Máximo Quiles celebrates coming of age with his first win of the season, whilst his team-mate Marco Morelli achieves his first Moto3 podium after finishing second

The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team has conquered the Brazilian Grand Prix. Máximo Quiles won the Moto3 race, followed by his teammate Marco Morelli, who secured his first podium in the category by crossing the finish line in second place, just one-tenth behind Quiles. Veda Pratama completed the top three and also secured his first podium in a race that was interrupted by a crash and resumed with just five laps remaining.

Máximo Quiles dominated the Moto3 race at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider was forced to fight his way up from the fourth row of the grid but quickly climbed to the front to battle for a place on the podium. The Spaniard maintained a strong pace that allowed him to break away alongside the race leader, who crashed shortly afterwards. This situation worked even more in Quiles’ favour, as he continued to extend his lead over the group by more than four seconds. However, a red flag caused by another rider’s crash halted the race with ten laps still to go. The race resumed with just five laps remaining, and Quiles was determined not to waste the opportunity to start from pole position: he once again set a blistering pace to break away from the pack and secure his fourth Moto3 victory.

His teammate Marco Morelli also enjoyed a superb Sunday at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna. The Spanish-Argentinian struggled in the first race due to a lack of tyre grip, which caused him to lose positions despite having been in the podium places in the opening laps. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider dropped down to seventh place, from where he started the second race. The red flag worked in Morelli’s favour; he seized the opportunity and did not hesitate to go all out in an attempt to catch his team-mate. Despite his limited experience in the category, he was the only rider capable of matching Quiles’ pace and even managed to lap faster at times, though he fell just a tenth short of victory. This was Quiles’ first win of the season, putting him at the top of the overall standings, whilst Morelli’s second-place finish places him second. Thanks to this one-two finish, the first since the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team also leads the team standings.

Win Máximo Quiles: “It’s been a really good weekend. I’m leaving Brazil on a high note and there’s no better birthday present than celebrating with a win. It’s been a perfect Sunday. I was a bit disappointed with the red flag, but in the second race I decided to go flat out from the start. I’m really happy with the win and my teammate’s first podium. Marco showed me the victory dance all weekend. He never told me what it was for, though I could guess, but I didn’t want to jinx it. It was brilliant.” 

2nd Marco Morelli (+0.143): “I went all out and tried to catch Máximo; we were both riding very fast and he made it very difficult for me. He’s a top-class rider and I’m really happy to share my first podium with him. I’m close to home, so it’s been even more special. I want to dedicate this to my family, but especially to my dad because it was Father’s Day this week, although I would have loved it to be a win. It was a brilliant sprint race. In the first race I didn’t feel comfortable with the tyres, although I got out in front at the start. I tried to push, but from the third lap onwards I didn’t have good grip and I started losing positions. I was very lucky with the red flag, because in the second race, with different tyres, I was able to make the most of the pace I’d had all weekend. I started seventh and found it a bit hard to overtake other riders because there were so few laps.”