At MotorLand Aragon, Izan Guevara, the Spanish rider aboard a GasGas, secured a fourth pole position in Moto3—a reflection of his consistent top-shelf performance in qualifying. He edged Ayumu Sasaki of Japan on a Husqvarna and Daniel Holgado of Spain on a KTM, sealing the top three on the grid. The result speaks to Guevara’s steadiness in the warm-up for the race and to Holgado’s ability to push for front-row speed on home soil, much to the delight of many fans. [citation: official timing data]
During a carefully choreographed session, Guevara and Holgado shaped a duo-like dynamic that helped keep competitors at bay during crucial minutes. Although they race for separate teams, their shared focus appeared to deter rivals from breaking into contention, allowing both riders to clock two of the fastest laps and claim the two leading positions in the starting order. Holgado set the pace early, then Guevara climbed to the fastest time as the track evolved, reaffirming his front-runner status as the session wore on. [citation: session observations]
Other notable qualifiers included Spanish riders Carlos Tatay on a CFMoto and David Muñoz on a KTM, along with Italian Riccardo Rossi on a Honda and Japanese rider Taiyo Furusato also on Honda. They formed the next group advancing to the second classification gate, while a few others, such as Kaito Toba from Japan on a KTM and Italian Andrea Migno on Honda, faced tougher conditions to stay in the mix. Australian Joel Kelso, along with Spanish women’s riders Ana Carrasco and María Herrera, also featured in the qualification mix but did not reach the top tier. [citation: grid summary]
Before the second classification kicked off, Jaume Masiá returned to the Leopard Honda squad after a difficult spell with KTM, signaling a renewed push to rejoin the competitive echelon. His return added intrigue as teams recalibrated strategies for a race that rewards quick thinking and precise bike setup. [citation: team changes]
The lead flipped early in the second session when Holgado posted the initial fastest time, only to be surpassed moments later by Ayumu Sasaki. Sasaki’s flying lap pressured Guevara to push harder to defend the top spot. Cold track conditions and variable winds kept many riders from sustaining perfect laps, turning every corner into a potential time maker or breaker. [citation: timing data]
Guevara ultimately posted a 1m57.868s lap, slicing 95 thousandths of a second off Sasaki’s best, with several minutes still on the clock for further attempts. The session turned strategic, as riders weighed whether to go for another rapid push or conserve rear grip and tire life for the final run. The overall mood was tense yet focused, as multiple riders tested different strategies to maximize every out-lap. Track temperature and wind remained less than ideal, tempering what could have been a record-setting pace. [citation: timing notes]
Diogo Moreira of Brazil, riding a KTM, struggled to replicate his earlier pace, and misreads on strategy allowed Guevara and Deniz Öncü, also on KTM, to stay ahead in the early Spanish round. The two Spaniards demonstrated how to use opening laps as a platform for a late surge, prompting others to chase but not quite catch the frontrunners. This performance underpins Guevara’s fourth pole of the season, placing him in prime position ahead of Sasaki and Holgado. [citation: strategy analysis]
The first row of the starting grid in this session leaned toward Honda in the early phase, with Tatsuki Suzuki leading the charge, flanked by John McPhee and Dennis Foggia in the second line. The next batch included Spanish talents Iván Ortola and Jaume Masiá, along with Italian Stefano Nepa, all aboard KTM bikes. This arrangement highlighted a strong Spanish presence on the grid and suggested a balanced spread of manufacturers across the top ranks. In the following row, Xavier Artigas, Carlos Tatay, and Sergio García Dols lined up with notable showings for their teams. Deniz Öncü finished thirteenth overall, his effort not yet a defining moment in the session. He would await the next practice or another qualifying run to climb the order. The final grid reflected a blend of timing, weather, and strategy that kept the action tight throughout. [citation: grid interpretation]