The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar rider finished second in the Japanese Grand Prix, missing out on victory by 46 thousandths
Máximo Quiles has now secured fourteen podium finishes this season and is one step away from becoming Moto3 world champion. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider finished second at Motegi, crossing the finish line 46 thousandths behind David Almansa, who on this occasion managed to fend off the attacks from the rider from Murcia. Quiles’ direct rivals did not fail on Sunday; alongside Almansa’s victory, Álvaro Carpe finished third and Brian Uriarte fourth, meaning he will have to wait until the next race in Indonesia to try and clinch the title. Marco Morelli finished outside the points in eighteenth place after having to contend with a very different feeling to that at the start of the Grand Prix.
Although Sunday’s race was the first opportunity to cap off a great season, Máximo Quiles was well aware of the huge challenge ahead of him. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider got off to a good start and made up positions to stay in the top three from the outset. Quiles chased David Almansa and did everything he could to close the gap on the leader in a race where the pace was much higher than in 2025, particularly in the final laps. Over the final five laps, the Murcia-born rider gave it his all to reach the final corner in the best possible position, but on the main straight he fell 46 thousandths short of claiming victory at Motegi. With this second-place finish, his lead in the overall standings has extended to 127 points, meaning that in Indonesia he holds his own fate in his hands to become champion. If he fails to secure victory, he would need to finish the race with at least a 125-point lead over all his rivals. Behind Almansa, Carpe is 135 points adrift and Uriarte 139.
His team-mate Marco Morelli did not end the weekend with a result that reflected the great work he had put in since the first session. The Argentine had been one of the most consistent riders over the weekend, and this Sunday presented a good opportunity to fight for the podium once again, but the race at Motegi had other plans for him. The tyre feel was not as expected, and he began to lose positions. Although he fought his way back up the field in the final laps, he was unable to reach the points-scoring positions and finished eighteenth.
2nd Máximo Quiles (+0.046): “I didn’t feel good from the start of the race today, and I knew it was going to be tough. I started pushing hard, and I don’t know where I found the time for those last five laps. I gave it my all. It frustrated me to cross the finish line and realize I hadn’t given it my all, which is why I’m a little upset with myself. I always try to fight until the end, but I know today’s result is very positive. We’ve earned twenty more points and we’re continuing to rack up podium finishes. We’ll keep fighting for wins, and our minds are already on Indonesia. It’s up to me, and that’s a huge motivation to go for the win. We’ll see how the weekend goes, and if we can fight for the victory, we’ll do it.”
18th Marco Morelli (+27.938): “It’s been a strange weekend. I started the Grand Prix very well, feeling motivated and competitive. Today, before the start, I felt comfortable, but once the race began, the feel of the tyres was much worse. I don’t know what happened, but I wasn’t as comfortable as I was on Friday. It was tough, because it looked like we could be up front, and in the end, we finished where we did.”
