David Almansa emerged victorious in a thrilling manner at the Thai GP, a race that marked the opening of the 2026 Moto3 season. In one of the most intense competitions at the Buriram circuit, the Intact GP rider engaged in a fierce battle with Máximo Quiles, ultimately claiming victory in the early hours of Sunday (1) by a narrow margin of just 0.003 seconds at the finish line.
The decisive moment of the race occurred in the last turn of the final lap. Quiles, riding for Aspar, managed to overtake Almansa for the lead, but opened up his trajectory, allowing his adversary to draw level. In the end, the clock showed Almansa ahead by three thousandths, securing the victory and relegating Quiles to second place.
Argentine rider Valentín Perrone completed the podium with a third-place finish on a Tech3 bike, finishing just ahead of Álvaro Carpe, who took fourth place at the end of the race on an Ajo bike. The group of the top five in Buriram also included Veda Pratama, an Indonesian rider defending Team Asia.
Adrián Fernández, on a bike prepared by Leopard Racing, crossed the finish line in sixth place, ahead of Brian Uriarte, who finished seventh on an Ajo bike. The top ten in Thailand also included Marco Morelli, Aspar rider, Joel Esteban, MTA rider, and David Muñoz, Intact GP rider.
The Moto3 will have its second stage of the 2026 season on March 20, 21, and 22, with the Brazilian GP, scheduled to take place at the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiânia (GO).
