Brian Uriarte is a Moto3 race winner. The reigning MotoJunior and Red Bull Rookies Cup champion claimed his maiden victory at Mugello following a classic, chaotic battle that went down to the final lap. Escaping the massive lead group, Uriarte secured the win while his Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Alvaro Carpe clinched P2. Meanwhile, Malaysia's Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) delivered a fine ride from pole to earn his debut podium in Moto3, leaving World Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) to settle for P11.
It all started from an inherited pole position for Danish, coming after David Almansa’s (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) unfortunate withdrawal due to illness. Danish nailed the start, but Joel Kelso (GRYD MLav Racing) pounced halfway around the first lap to grab the early lead. Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) then swept past Danish for P2 by the end of the opening lap, while title race leader Quiles found himself down in P14 in Italy.
Things moved fast on the Italian asphalt. Three laps in, Quiles had clawed his way up to P8, and Uriarte used a dose of classic Mugello slipstream to pinch the lead. A lap later, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) led for the first time, and another lap after that it was Carpe at the front with Quiles surging all the way up to P2.
Then came the turbulence. On Lap 7 of 17, Rico Salmela’s (Red Bull KTM Tech3) crash on the exit of Turn 4 broke the group apart, leaving the top eight 0.9s clear of the chasers with Quiles leading Fernandez. But that gap vanished within a lap as Eddie O’Shea (GRYD MLav Racing) and company bridged the opening. On Lap 13, O’Shea grabbed the Moto3 lead for the first time after a brilliant rise through the top 10, though it didn't last long as Fernandez, Quiles, and Kelso pounced right back.
Track position became critical with three laps to go, with Fernandez fronting the 15-rider-strong pack from O'Shea and Quiles. Then disaster struck on the penultimate lap at the final corner: Quiles had a huge moment on the rear end, getting thrown out of the seat and dropping completely out of the top 10.
Last lap time arrived instantly. At the Casanova/Savelli section, Uriarte leapt into the lead to demote Fernandez to P2, triggering an almighty scrap for the podium behind. That fierce fight allowed Uriarte a rare, clean, and uninterrupted run to a dream debut win, with teammate Carpe and polesitter Danish joining him on the podium. Fernandez lost out on a win and a rostrum entirely on the final lap, but P4 is a solid result for the Spaniard given Quiles' late heartbreak.
Esteban ended the race in P5 ahead of O'Shea, who secured a career-best P6 despite losing places in the hectic finale. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia), Kelso, and Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounded out the Mugello top 10. A frustrated Quiles had to settle for P11 after he and teammate Marco Morelli ran wide at the final corner trying to avoid contact in the pack. Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA), Morelli, Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power), and home hero Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) grabbed the final points scorers, with Pini losing ground on the last lap after a small trip into the gravel trap.
What a battle at Mugello. Quiles’ championship lead now comes down to 52 points ahead of a trip to Balaton Park next weekend, as we strap in for more Moto2 action in Hungary.
