Moto2 Qualifying:

The Moto2 qualifying session for the 2026 Grand Prix of Brazil was defined by shifting schedules and a historic performance by the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team. Originally scheduled for Saturday, the session had to be postponed until Sunday morning after a hole emerged on the start-finish straight following MotoGP qualifying, forcing emergency track repairs.

Daniel Holgado emerged as the standout performer, successfully navigating through the Q1 session to gain extra track time before securing pole position in Q2. Holgado set a new lap record for the class at the circuit with a time of 1:20.711, marking his fifth career pole in Moto2.

The Aspar team celebrated a perfect front-row lockout as David Alonso secured second place. Alonso, who had been relatively quiet throughout the practice session, found his pace when it mattered most, finishing just 0.017 seconds behind his teammate in a tight session.

Alex Escrig provided one of the biggest surprises of the morning by qualifying third for the KLINT Racing Team. After showing strong pre-season form, Escrig proved the Forward chassis could be competitive at the front, ending the session only 0.043 seconds off the pole time to complete an all-Spanish front row.

Manuel Gonzalez narrowly missed out on a front-row start, qualifying fourth for the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team. Despite setting fast sectors early in his final run, he struggled with a “wobbling” bike over the track’s bumps in the final sector, finishing 0.079 seconds back from Holgado.

Rookie Angel Piqueras rounded out the second row in fifth, with Collin Veijer in sixth. Piqueras impressed by remaining in the hunt for pole throughout the session, while Veijer secured a solid starting position for the Red Bull KTM Ajo squad. Further down the order, several high-profile riders faced difficult sessions. Tony Arbolino, who had led the wet practice on Friday, could only manage 10th, while American Joe Roberts ended the morning in 16th after progressing through Q1.

Moto2 Grand Prix:

Daniel Holgado emerged victorious in the 2026 Moto2 Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna after a race-long duel with Daniel Munoz. This victory, Holgado’s first of the season and third in the class, moved him into the championship lead after two rounds.

Despite his qualifying pace, Holgado faced an immediate challenge at the race start from Alex Escrig, who surged ahead on his Forward machine. Holgado remained composed, showing Escrig for two laps before reclaiming the lead with a clinical move into the Turn 1 heavy braking zone.

The mid-race phase was a high-speed battle between Holgado and Daniel Munoz. The latter, riding for Italtrans, showcased high corner speed in the final sector, eventually launching a successful attack at Turn 10 with only three laps remaining. The Brazilian crowd was treated to a spectacular duel as the two Spaniards battled, momentarily gapping the rest of the field.

Holgado’s experience proved decisive in the closing stages, with the CFMOTO Aspar rider utilising the slipstream on the main straight to retake the lead at the start of the penultimate lap. Hitting his marks perfectly and defending the inside lines, Holgado broke free from Munoz, eventually crossing the finish line 1.226 seconds ahead to claim his first victory of the 2026 season.

The battle for the final podium spot provided late-race drama. Alex Escrig seemed set to claim third until he made a small mistake at Turn 4 on the final lap, which caused him to run wide. Manuel Gonzalez seized the opportunity, diving through the gap to secure the final spot on the podium. This result was vital for Gonzalez, marking his second consecutive podium and keeping him firmly in the early title hunt.

Further down the order, several riders produced impressive recovery drives. David Alonso recovered from a sluggish start to round out the top five, while Izan Guevara fought through the pack from 13th to finish 6th as the highest-placed Boscoscuro rider. Tony Arbolino, Collin Veijer, Celestino Vietti, and Ivan Ortola rounded out the final top-10 places, respectively. Another notable performance included Adrian Huertas, who climbed nine positions from 21st on the grid to finish in the points.

Moto3 Qualifying:

The Moto3 qualifying for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix at the Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna was a chaotic affair, marked by significant delays and a heavy slate of incidents. Originally scheduled for earlier in the day, the session was pushed back until sunset following emergency track repairs required after a sinkhole appeared on the circuit. This meant the riders faced a rapidly cooling track and changing visibility as they fought for grid positions.oel Esteban emerged from the chaos to claim a career-first pole position for the LEVEL UP – MTA team. Esteban timed his final run to perfection, setting a new all-time lap record for the class at the Goiania circuit with a time of 1:26.241. His performance was particularly impressive given that he was sitting as low as 13th in the standings just minutes before the session concluded.

The second qualifying session (Q2) was almost immediately red-flagged following a violent highside for New Zealander Cormac Buchanan at Turn 4. Buchanan was thrown high into the air, and although he was able to return to the track later in the session, the damage to his rhythm and bike left him at the back of the Q2 field in 18th. Shortly after the restart, rookie Hakim Danish also suffered a front-end fall at Turn 6, though he managed to recover briliiantly.

In an incredible display of rookie talent, the front row featured two newcomers alongside Esteban. Argentine rider Valentin Perrone secured second place for Red Bull KTM Tech3, finishing just 0.206s adrift of the pole time. He was joined by Hakim Danish, who recovered from his earlier crash to take third, marking the first time a Malaysian rider had secured a front-row start in the class since 2016.

The second row continued the theme of “fresh faces”, as Indonesian standout Veda Pratama qualified a career-best fourth for Honda Team Asia. Pratama remained a constant threat throughout the session, eventually leading an all-rookie second row that included Marco Morelli in fifth and Brian Uriarte in sixth. Uriarte had actually led the session earlier but saw his chances of pole disappear after a late crash at Turn 11.

Rounding out the top ten were several riders who had to fight through the initial Q1 session. Alvaro Carpe, Adrian Fernandez, and Ryusei Yamanaka all successfully navigated Q1 to secure spots in the shootout, with Joel Kelso also putting in a resilient performance to qualify seventh despite a crash of his own.

It was a difficult afternoon for the pre-session favourites and championship leaders. David Almansa, who had dominated the Friday practice sessions, saw his pole hopes disappear as a result of a series of yellow flags that cancelled his fastest laps, leaving him a disappointing 14th on the grid. Similarly, Maximo Quiles could only manage 11th after a late fall at Turn 6 prevented him from improving his time.

Moto3 Grand Prix:

Maximo Quiles claimed victory in a dramatic race that was ultimately shortened by a red flag. The Spaniard battled with CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar teammate Marco Morelli, the lead swapping multiple times between them over the final two laps; however, it was ultimately Quiles who executed a perfect defensive line through the final sector to take the chequered flag by just 0.143 seconds.

The event was interrupted by a red flag on the 14th lap after a crash involving Scott Ogden. Due to the Goiania circuit featuring such a short lap time, the track marshals could not safely recover the bike before the lead group returned, forcing the officials to halt the race and set up a final five-lap sprint to the finish.

The race was also a historic milestone for Asian motorsport, as Veda Pratama finished third. By securing the final spot on the podium, Pratama became the first Indonesian rider to ever stand on a Grand Prix podium. His performance was a masterclass, as he picked his way through the lead group during the five-lap sprint to edge out more experienced rivals.

The afternoon was less kind to the pre-race favourites and early leaders. Pole-sitter Joel Esteban suffered a high-side crash on the seventh lap whilst leading the pack, ending his hopes for a maiden victory. Similarly, the championship leader entering the weekend, David Almansa, crashed out on Lap 13 just moments before the red flag was shown, leaving Brazil with zero points.

Behind the podium battle, the race for the remaining top-ten spots was incredibly tight, with the top seven riders separated by less than two seconds. Alvaro Carpe took a hard-fought fourth place for Red Bull KTM Ajo, narrowly beating out Leopard Racing’s Guido Pini. The Tech3 duo of Rico Salmela and Valentin Perrone followed closely behind, showcasing the immense depth of talent in the 2026 rookie class.

Strategic tyre management played a massive role in the race due to the extreme heat in Goiania. Many riders struggled with grip levels during the initial long run, but the red flag reset provided a second chance for those who had opted for softer compounds. This shift in dynamics allowed riders like Casey O’Gorman and Hakim Danish to make late-race lunges into the top ten during the short sprint.