Kristian Daniel Jr. Charges From 12th To Second For First 2026 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Podium At Assen. 

American teenager Kristian Daniel Jr. captured his first podium finish of the 2026 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season with an outstanding ride from 12th on the grid to second place at the legendary TT Circuit Assen on Saturday.

Although Daniel has spent multiple races fighting at the front and leading laps throughout the season, the Assen result marks his first podium of the year and another significant step forward in his development against one of the world’s most competitive fields of young motorcycle racers.

After a challenging qualifying session left him starting from the fourth row, Daniel quickly worked his way through the field despite the constant battles in the large lead group.

“I’m really happy with my performance today after not the best qualifying yesterday,” Daniel said. “Mid-pack was chaos the whole race, but I made sure to get to the front of the pack and take the fresh air.”

Once at the front, Daniel briefly led the race before tire wear, accelerated by his charge through the pack, limited his ability to attack in the closing laps.

“I tried leading, but battling mid-pack made me and my tires wear out quite a bit, and another rider was content with leading,” he explained. “There was one more move to make for the win, but I’ll take that for the next experience and try to do better.”

Daniel credited the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for accelerating his growth during the 2026 season.

“I’m super grateful to the whole Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. I’m making huge steps because of my opportunity to ride, and I am trying to use it to the fullest.”

With another race remaining during the Assen weekend, Daniel was already focused on building on the momentum.

“Tomorrow is still another opportunity, so I will adapt and go even better.”

The second-place finish pushes Daniel to 4th in the overall standings of the championship.