Who’s flying into Phillip Island? The title fights, fast finishers and dark horses who could shake things up for the last junior classes blast down Gardner Straight 

Phillip Island arrives at a fascinating point in the year, with plenty still to play for across both support classes and no shortage of riders turning up with very different stories behind them. In Moto2, Manuel Gonzalez, Izan Guevara, David Alonso, Daniel Holgado, Ivan Ortola and Senna Agius all head south with their own reasons for feeling confident, cautious or quietly expectant. In Moto3, Maximo Quiles, David Almansa, Brian Uriarte are the names to watch while Joel Kelso will be looking to bounce back at a circuit that rewards bravery and smoothness.  Some are chasing titles, some are chasing momentum and some just need a big result at the right time.

 

MOTO2

1 – Manuel Gonzalez
Say what you like about Gonzalez. But he knows how to handle disappointment. The Spaniard lost last year’s Moto2 crown despite holding a healthy 60-point advantage over his main rival at the midway stage. And this season he was passed over for a MotoGP seat for the second year in succession.

To his credit, this only seemed to drive him farther. Gonzalez has been the class of the Moto2 field this year, proving irresistible on his good days and solid on his bad. A midseason run of three straight victories (and five podiums) strengthened his title credentials. He’s managed the situation solidly since then.

Sure, there hasn’t been another contender that appears capable of relentlessly hauling him in, as Diogo Moreira did in 2025. And there was the Silverstone wobble, when he stood up to celebrate victory a lap early. Otherwise, he’s been ice cold all the way.

In some ways, it’s a crime his showings haven’t warranted a MotoGP deal. But Gonzalez reacted to that well, pledging another year to Moto2 as he seeks a premier-class deal for 2028 – a clever tactic when there was plenty of World Superbike interest. Australia hasn’t always been his best track, a matter he’ll be seeking to change this time around.

2 – Izan Guevara
There was a time when it appeared Guevara didn’t have the strength or intelligence to make it in Moto2. Having waltzed to the 2022 Moto3 title on a wave of pure talent, the Spaniard was shocked to find he could no longer just show up and ride. Total dedication was required.

The following two years were anonymous, as he finished 22nd and 17th in Moto2. But midway through 2025, there were signs he had worked it out. Physically leaner and stronger, the Majorcan started to post a run of consistent results on the Boscoscuro chassis, which was clearly a worse package than its Kalex counterparts. He was rewarded with a maiden Moto2 win at Valencia.

Since then, Guevara has never looked back. While still aboard the Boscoscuro, the 22-year-old was a top-seven runner at every round before the Asian tour to maintain a title challenge – a massive achievement considering the hardware at his disposal.

On his day, he’s been magnificent, with no one else getting close in France or Austria. That speed has earned him a MotoGP call-up in 2027 as Jack Miller’s replacement. Can he repeat his Moto3 win in Australia from 2022 as he seeks to close farther in on Gonzalez?

3 – David Alonso
There were many reasons to think Alonso would walk away with this year’s Moto2 crown. While slow to get to grips with the class in 2025, the young Colombian scored three podiums from the final four rounds in his rookie year. Plus, he’d signed a secret deal with Honda as early as September that would take him to the premier class in the 2027 season.

Yet it’s not been so straightforward. Alonso was lucky to avoid serious repercussions in a first-race collision with Senna Agius. A shoulder injury sustained riding motocross in May resulted in a lull. Plus, Honda’s wish to place Diogo Moreira in its factory team for 2027 – a place Alonso thought was his – derailed him over the summer.

The season’s not been a disaster. He won a race, scored three further podiums and sat fourth overall before leaving Europe. But expectations were higher – a consequence of winning a record 14 races in his victorious Moto3 season in 2024, perhaps. At no point has he seriously threatened this year’s title fight.

His Phillip Island record is good, however. He won here in Moto3 two years ago and was the rider closest to Agius last season. He can still make a play for second overall. Winning here would be a massive help.

DARK HORSES

1 – Daniel Holgado
Much like Alonso, expectations were sky-high for Holgado entering 2026. The Spaniard was even more impressive than his teammate last term, scoring two dominant wins, three further podiums and a fine sixth overall in his rookie campaign. Under mentor Pol Espargaro’s guidance, a title challenge was a minimum requirement. But after winning in Brazil in March and signing a deal with Gresini Ducati for 2027 soon after, it’s all gone a bit quiet. Coincidence? The 21-year-old has still been a consistent front-row and top-five threat. But questions remain over his temperament when the pressure is on.

2 – Ivan Ortola
Ortola’s rookie Moto2 campaign in 2025 was tough to judge. Unlike the riders he fought with in Moto3 (Alonso, Holgado and Collin Veijer), he was aboard a less competitive Boscoscuro yet still ended the year with a podium. A switch to Kalex in 2026 immediately paid off. And since a follow-up podium in France, the 22-year-old has been a consistent presence in Moto2 scraps at the front. A maiden win at Brno was achieved in breathtaking style and was soon backed up by further success in Germany. Despite having a rotten Phillip Island record, he should be a top-three contender.

The home hero – Senna Agius

In some respects, 2026 has been a case of what could have been. Had he not been taken out at the first corner in Misano, or suffered near-identical gear-shifter issues at Silverstone and Austria, Senna could be fighting for the championship. But in others, it’s still been a great year. The 21-year-old has taken a massive step forward with his consistency, scoring eight top-four finishes in the first 15 rounds, including fine wins at COTA and Jerez. He was mistake-free when Tech3 was judging if he was worthy of a spot in MotoGP. The fact he secured the deal showed just how well he did. He’ll be looking to replicate last year’s heroics.

MOTO3

1 – Maximo Quiles
You know when a rider leads the first lap of his grand prix debut, he must be something special. There hasn’t been a great deal since that day in Austin last year to suggest Quiles isn’t the real deal. Marc Marquez’s protege was third overall in 2025 despite missing four races. And he’s walked this season, winning nine races and amassing a 131-point championship advantage before the series left Europe. Incredibly, he’s yet to not finish a race. As fast as he is ruthless, there are signs of Marquez’s cold-blooded racecraft when he’s fighting his rivals. You can tell he’s already in their heads.

2 – David Almansa
No one can say Almansa has had it easy in 2026. He broke an elbow after crashing out of the lead in Brazil. Tonsillitis kept him out of Mugello and a serious bout of flu sidelined him in Germany. Plus, he’s had a monster in Quiles to defeat. Yet the 20-year-old has been the second-fastest Moto3 rider this term, and deserved his victories in Thailand and Silverstone. There were signs of Quiles getting to him in Austria, where he crashed out of the lead. But his six pole positions before leaving Europe attest to his speed. He’s earned his Moto2 promotion for 2027.

3 – Brian Uriarte
The latest talent straight off the Spanish conveyor belt. Big things were expected of Uriarte after he scored a Red Bull Rookies and Junior World Championship double in 2025. And there have been real moments of class in his rookie season. A first win in a madcap Mugello encounter launched a nine-race run which saw the 18-year-old compete for the podium at each race. In that time he even beat Quiles in two last-lap, head-to-head duels in the Czech Republic and Germany. As with any rookie, there have been occasional mistakes. But there’s little reason to think Uriarte won’t be nailed on for the 2027 Moto3 title.

The home hero – Joel Kelso

After his best-ever season, in which he finished sixth overall, Joel took a gamble on GRYD MLav Racing for 2026. The Aussie pushed the team to make changes internally and go testing in the wind tunnel. Both he and teammate Eddie O’Shea have felt the benefits.

Having adjusted his riding style in the early rounds, Kelso has qualified on the front row four times in the first 15 rounds, and fought towards the front at Mugello and Misano. That first podium of the year had eluded him in Europe, but he already has two at Phillip Island, a track that should suit that sweet-handling Honda chassis. Joel will give it his all in in front of lively home support.