Here is the thing about racing: sometimes a machine and a rider just click, and David Almansa proved it in stunning fashion. Just a week after withdrawing from the Italian GP with illness—where he was actually supposed to start from pole—the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP rider is back on top with a blistering 1'45.686 in Hungary. That is what I call a proper response.
It turned into a two-horse show at the sharp end of the grid. Almansa and Championship leader Maximo Quiles, riding for the CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team, simply checked out from the chasing pack. They pulled out more than half a second on everyone else, leaving just six hundredths of a second between them at the flag. Brian Uriarte rounded out the front row for Red Bull KTM Ajo, having brilliantly fought his way through Q1 to make his third place count.
Looking down the grid, Valentin Perrone of Red Bull KTM Tech3 heads up the second row. He is split from his teammate Rico Salmela by Jesus Rios, who is flying the flag for the Rivacold Snipers Team. Row 3 brings together Marco Morelli (GRYD Racing), Adrian Cruces (CIP Green power), and Veda Pratama for Honda Team Asia. Veda Pratama rolls into this weekend holding third overall in the standings, aided by the disqualification of Adrian Fernandez from the opening six GPs of the year. Fernandez finds himself starting down in P11, sitting just behind Joel Kelso from GRYD Racing.
Of course, qualifying is never without its drama and heartbreaks. Yellow flags shook things up, an ill-timed shortcut for Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completely invalidated his lap, and David Muñoz suffered a crash for Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP. That misfortune leaves both Carpe and Muñoz scrambling, as they head into Sunday without a proper lap set between them.
%2FGettyImages-2298178390.webp&w=800)
