood a bit. The comeback from the edge of the top 10, the tight battle, and the photo-finish result are worth a great third place at the Sachsenring. Just seven thousandths ahead of Marco Morelli and 86 thousandths over Rico Salmela! In a category where the Spanish Royal March seems to play on repeat (with the exceptions of Guido Pini in Texas and Hakim Danish in Brno), seeing the Italian flag on the podium is a small satisfaction.

“It was a very, very tough race,” Bertelle told Sky Sport at the end of the German GP. “You had to manage the tire to the maximum; it’s a track where you’re always turning left! At one point I thought I wouldn’t even manage to catch them... I’m happy, the team did a fantastic job. We’ll try to keep going like this, even if it won’t be easy.” There’s also a mea culpa after Mattia Pasini’s ‘reproach’ for not having enough self-belief. “It’s true. But that line is very thin between being a good rider and a...” he added with a laugh. “I need to stay calmer and keep believing.”

There’s also a question about the future, but for now he won’t commit. “I always try to give my best, then whatever comes, comes. Otherwise I’ll go help my dad [a prosciutto maker] with the slicer!” he concluded with a laugh. Rumors of a possible step up to Moto2 for next season are not lacking, although nothing is confirmed yet. For now, however, he remains the best Italian in the junior class, 9th overall: let’s remember, he came back after a serious injury in 2025 that heavily affected his season and could even have marked his career. The 22-year-old from Monselice is rebuilding himself, and the two podiums prove it. The hope is that he can take a few more steps forward in the second half of the championship.

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