Quiles Wins Assen Moto3
Máximo Quiles Claims Sixth Moto3 Victory at Assen; Almansa, Morelli Podium
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Máximo Quiles claimed his sixth victory of the 2026 Moto3 season at Assen's Dutch TT on June 28, crossing the line 0.513 seconds ahead of David Almansa to extend his championship lead to 90 points, according to La Opinión de Murcia. The 18-year-old from Murcia now holds 211 points — nearly double the tally of his nearest rival — making him the heavy favorite for the world title.
Marco Morelli, the Argentine-Spanish rider, completed the podium in third place, securing a 1-3 finish for the CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team. Meanwhile, rival Álvaro Carpe retired from the race after a lap-2 collision and did not score any points, as La Opinión de Murcia reported.
Quiles Survives a Tough Friday to Seal Pole
The weekend did not start easily for Quiles. During Friday practice, he had a scare near the pit entrance involving rival Adrian Fernandez, and he finished the day in 11th place, according to Diario de Mallorca. Joel Kelso topped Friday's session with a lap time of 1:40.918.
Quiles bounced back sharply on Saturday. He used a slipstream at the final moment of Q2 to post a 1:40.130 and take pole position — beating Kelso by just 0.025 seconds. His top speed during qualifying reached 215.1 km/h. The psychological advantage shifted back to Quiles heading into race day.
Almansa's Bold Overtake Sets Up a Tense Final
David Almansa made an immediate impact on lap 1, pulling off a double overtake to challenge Quiles at the front, according to El Periódico Mediterráneo. A collision between Álvaro Carpe and Adrian Cruces on lap 2 briefly disrupted the field. Carpe eventually retired on lap 15, ending any chance of scoring.
In the closing laps, Quiles and Almansa broke clear of the group. They built a half-second gap over the chasers. Quiles held his nerve to win by 0.513 seconds. "I knew we had the pace, but Assen is always a game of chess. Staying cool when David attacked was the key," he said, as reported by El Correo Gallego.
Penalty Controversy Reshapes the Final Standings
Heavy overnight rain made Assen's Long Lap loop unusable on race day. Race Direction replaced Long Lap penalties with 3-second time penalties instead, according to Información. This decision directly hurt Joel Kelso, who was demoted from 6th to 8th place for cutting the final chicane. Some critics argued the fixed time penalty was harsher than a normal Long Lap would have been.
Adrian Fernandez was also hit by a time penalty, further reshaping the top ten. The controversy is likely to continue into the week, with technical protests over the chicane penalties expected, according to La Nueva España.
Quiles' Title Charge Triggers 2027 Contract Talk
With six wins in ten rounds, Quiles has built what analysts call a near-unassailable lead. His 211 points compare to 121 for Álvaro Carpe in second and 109 for David Almansa in fourth, according to El Día. The Assen result is traditionally a trigger for contract talks in the paddock.
Quiles is managed by Vertical Management, the agency co-founded by Marc and Álex Márquez. Motorsport insiders expect him to confirm a move to Moto2 for 2027, likely staying within the Aspar structure, according to Diario Córdoba. Marco Morelli's third place also drew praise as a rare South American podium in the lightweight class.
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