Máximo Quiles’ victory in Malaysia makes him the rider with the most podium finishes in a single Moto3 season, with a total of sixteen, and brings him closer to the all-time wins record
The Moto3 World Champion continues to break records. Máximo Quiles has secured his eleventh victory of the season after leading nearly the entire race and crossing the finish line with a comfortable lead. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider is now the second-most successful rider in the category, with a total of fourteen wins, surpassed only by his CFMOTO Aspar Team team-mate David Alonso, who has 18 victories to his name. Máximo Quiles rode alone in a race that was difficult to manage, whilst the battle for the remaining podium places was won by Veda Pratama, who finished second, and Álvaro Carpe, who came third. Marco Morelli lost positions throughout the race and finished outside the points, in twentieth place.
Máximo Quiles started from pole position for the third time this season and began the Moto3 race determined to secure another victory. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider faced fifteen demanding laps that required careful management of tyre wear and the riders’ own stamina. Quiles got off to a great start and, although he dropped to third place after the first lap, he fought his way back and was leading the race again five laps later. From that point on, Quiles set his own pace whilst the rest of the riders in the group battled amongst themselves for the podium places, allowing him to extend his lead even further. The Moto3 World Champion has secured his eleventh victory of the season and continues to add to the figures of a record-breaking year: with sixteen podium finishes, he is the first rider in the lightweight category to reach this figure in a single season, and he is now the second-highest points scorer in a single year, with a total of 376 points, surpassed only by David Alonso, who has 421. His team-mate Marco Morelli continues to struggle to rediscover his best form. The Argentine, who started from eleventh on the grid, faced a difficult Sunday in Malaysia and fell out of the points-scoring positions. In the final laps he tried to make up ground, but ultimately crossed the finish line in twentieth place.
Win Máximo Quiles: “I’ve been waking up feeling absolutely knackered these past few days because of my cold, but today I felt much better – it was a good sign. It was a tough race and the last five laps felt like an age, riding on my own. I couldn’t breathe properly through my nose and had to breathe through my mouth, and here in Malaysia you are out of breath. I managed to hang on and it turned out perfectly. I can still equal David Alonso’s record for the most wins in a season. In Australia, I felt I had a real chance of winning and I was gutted not to be able to race, because I felt really strong in all conditions. It also depended on what the others did, but I was giving it my all and when they cancelled it, I thought, ‘One down, now I’ll have to push a bit harder’. It’s not our main goal, but it does motivate me because what David achieved in 2024 is incredible, and it would be great to match it. We’ll take it race by race, but right now the most important thing is to send my full support to those affected by the train crash in Toledo (Spain). I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened, and I’m sending them all my strength.”
20th Marco Morelli (+38.537): “It was a very tough race. I managed to get off to a good start, but I still don’t feel comfortable on the bike. I struggled a lot and I don’t understand why. It’s a difficult situation; I haven’t scored any points for several races now, and it’s tough after the good start to the season we had. We have to try to get out of this and see the light at the end of the tunnel again. Over the weekend there were moments when it seemed as though we’d found the right path again. All we can do now is try to improve and get out of this situation.”
