Brian Uriarte won the 2026 Moto3 German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring circuit in Germany on Sunday, defeating championship leader Maximo Quiles in a last-lap duel. Uriarte started from pole position and held off Quiles to finish 0.063 seconds ahead after 23 laps, officials said.
The race, held on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at the 3.671-kilometer Sachsenring circuit in Germany, covered 23 laps for a total distance of approximately 84.4 kilometers, officials said. The official race time recorded for Uriarte was 33 minutes, 2.694 seconds, with Quiles finishing just 0.063 seconds behind, according to the official timing sheets. This narrow margin confirmed a tightly contested finish, which MotoGP described as a “Sachsenring classic.”
Uriarte, riding for Red Bull KTM Ajo, started from pole position and maintained a fierce duel with championship leader Maximo Quiles of the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team throughout the race.
The battle between Uriarte and Quiles dominated the race narrative, with sources confirming that the two riders broke away from the rest of the pack early on. Third place went to Matteo Bertelle of LEVEL UP–MTA, who finished 5.053 seconds behind Uriarte, underscoring the duel at the front. Fourth place was claimed by Marco Morelli of the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team, who crossed the line a mere 0.007 seconds behind Bertelle, highlighting the close competition for the final podium spot.
According to MotoGP’s race report, the contest was described as a “cat and mouse” battle, with Uriarte defending his lead against constant pressure from Quiles. A critical moment came late in the race when Quiles made a mistake that forced him to settle for second place. Spanish outlet TodoCircuito added that in the final two kilometers, Uriarte “covered all the gaps brilliantly,” allowing him to hold off Quiles by the narrowest of margins. The race was characterized by both sources as a classic Moto3 slipstream battle that captivated fans at the Sachsenring.
This victory marked Uriarte’s second win of the 2026 season and his career, having previously won at Mugello earlier in the year. MotoGP’s report noted that Uriarte’s win elevated him to second place in the Moto3 World Championship standings with 127 points, surpassing his teammate Álvaro Carpe, who dropped to third with 126 points. Despite finishing second, Quiles extended his championship lead to 231 points, maintaining a comfortable margin at the top of the standings, according to both MotoGP and TodoCircuito.
All three podium finishers rode KTM machinery, emphasizing the manufacturer’s strong performance in the race. The race also saw a full field complete the event without any red-flag interruptions. Notably, Joel Esteban and Adrián Cruces were involved in a heavy crash earlier in the race, described by TodoCircuito as the “big scare of the day,” but both riders escaped without serious injury.
The Sachsenring Moto3 race served as the opening event of the Grand Prix day schedule, providing an intense and dramatic start to the racing program. With the championship standings now clearly defined heading into the summer break, Uriarte has emerged as the primary challenger to Quiles, who remains the dominant figure in the category. The next round of the Moto3 World Championship will be closely watched to see if Uriarte can maintain his momentum against the established leader.
