Qualifying at Circuit de Barcelona for the Moto3 Catalan Grand Prix saw a late rush to the line with Valentin Perrone picking up his first pole position of the season.
The Q2 session boiled down to who was going to be last over the line as time after time tumbled back down the timing tower. The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider was tucked in behind his team-mate Rico Salmela, with the duo arriving latest to the line, the tow enough to pull the Argentinian rider to pole for the third time in his career after a few rounds off the pace, with a 1m 46.679s lap.
After successfully navigating through Q1 after being pushed into the fist qualifying session after his last lap on Friday was cancelled by yellow flags, David Munoz was also working with his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team-mate David Almansa, pulling him to first just before Perrone, leaving the home rider just 0.005s slower in the tight session.
Rookie Brian Uriarte was the early session leader before he too made late improvements, with teamwork the order of the day as he was helped around by Alvaro Carpe to the third best time, to complete the front row for Red Bull KTM Ajo.
Almansa, who took pole at the Catalan round in 2025,was fourth after his lap with Munoz after a fall in FP2 left no issues, just quicker than Marco Morelli in fifth, the best of the Aspar riders.
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Jesus Rios was competitive and in with a shout of pole for the Rivacold Snipers team. The rookie, as with all the newcomers, was more in touch at a familiar track, finishing as the top Honda rider in sixth.
Championship leader Max Quiles was late to set a lap, flirting with track limits on his way to seventh on the second Gaviota Aspar bike.
Joel Kelso brought home the Gryd MLav bike in eighth, just clear of Adrian Fernandez, who topped the morning FP2 session and was on pole at the last round in Le Mans.
Rookie Hakim Danish had controlled the Friday action, moving to Q2 directly with the top time. That left the MT Helmets rider a target for a tow, frustrating the rider who finished inside the top 10.
Another crash in the morning put Alvaro Carpe on the backfoot, already in Q1 after a spill on Friday in the timed Practice session, working in a team duo did not aid the Spaniard, who was 14th after moving through Q1.
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Salamela went on to place 15th but will have to serve a long lap penalty in the race for slowing in front of other riders on Friday, including Nicola Carraro, who had to sit up and avoid him.
Official Catalan Moto3 Records:
Fastest race lap: Jose Antonio Rueda (2024) 1m 46.748s
All time lap record: David Alonso (2024) 1m 45.905s
Best Pole: David Alonso (2024) 1m 45.905s
Q1 – Guido Pini Powers to Q2, no way through for Scott Ogden
Guido Pini (17th in Q2) left it to right at the end of the session to pull out a lap full of red sectors to move to Q2 with he top time.
The Leopard rider was joined by long time session leader Carpe, who held onto second, with an out of sync Munoz running solo for third.
Casey O’Gorman (12th) was another late improver to climb into the top four from eighth.
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Scott Ogden had traffic at the start of his last lap. His transponder initially didn’t ow a time over he line, though the CIP Green Power rider only moved up to fifth, for 19th on the grid, just ahead of his team-mate Adrian Cruces.
Full qualifying results can be found below.2026 Catalan Moto3 – Qualifying ResultsPosRiderNatTeamTime1Valentin PerroneARGRed Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM)1m46.679s2David MunozSPALiqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM)+0.005s3Brian UriarteSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+0.019s4David AlmansaSPALiqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM)+0.136s5Marco MorelliARGCFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM)+0.248s6Jesus RiosSPARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)+0.269s7Maximo QuilesSPACFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM)+0.303s8Joel KelsoAUSGRYD – MLav Racing (Honda)+0.313s9Adrian FernandezSPALeopard Racing (Honda)+0.328s10Hakim DanishMALAEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM)+0.379s11Joel EstebanSPALEVEL UP – MTA (KTM)+0.434s12Casey O’GormanIRLSIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)+0.470s13Matteo BertelleITALEVEL UP – MTA (KTM)+0.489s14Alvaro CarpeSPARed Bull KTM Ajo (KTM)+0.492s15Rico SalmelaFINRed Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM)+0.677s16Eddie O’SheaGBRGRYD – MLav Racing (Honda)+0.744s17Guido PiniITALeopard Racing (Honda)+1.039s18Ryusei YamanakaJPNAEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM)+1.159sQ119Scott OgdenGBRCIP Green Power (KTM)1m 47.608s20Adrian CrucesSPACIP Green Power (KTM)1. 47.624s21Veda PratamaINAHonda Team Asia (Honda)1m 47.636s22Ruche MoodleyRSACODE Motorsports (KTM)1m 47.814s23Nicola CarraroITARivacold Snipers Team (Honda)1m 48.372s24Zen MitaniJPNHonda Team Asia (Honda)1m 48.525s25Leo RammerstorferAUTSIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda)1m 48.681s26Cormac BuchananNZLCODE Motorsports (KTM)1m 48.703s