The opening day of the Moto3 season saw David Almansa rise to the top of the timesheets to begin 2026 in the best way possible leading Practice in Buriram ahead of the Thai Grand Prix.

The Spaniard adapted quickly to his new Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM, having been a Honda rider with Leopard last season, and overcame the spots of rain after a brief shower during the lunch break to still find red sectors, posting a final best of 1:40.990s.

Alvaro Carpe was a late improver, powering his Red Bull KTM bike up to second to finish just 0.078s slower.

The Friday top three was completed by Valentin Perrone, making a move into the top ten after a slower start to the day in FP1, pulling out his best lap when it mattered for Red Bull KTM Tech3.

Maximo Quiles, who topped the final test in Jerez, had been the most regular early session leader – his late lap to try to regain the top spot saw the Aspar rider run wide, leaving him fourth, with new team-mate Marco Morelli closing in on his best to place fifth.

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Scott Ogden was the best of the British riders in sixth for CIP Green Power, with the battle for top rookie.

Strong opening day for the 2026 rookie riders

That battle was won by Jesus Rios, who had also been the best placed newcomer at the final test for Rivacold Snipers.

Honda Team Asia’s Veda Pratama was close behind in eighth, the first rider to be just over half a second from Almansa’s time.

Adrian Fernandez dropped from first in FP1 to ninth for Leopard, with another rookie, Brian Uriarte who arrives at Red Bull KTM Ajo as the reigning Junior GP and Rookies Cup champion completing the top ten.

The remaining overnight provisional Q2 places inside the top 14 went to Ryusei Yamanaka, whose late run for MT Helmets – MSI pushed him up to 11th, Guido Pini in 12th on the second Leopard bike, Casey O’Gorman in 13th for SIC58 Squadra Corse and Joel Esteban in 14th for LEVEL UP – MTA.

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2026 Thailand Moto3  – Practice ResultsPosRiderNatTeamTime1David AlmansaSPALiqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM)1:40.990s2Alvaro CarpeSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+0.078s3Valentin PerroneARGRed Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM)+0.204s4Maximo QuilesSPACFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM)+0.236s5Marco MorelliARGCFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM)+0.380s6Scott OgdenGBRCIP Green Power (KTM)+0.474s7Jesus RiosSPARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)+0.498s8Veda PratamaINAHonda Team Asia (Honda)+0.518s9Adrian FernandezSPALeopard Racing (Honda)+0.541s10Brian UriarteSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+0.541s11Ryusei YamanakaJPNAEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM)+0.563s12Guido PiniITALeopard Racing (Honda)+0.576s13Casey O’GormanIRLSIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)+0.667s14Joel EstebanSPALEVEL UP – MTA (KTM)+0.669s15Rico SalmelaFINRed Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM)+0.732s16David MunozSPALiqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM)+0.777s17Eddie O’SheaGBRGRYD – MLav Racing (Honda)+0.822s18Cormac BuchananNZLCODE Motorsports (KTM)+0.852s19Joel KelsoAUSGRYD – MLav Racing (Honda)+0.932s20Matteo BertelleITALEVEL UP – MTA (KTM)+0.976s21Adrian CrucesSPACIP Green Power (KTM)+1.072s22Hakim DanishMALAEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM)+1.094s23Leo RammerstorferAUTSIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)+1.345s24Ruche MoodleyRSACODE Motorsports (KTM)+1.685s25Nicola CarraroITARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)+1.742s26Zen MitaniJPNHonda Team Asia (Honda)+1.824s

 Rookie Rico Salmela became the first rider in the class to fall, almost recovering from his early sector three spill but coming up just short in 15th for Red Bull KTM Tech3.

David Munoz held the final spot in the closing minutes before he was shuffled back to 16th.

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With testing elsewhere it was a first return to the Chang International Circuit in Thailand since the opening race of last season, where Matteo Bertelle took pole, ahead of a Jose Antonio Rueda win.

Bertelle suffered an injury ravaged season after that bright start, but was a much more muted 20th to get 2026 started for the Italian at LEVEL UP – MTA.

Hakim Danish was 22nd but could not be accused of not pushing to the limit, pulling off a huge save to stay on board his MT Helmets bike as the clock ticked down.

Official Buriram Moto3 Records:
Fastest race lap: David Munoz (2025) 1m 41.042s
All time lap record: Jose Antonio Rueda (2025) 1m 40.350s

Free Practice 1

The opening Free Practice session saw Fernandez pick up from where he left off, topping the session – initially bridging the gap from his first ever win from pole to close out 2025.

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The early top three was completed by Kelso and Almansa – the only riders within half a second of the lead time, though the Australian then found himself down in 19th in the second session, with Carpe and Pini beginning their second full season inside the top five.

Pratama was the top rookie in FP1 in sixth, while Ogden was once again the best of the Brits in ninth.

Down in 13th Yamanaka was the last rider within a second of Fernandez in the first track outing for Moto3.

FP1 times can be found below…

2026 Thailand Moto3  – Free Practice (1) ResultsPosRiderNatTeamTime1Adrian FernandezSPALeopard Racing (Honda)1:41.202s2Joel KelsoAUSGRYD – MLav Racing (Honda)+0.317s3David AlmansaSPALiqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM)+0.384s4Alvaro CarpeSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+0.531s5Guido PiniITALeopard Racing (Honda)+0.630s6Veda PratamaINAHonda Team Asia (Honda)+0.652s7Joel EstebanSPALEVEL UP – MTA (KTM)+0.666s8David MunozSPALiqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM)+0.681s9Scott OgdenGBRCIP Green Power (KTM)+0.703s10Maximo QuilesSPACFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM)+0.736s11Valentin PerroneARGRed Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM)+0.880s12Casey O’GormanIRLSIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)+0.884s13Ryusei YamanakaJPNAEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM)+0.996s14Rico SalmelaFINRed Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM)+1.119s15Marco MorelliARGCFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM)+1.217s16Adrian CrucesSPACIP Green Power (KTM)+1.300s17Hakim DanishMALAEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM)+1.382s18Brian UriarteSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+1.399s19Jesus RiosSPARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)+1.456s20Cormac BuchananNZLCODE Motorsports (KTM)+1.547s21Matteo BertelleITALEVEL UP – MTA (KTM)1.659s22Ruche MoodleyRSACODEMotorsports (KTM)+1.777s23Eddie O’SheaGBRGRYD – MLav Racing (Honda)+1.798s24Zen MitaniJPNHonda Team Asia (Honda)+2.183s25Nicola CarraroITARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)+2.247s26Leo RammerstorferAUTSIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)+2.532s

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