Resisting late pressure to notch up a third win of 2026, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) held on in another head-to-head battle with Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) at Motegi. The two pulled clear in the closing stages but despite the best efforts of the #28, it was Almansa who took honours. Behind, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was a solid third, all three still chasing the title.
Out the traps fast, Almansa grabbed the holeshot and despite a Lap 1 duel at Turn 5 with fellow fast-starter Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo), he held the advantage. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was up in third whilst Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) was battling for fourth as he faced his first match-point for the title. With the Grand Prix settling down, Uriarte hit the front on Lap 3 at Turn 3. Almansa had teammate Muñoz close behind, although the #64 was duffed up himself by Quiles and Carpe, the latter of which was soon third. A mistake at the end of Lap 4 from Quiles left him with seven tenths up to the lead three, all of whom were the riders out to put his title celebrations on ice.
By Lap 5, eight riders formed a lead group with Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) now in fifth. Behind, home-hero Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) and Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) rounded out the group. Almansa was pushed back into third when Carpe came by at Turn 9 and teammate Muñoz was also being beaten up, back to eighth when Yamanaka and Bertelle came through in quick succession.
On Lap 8, disaster struck for race leader Uriarte who was handed a double Long Lap Penalty after his team were working on the bike on the grid after the three-minute board was displayed. That released Almansa, who had got himself back into P2, into free air as he inherited the race lead. Almansa set back-to-back fastest laps but still couldn’t break free from Carpe’s grasp, whilst Quiles kept a watching brief in third but was edging ever closer and by Lap 12, was firmly in the battle for victory, getting into P2 at Turn 5 to clear Carpe.
With five to go, Quiles made a mistake at Turn 8 and that dropped him a second away from Almansa and back into the clutches of Carpe. However, the #28 hadn’t stopped thinking in a tenth victory yet, getting the gap back down to half a second to Almansa whilst Carpe was now a distant but safe third. It was all going to come down to a last lap fight once again between the top two in the class, Quiles right with Almansa.
There was nothing between them as they danced their way through the final sector and into Turn 11, Quiles looked but couldn’t outbrake Almansa, who was inch perfect into the hard-braking right hander. Then, another opportunity arose at Turns 13 and 14 but again, Almansa placed his KTM perfectly to block off any attack and held on to the line to take a third victory of 2026. Quiles will have another opportunity to take the title in a week’s time in Indonesia after a fine P2 whilst Carpe’s third brings him a seventh podium of 2026.
After his double Long Lap Penalty, Uriarte recovered to an impressive fourth ahead of Salmela, who equals a career-best fifth place. Bertelle completed the top six ahead of Muñoz and Yamanaka, the Japanese rider with his best result of the season at home. Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) and Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower) completed the top ten.
Moto3 Grand Prix results from Motegi