Kelso equals best Honda result in 100th start

Joel Kelso charges from P13 on the grid to as high as fourth in one of Qatar’s standout Moto3 performances

Kelso rocketed away when the lights went out in his 100th Moto3 race, jumping to 10th off the line before picking off Pratama and Esteban to complete Lap 1 in eighth. By Lap 3 he’d already carved his way to sixth and taken control of the second group, chasing runaway leader David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) as the #22 escaped up the road. Kelso’s pace stayed strong and on Lap 6 he reeled in Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3), drafting past on the straight to grab fifth.

The Queenslander kept pushing and on Lap 11 he swept past a fading Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) through Turn 8 to seize fourth, with Pratama still in close company. With four laps to go Kelso sat 4.5 seconds adrift of the podium fight, and Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) had joined the scrap for fourth as the battle intensified.

What followed was a frantic run to the flag, with Kelso trading positions repeatedly in a three-way fight that later expanded when Carpe rejoined the contest and ran Danish off the track. Later in the lap Kelso was mugged by Pratama, and Carpe also came through, leaving Kelso to bring it home in sixth, a result he was nonetheless rapt with.

“P13 to P6 under the lights in Qatar! Had to get busy in the opening two laps!” Kelso said. “The podium was just a little too far up the road by the time I got to the front of the group, which is a shame because our pace was great. Would’ve liked a little more out of the final stages of the race, but plenty of positives to take away after a few tough rounds without points. Good to show that we’re working in the right direction! A big thanks to the team for all their hard work.”

Up front, Almansa made it count from the first corner, snatching the holeshot at Turn 1 and leading every lap in his most dominant and comfortable win yet. It was his fourth victory of 2026, and he finished 2.5 seconds clear of ex-teammate Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) in second, with World Champion Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) third. Fernandez grabbed P2 after Quiles made a rare mistake at Turn 6 with two and a half laps to go, then held on by 0.069s at the line, while Quiles’ third place was still enough to wrap up the Teams’ Championship for the year.

Early drama struck at Turn 1 on Lap 2 when contact between David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put Uriarte on the floor, earning Muñoz a Long Lap Penalty. Muñoz later received a double Long Lap Penalty for taking out Eddie O’Shea at Turn 14. Uriarte recovered to 14th after the collision and crash, and still sealed the 2026 Moto3 Rookie of the Year title.

With two rounds remaining, Kelso sits 15th in the championship standings, while Almansa can secure P2 overall next time out at Portimao with a top four finish.

2026 Qatar Moto3 race