Moto3 Qatar: Almansa wins in a breakaway as Quiles bids farewell to Alonso’s record, beaten by Fernández too

It was supposed to be Maximo Quiles' weekend, and for two days, it was. But Sunday belongs to someone else: David Almansa wins the Qatar Moto3 GP in a solo ride.

The 2026 world champion, who started from pole, finished only third, behind Adrián Fernández as well. A third place that stings: by missing out on victory, the Aspar rider loses the chance to match David Alonso's record of 14 wins in a single season.

The math is simple: even if he wins the two Grands Prix left on the calendar, Quiles would finish on 13 victories. The podium was entirely Spanish, with Almansa crossing the line 2.516 seconds ahead.

The Intact rider, second in the world championship standings, lined up alongside Quiles on the front row. The long start-finish straight was all he needed to take the lead under braking at Turn 1—and he never relinquished it. Quiles, making his first-ever race start at the Lusail circuit, found himself third behind rookie Brian Uriarte and, within a few corners, was passed by Fernández, David Muñoz and Álvaro Carpe. All this in 36-degree air temperatures over the 16 laps of the season's 20th race.

The champion patiently fought his way back: after four laps, he was second again, less than a second behind the leader. Almansa responded by upping the pace without making a mistake, doubling his advantage and pulling clear. Behind them, the battle for second was decided in the closing stages: Quiles made a mistake, and Fernández (Raúl's brother) seized the opportunity, keeping him behind all the way to the chequered flag by just 0.069 seconds. The Aspar rider made no secret of his disappointment, gesturing angrily just after the finish and looking dejected in parc fermé.

David Muñoz was the one who stirred things up in the pack. At the start of Lap 2, at Turn 1, he touched Uriarte while trying to squeeze up the inside and sent him crashing. The KTM Ajo rookie rejoined, but at the back of the field. Muñoz was immediately handed a Long Lap penalty. Later on, the Spaniard also caused Eddie O'Shea to crash, earning further penalties.

Behind the podium finishers, Carpe, Joel Kelso and Veda Pratama fought hard for fourth place. The Indonesian rookie came out on top, with Carpe fifth ahead of Kelso. Scott Ogden finished tenth, while his CIP Green Power teammate Adrián Cruces crashed at Turn 14 on Lap 3. Guido Pini crossed the line in 11th place.

The result stands in stark contrast to what we saw through Saturday: Quiles topped every session and took pole despite two high-sides, as reported in Qatar Moto3, Quiles takes pole despite two crashes: there was never a final duel with Almansa. In the race, the duel with Almansa was very much there—but it had only one winner. The title remains in the hands of Marc Márquez's protégé; in the final two rounds, the main challenge will be against the record books.

-> Follow us on Instagram too: @Corsedimoto