Máximo Quiles locks in next step of Grand Prix journey

Máximo Quiles will graduate to Moto2 with the CFMOTO Aspar Team in 2027, securing the next step in one of the fastest rises through the modern Grand Prix development system.

The 18-year-old Spaniard will remain with Jorge Martínez “Aspar’s” organisation after completing his second Moto3 campaign, although there remains some important business to finish before he turns his attention to the larger and considerably more powerful Moto2 machine.

Quiles begins the second half of the 2026 season with 231 points and a commanding 104-point advantage over Brian Uriarte. His tally is only two points short of the Moto3 benchmark Luis Salom established through the opening 11 rounds of the 2013 season.

Maximo Quiles and the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team celebrate a fifth Moto3 victory of the season at Balaton Park

Ten podiums from 11 starts this year, including six victories, have taken Quiles’ career record to nine wins and 19 podiums from only 29 Moto3 appearances.

At this point, his promotion feels less like a surprise than confirmation of a trajectory that has been building for several seasons.

From the European Talent Cup to Grand Prix racing

Quiles first emerged as a major prospect when he won the European Talent Cup as a rookie in 2021, recording three victories and five podiums during his debut campaign.

Maximo Quiles pictured after winning a Red Bull Rookies race at Valencia in 2022

He repeated that success with the Aspar Junior Team in 2023, taking five wins on the way to a second European Talent Cup crown. MCNews followed that title campaign through to the Valencia season finale, where Quiles completed the championship job.

Maximo Quiles pictured here in 2023 at Catalunya in a European Cup round that was part of the FIM Junior GP series

At the same time, the rider from Murcia was sharpening his racecraft in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. He finished third in the standings in both 2022 and 2023 before adding more victories during the 2024 season.

Among those performances was a brilliantly judged last-lap victory at Le Mans, where he was congratulated in parc fermé by Marc Márquez, followed by another win in a typically frantic Rookies Cup contest at Mugello.

Máximo Quiles celebrating victory at Le Mans in 2024

Quiles also stepped into JuniorGP during 2024. His progress culminated in a maiden JuniorGP victory at the Estoril season finale, giving Aspar further evidence that he was ready for the World Championship.

Immediate impact in Moto3

Quiles was signed for the 2025 Moto3 season before turning 17 and made his Grand Prix debut at COTA shortly after his birthday. He immediately led the opening lap of his first World Championship race, offering an early glimpse of the confidence with which he would attack the category.

Moto3 2025 – Round Seven – Silverstone – Rueda taking the win ahead of Quiles

His first podium followed at Silverstone, where Quiles finished second behind José Antonio Rueda. One month later, he converted that promise into a breakthrough victory at Mugello.

MotoGP 2025 – Round Nine – Mugello – Moto3 Podium – Quiles the victor by a nose over Carpe. Foggia third.

Starting from the third row, Quiles worked his way through the lead group before taking control at the final corner. He then beat fellow rookie Álvaro Carpe to the line by just 0.006 seconds.

It was an appropriately dramatic first Grand Prix victory for a rider whose junior career had been built around last-lap judgement, positioning and an apparent lack of concern about rubbing elbows.

MotoGP 2025 – Round Nine – Mugello – Moto3

Quiles added another victory at Balaton Park after a fierce final-lap confrontation with Valentin Perrone, the pair crossing the line only 0.018 seconds apart.

A commanding win at Portimao completed his three-victory rookie campaign. Quiles finished third in the 2025 Moto3 World Championship with 274 points, missing second place by only eight points while comfortably securing Rookie of the Year honours.

Promise becomes control in 2026

Quiles’ rookie season demonstrated his outright speed. His second year has shown how quickly he has learned to turn that speed into consistent results.

He began 2026 by missing victory in Thailand by only 0.003 seconds before winning the restarted Brazilian Grand Prix on his 18th birthday. Another second place followed at COTA, where Guido Pini defeated him by 0.056 seconds.

MotoGP 2026 – Round One – Thailand – Chang International Circuit – Moto3 – Almansa and Quiles

That combination of speed and relentless scoring put Quiles at the centre of the championship from the outset, although the opening rounds still appeared volatile enough that a runaway title campaign was difficult to imagine. As we noted in our early-season Moto3 form guide, Quiles had become the common factor at the front of an otherwise chaotic category.

He then began turning consistency into control.

MotoGP 2026 – Round Two – Brazil – Moto3 – Quiles leading Morelli

A polished home victory at Jerez was followed by a wet-weather win at Le Mans. Quiles then completed a run of three consecutive victories at Catalunya, recovering from downshift problems and a difficult middle phase of the race before switching into what he described as “killer mode” on the final laps.

Máximo Quiles on top at Jerez in 2026

He crossed the Catalunya finish line only 0.094 seconds ahead of Carpe, with David Muñoz also within two-tenths, but the wider significance was the championship margin. The Barcelona victory stretched Quiles’ advantage to 64 points after only six rounds.

Further wins followed at Balaton Park and Assen, where Quiles resisted sustained pressure from David Almansa to claim his sixth victory of the season.

Even his Sachsenring weekend illustrated how far his approach has evolved. Quiles crashed before recording a time on Friday, forcing him through Q1, but recovered to fight Uriarte throughout the race and finish second by only 0.063 seconds.

Maximo Quiles at Sachsenring

Rather than taking a desperate final-corner risk, Quiles banked another 20 points and left Germany with his championship lead increased to 104. The restraint was notable from a rider whose early career was often defined by his willingness to attack almost any available gap.

Máximo Quiles

“I’m a more well-rounded rider. I have more experience, and I think I make smarter decisions. Last year I was really eager – that’s normal when you’re a rookie in the World Championship.

“Now I watch the races and say, ‘Look, I didn’t need to overtake there.’ That eagerness can sometimes get the better of you and lead to mistakes that I now try not to repeat. This year I’m calmer and I do things when it makes sense to do them.”

Maximo Quiles, David Almansa and Marco Morelli on the Moto3 podium at Assen after Quiles converted pole into his sixth win of the season. Moto2 awaits in 2027

Quiles’ promotion continues a well-established pathway within the Aspar organisation.

Albert Arenas, Izan Guevara and David Alonso all won Moto3 World Championships with the team before progressing into Moto2. Aspar now hopes Quiles will complete the same journey, although the team is careful not to treat the 2026 title as a foregone conclusion.

Jorge Martínez “Aspar”

“We’re delighted to be able to compete with Máximo Quiles in Moto2. This year he’s been the rider to beat in Moto3 and we’re going to keep working hard over the coming months to finish the season as champions before making the leap to the intermediate category.

“We believe he is ready for all the challenges that lie ahead and we know that together we can give our very best. Furthermore, with Máximo’s move to Moto2 – just as we did with Arenas, Guevara and Alonso – we are continuing to consolidate our rider development model from grassroots level right through to the World Championship.”

Quiles believes the physical dimensions and riding characteristics of a Moto2 machine should suit him, particularly given his height and long arms, and admits he is already eager to begin testing.

Máximo Quiles

“I’m really motivated and can’t wait to try out the Moto2 bike. I think it’s going to be a bike that really suits my style and is great fun. I’m tall and have long arms, so I think this type of bike will suit me well.”

That opportunity will come soon enough. For now, Quiles insists there will be no change to the session-by-session approach that has carried him into such a commanding position.

With half the season still to run, the immediate objective is to convert his 104-point advantage into the Moto3 crown. Should he succeed, Quiles will arrive in Moto2 following the same path as Arenas, Guevara and Alonso – but with a rate of progression that has been remarkable even by Aspar’s lofty development standards.

Maximo Quiles now leads the Moto3 standings by 104 points