Spanish rider Daniel Holgado, racing for KTM, claimed his first world championship victory by winning the Moto3 Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao. He finished ahead of his fellow Spaniard David Muñoz and Brazilian Diogo Moreira, both also on KTM. Moreira marked Brazil’s first podium since Alex Barros last stood on a Moto3 podium at Mugello in 2007.
Turkish rider Deniz Öncü, also on KTM, endured a challenging start after his bike wouldn’t fire and mechanics had to push it back to the workshop for repairs, leaving him at the back of the grid. He fought back fiercely to climb from last to a competitive position during the race.
At the start, Australian Joel Kelso on a CFMoto set the early pace, but the pole sitter Ayumu Sasaki on a Husqvarna and Daniel Holgado from KTM moved to the fore as the field settled. Runner-up José Antonio Rueda, another KTM rider, had a difficult launch and shed several spots early on, finishing the first lap eighth while Kelso led momentarily. Holgado moved to the front in the second lap, with Kelso trying to respond but Holgado and Moreira, who started down in sixteenth place, soon joined the leading group. The early phase saw Kelso stay close as Moreira advanced into ninth, becoming a relentless challenger in the second segment of the race.
Holgado turned the day into a memorable milestone, a moment a 17-year-old can hardly forget. The young Spaniard celebrated as the winner, with Muñoz and Moreira completing the podium for a historic KTM one-two-three. The moment was captured by fans and broadcasters alike, and the post-race celebrations drew attention across social media and race highlights.
Born in Madrid to a Colombian mother, Colombian rider David Alonso, riding a GasGas, faced a crash on the Pioneer on the fourth lap after colliding with Spaniard Iván Ortolá as the group attempted to improve positions. The incident prompted an investigation by Race Direction. On lap four Kelso regained the lead, but no one could break away as the main pack stayed tightly bunched through the later stages. Holgado seized the initiative again on the fifth lap, and Sasaki began to apply pressure after Ortolá received a double long-lap penalty for dangerous riding while running eighth.
The main group, which included up to thirteen riders, stayed compact and competitive as the race wore on. Muñoz looked like the leader on lap seven but was overtaken by Holgado before Turn 1 at the finish line as the pack continued to squabble for position. The fight remained intense through the final laps, with neither side yielding any ground easily.
The battle intensified in the final stages as the group of thirteen riders jostled for position, with Diogo Moreira, Muñoz, Rueda and Jaume Masiá all contributing to the aggressive exchanges. Ortolá’s penalties reshaped the order, moving him down the field, but the core lead fight persisted for a dramatic ending.
One notable moment came with eight laps remaining as Sasaki and Muñoz pressed forward, showing determination to overturn Holgado’s advantage. Then on lap fifteen, Moreira led the race briefly while the leading trio hammered away at the rest of the field. As the laps ticked down, Muñoz and Rueda, along with Masiá, applied continual pressure in pursuit of the lead while Öncü remained in the mix at eleventh, aiming to deliver a late surge that could disrupt the top positions.
Holgado entered the final stretch with a precision performance, clocking a lead of just 0.252 seconds over Muñoz near the end. The Spaniard held firm, and Moreira could not overturn the gap in the closing meters. The final order saw Holgado first, Muñoz second, and Moreira third, with a host of riders completing the top ten, including Rueda in fourth, followed by Masiá, Sasaki, Nepa, Artigas, Kelso and Öncü.
The podium scenes drew enthusiastic reaction, with celebrations that reflected the magnitude of the win for Holgado. A dramatic racing day also featured Kelso’s crash as he crossed the finish line in the moment of triumph for Holgado, an incident that underscored the high drama of Portimao’s fast and demanding layout.
Retired moments and post-race footage included expressions of excitement from Holgado and playful exchanges with Kelso on the track, underscoring the emotional highs and lows that mark such a breakthrough victory.
David Salvador, on KTM, finished thirteenth, while Ana Carrasco, also on KTM, placed twenty-third, rounding out the field. The Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao delivered a memorable race weekend with young talent stepping into the spotlight and a new milestone for a rider who could be set for a bright future in MotoGP.
In reaction to the race, fans and broadcasters highlighted the dramatic moments, including Holgado’s decisive display and the unexpected twists that affected the final standings. The event reinforced Portimao’s status as a staple venue for Moto3 and a showcase for emerging talents who may shape the near-term horizon of the category.