Bold headline: 2026 Thai Moto3 Qualifying: Almansa leads a record-setting day at Buriram
But here’s the twist many will miss: a seamless switch to KTM and a flawless pole masterclass rewrote the pace at the season opener in Buriram.
In the first qualifying sessions of 2026, David Almansa surged to pole, delivering a near‑perfect run that eclipsed the field and set a new Buriram lap benchmark of 1:40.088. The Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP rider had already shown speed on Friday and again topped Friday’s FP2, and his move from Honda to KTM appears to have clicked, with a clean tow to chase the riders ahead and a track record that wowed spectators.
Almansa’s closest challenger was Alvaro Carpe, who led much of the session time and finished second at a gap of 0.430 seconds. Carpe’s performance kept Red Bull KTM Ajo firmly in the hunt, underscoring KTM strength in the field.
The front row for Sunday’s race is completed by Adrian Fernandez, who clinched victory from pole in the final 2025 Grand Prix for Leopard Racing. He rode a composed lap to land third, passing Kelso on track as he crossed the line.
Maximo Quiles completed the top four with a strong showing for Aspar, riding a typically wide line that suits his style. He was followed by Veda Pratama, who once again impressed as the top rookie in Q2 during his world championship qualifying debut, securing fifth overall for Honda Team Asia after a late surge.
Pratama’s progress came amid a large group of riders who all slowed at a single corner while searching for a slipstream. In contrast, seventh place went to Joel Esteban of MT Helmets, who had led earlier but saw a late lap canceled, dropping him to the back of the field.
David Munoz used his Q2 time to rebound from a long injury layoff. He rested in the garage early in Q2 and then produced a late sprint that elevated him to sixth, though more than a second behind Almansa’s new record.
Ryusei Yamanaka delivered a solid seventh for MT Helmets, with Scott Ogden jumping from 13th to eighth in the final minutes for CIP Green Power after striking a timely clear air draft.
Guido Pini took ninth for Leopard, and rookie Casey O’Gorman closed the top ten for SIC58 Squadra Corse after progressing straight from practice to Q2.
Official Buriram Moto3 records show the impressive pace: the fastest race lap was David Munoz in 2025 at 1:41.042, the old all-time lap record belonged to Jose Antonio Rueda at 1:40.350 in 2025, and the new all-time lap record now sits with David Almansa at 1:40.088 in 2026 Q2.
Q1 brought a surge from rookie Hakim Danish, who topped the Q1 times in a late‑session dash as riders chased a tow. Danish, a Malaysian talent, briefly set the pace as the session wound down, while David Munoz forced his way into Q2 with a determined late lap.
Both Danish and Munoz could not replicate that Q2 form in the final session, finishing 15th and 16th respectively.
Joel Kelso had a transitional run after moving from KTM to Honda, sharing the track with his new teammate Eddie O’Shea for much of Q2. Kelso ended up third on the grid after a late push, while British rider O’Shea earned sixth for MLav Racing.
The final Q2 transfer spot went to rookie Rico Salmela, who claimed 13th in Q2, narrowly beating a frantic late effort from Cormac Buchanan, who finished 19th on the grid after an attempt to progress.
Former pole man Matteo Bertelle, last year’s opening-round pole sitter, found himself 20th after the first day. He made a quick return appearance in Q1 and ended seventh overall, setting up a 21st-place grid slot on race day.
Full qualifying results recap:
- 1) David Almansa (SPA) Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) — 1:40.088
- 2) Alvaro Carpe (SPA) Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) — +0.430
- 3) Adrian Fernandez (SPA) Leopard Racing (Honda) — +0.605
- 4) Maximo Quiles (SPA) CFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM) — +0.609
- 5) Veda Pratama (INA) Honda Team Asia (Honda) — +0.789
- 6) David Munoz (SPA) Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) — +1.003
- 7) Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) AEON Credit- MT Helmets - MSI (KTM) — +1.110
- 8) Scott Ogden (GBR) CIP Green Power (KTM) — +1.203
- 9) Guido Pini (ITA) Leopard Racing (Honda) — +1.231
- 10) Casey O’Gorman (IRL) SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) — +1.249
- 11) Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM) — +1.275
- 12) Brian Uriarte (SPA) Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) — +1.338
- 13) Rico Salmela (FIN) Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) — +1.606
- 14) Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) — +1.664
- 15) Hakim Danish (MAL) AEON Credit- MT Helmets - MSI (KTM) — +1.673
- 16) Joel Kelso (AUS) GRYD - MLav Racing (Honda) — +1.700
- 17) Jesus Rios (SPA) Rivacold Snipers Team (Honda) — +1.706
- 18) Joel Esteban (SPA) LEVEL UP - MTA (KTM) — +1.815
- 19) Cormac Buchanan (NZL) CODEMotorsports (KTM) — 1:41.839
- 20) Eddie O’Shea (GBR) GRYD - MLav Racing (Honda) — 1:41.846
- 21) Matteo Bertelle (ITA) LEVEL UP - MTA (KTM) — 1:41.902
- 22) Adrian Cruces (SPA) CIP Green Power (KTM) — 1:42.026
- 23) Leo Rammerstorfer (AUT) SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) — 1:42.230
- 24) Nicola Carraro (ITA) Rivacold Snipers Team (Honda) — 1:42.327
- 25) Ruche Moodley (RSA) CODE Motorsports (KTM) — 1:42.429
- 26) Zen Mitani (JPN) Honda Team Asia (Honda) — 1:42.648
Additional context: The 2026 Thailand Moto3 qualifying set a high bar for the season, with Almansa’s record lap signaling a shift in pace as teams dial in new machinery and rider lineups for a 22-race calendar beginning in Buriram.
