Maximo Quiles won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Using his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM, the Spaniard won the 19-lap race by 1.991 seconds.
Adrian Fernandez was the runner-up on his Leopard Racing Honda.
David Muñoz was third, 2.009 seconds behind race winner Quiles, on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP KTM.
Quiles’ teammate, Marco Morelli crossed the finish line fourth and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe got fifth.
Maximo Quiles leads the championship with 90 points, 37 ahead of Alvaro Carpe who has 53 points. Adrian Fernandez is third with 49 points.
worldstanding MOTO
More from a press release issued by MotoGP:
Quiles pulls the pin for home glory, last corner showdown for P2. Racing in a Grand Prix for the first time at Jerez, the 18-year-old timed it to perfection whilst behind, it went right until the chequered flag.
An epic battle in Moto3 saw the return of Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) to the top of the podium as he took a second win of the year at home in Jerez. The #28 had to fight hard before pulling clear in the closing stages, whilst the fight for second saw rivals Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) go head-to-head on the final lap, eventually going to the #31 ahead of his returning compatriot.
Sweeping into the holeshot, David Muñoz hit the front but it didn’t last long as Quiles grabbed the lead back at Turn 8 to lead the opening lap. Disaster before the opening lap even started for Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) who couldn’t get off the line, whilst Matteo Bertelle’s (LEVELUP-MTA) best weekend of the year ended in the Turn 1 gravel.
On Lap 6, Muñoz’s early charge to Quiles saw him joined by Adrian Fernandez who forced his way into P2, whilst a lap later, he took over the lead from Quiles. Behind, Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) chased in P4, having dropped Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and a big battle over fifth. Further down the order, COTA winner Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) crashed out and was followed a lap later by Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team).
Heading onto Lap 15, Quiles hit the front again at Turn 1, taking over the reins of the Grand Prix whilst at Turn 6, Fernandez was shuffled back to third as Muñoz came on through. Quiles was pulling the pin, the #28 looking to establish his authority on the Grand Prix and instantly dropped the pace from mid-1’45s to high-1’44s. Muñoz was sticking with him whilst Fernandez was keeping in touch with both in P3. However, with three laps to go, a mistake by Muñoz at Turn 1 saw him drop more than half a second back from Quiles, giving him an uphill struggle to try and get on terms with the Championship leader. A lap later and it was a battle for P2 with Fernandez and Muñoz now joined by Morelli, who had put in a mega performance.
Last lap time and it was an Aspar 1-2 with just 4.428km to go. Fernandez sat third with rival Muñoz climbing all over him but the scrap for the final podium positions was going to go until the last corner. An epic fight, that saw them swap paint at Turns 6, 8 and 9, entered the last sector and despite Muñoz’s best efforts at Turn 13, he was beaten in the drag race to the line by Fernandez who clinched second whilst Morelli was fourth. Up front, no catching Quiles who took a second win of 2026 in his first Grand Prix weekend at Jerez. A remarkable Grand Prix by all three as Spain locked out the podium at home.
Behind, Carpe took fifth ahead of Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) whilst Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was 7th, followed home by David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), a season-best performance by Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Joel Esteban (LEVELUP-MTA) who completed the top ten.
