17.05.2026
MotoGP 2026 - Round 06 of 22, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain – Race
Highlights and key moments from race day at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya:
- Brad Binder endures two restarts and manages to guide his KTM RC16 to P7 after 12 laps at the Catalan circuit and the second GP in Spain this year
- Pedro Acosta starts from Pole Position for the first time this season and fights for victory in each MotoGP outing. The Spaniard suffers contact with another rider and falls out of 4th on the final corner
- Maverick Viñales scores points for the first Sunday this year with 11th and completes race day without any further complications or complaints from his left shoulder
- Moto3™ silverware for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe with 2nd place after a typically thrilling and entertaining race
Pedro Acosta started from Pole Position for the first time this season for the 24-lap distance and joined the rest of the Red Bull KTM crew (Brad Binder launching from P8 on the grid, Enea Bastianini from P14 and Maverick Viñales from P17) knowing that the 14-corner 4.6km layout would be a tough test for tire durability and optimum traction.
Acosta flew into the lead and then tried to administer the pace as part of a top three. With 13 laps to go and while fronting the pack Pedro suddenly had an electronic issue out of Turn 9 and was hit by Alex Marquez. The collision spread debris across the track and caused a red flag. An accident into Turn 1 of the restart halted the race again. A second restart allowed a 12-lap dash to go ahead and Acosta vied for the lead and was eventually punted out of 4th in a collision into the final corner.
On the other side of the pitbox, Binder had a technical issue on the Warm-up lap meaning a pitlane start. Brad circulated adrift of the field but was given a reprieve with the restarts. He salvaged a creditable 7th on a weekend where he made a step with his set-up and pace.
Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Maverick Viñales avoids any drama or complications and picks up his first points of the season in 11th. Teammate Bastianini, renowned for his tire preservation skills and remembering his first KTM podium result at the same Grand Prix in 2025, was circulating in 13th when he had to stop on lap ten.
Acosta is 4th in the world championship. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 hold 4th and 10th positions from the list of 11 in the Teams’ standings while KTM are currently the third ranked Constructor in MotoGP.
The Red Bull KTM teams will remain in Catalunya for the second one-day IRTA test session of the season on Monday.
Brad Binder, 7th and 14th in the championship: “I took the spare bike after we had the problem on the warm-up lap and was just trying to make some laps. Unfortunately, we had a red flag. On the restart I was up to 8th from 20th: I think it was one of my best starts ever but then we had another restart. I made it up to 9th but managed to blow Turn 1. I had to cut back and then work on catching the dudes in front of me that were fighting for 5th. It’s a pity…also that I qualified 8th and had to start from 20th twice. A weekend where we were unlucky but then also fortunate to have those starts.”
Maverick Viñales, 11th and 20th in the championship: “My rhythm was good but I still don’t have enough flow and corner speed and I’m burning the tires. Tomorrow we will work on the details and we need to make some long runs on the bike and do some tuning. I think it is a matter of doing some adjustment and I already felt much better in Warm-up. This was a good training for Mugello. I now have one full week to regain full strength.”
Pedro Acosta, DNF and 4th in the championship: “It looks like we had an electronic problem in the first race. That’s it. This is what happened. I just want to send all possible strength to Alex [Marquez] and Johann [Zarco] because this is what matters today. I don’t know if it was necessary to make a third race today. I always say the show must go on…but we are the ones who make the show. We didn’t need that third start. My problems today are not important.”
Enea Bastianini, DNS and 12th in the championship: “I lost power and it was the end of a difficult weekend. My speed was good from Friday and it was positive for the race but I made a bad start. I was recovering positions and was close to the group for 7-8th and waiting for the tire drop. It’s a shame. Also it was a brutal accident today and then also again in Turn 1. It is not easy to brake there with a MotoGP bike.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A really tough day and our expectations were a lot different to how everything finished. Our weekend had started positively and the Sprint went well but too many things happened today. It’s time to analyze all what happened and it’s important we can test tomorrow. Pedro’s performance was really strong all weekend but we also need to be happy with Brad’s Grand Prix from Friday. I think we have made steps across the board and we need to continue this trend in Mugello. We send our best wishes to Alex and Johann and hope they have a speedy recovery.”
Grand Prix of Catalunya photographs can be found HERE
Results MotoGP Grand Prix of Catalunya
1. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) Ducati 20:06.243
2. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) Ducati +1.466
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +4.320
7. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +5.137
11. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +10.147
DNF. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
DNF. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Aprilia, 142 points
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Aprilia, 127
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) Ducati, 116
4. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 92
12.Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 39
14. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 37
20. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 5
KTM GP Academy
Moto3 was full of promise for the KTM GP Academy. Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Valentin Perrone started from Pole Position for the 18-lap race with Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte also on the front row. Alvaro Carpe and Rico Salmela were a little further back and gunned into action from the fifth row.
Two KTM RC16s were in the leading pack as the laps clicked down. Uriarte enjoyed several spells setting the pace and Carpe joined the fray with two circulations left to run. In the sprint to the flag the top ten was divided by just 1.1 seconds and Carpe came 2nd in the closest ever Moto3 top three classification at the track. It was also Alvaro’s best slot of 2026 yet and his second podium appearance. Uriarte was 0.128 from the win and 4th place represented the finest result of his rookie term so far. Perrone was in the second pack and took 12th while Salmela was 17th.
After six rounds of 22, Carpe is the highest-placed Moto3 runner and holds 3rd in the championship standings. Perrone and Uriarte are also in the top ten.
Alvaro Carpe: “It was impossible to make to plan! Everybody was riding super-crazy with a lot of overtakes; I think it was the race with the most overtakes I’ve had in my life. Everyone was super-fast in the slipstream and it was difficult to go to the front and the wind also made it difficult. I want to say thanks to the team and we’re back on the podium. I’m very happy.”
Moto2™ lapped the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 21 times but Collin Veijer was in salvage mode after a poor start from 2nd on the grid and having to serve a Long Lap penalty due to contact with another rider in the French Grand Prix last weekend. Jose Antonio Rueda rode proactively from a decent grid spot and his 12th position was a career-best so far in Moto2, earning him 4 championship points. Veijer tried to enter the top fifteen but a late race crash forced a DNF.
Results Moto3 Grand Prix of Catalunya
1. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team 32:28.964
2. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.094
3. David Muñoz (ESP) KTM +4.227 +0.098
4. Brian Uriarte (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.128
6. Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team +0.581
12. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +9.805
17. Rico Salmela (FIN) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +10.074
World Championship standings Moto3
1. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 140 points
2. Adrian Fernandez (ESP) Honda, 76
3. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 73
4. Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 58
6. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 56
9. Brian Uriarte (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 42
16. Rico Salmela (FIN) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 21
Results Moto2 Grand Prix of Catalunya
1. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) 36:06.295
2. Celestino Vietti (ITA) +0.203
3. Izan Guevara (ESP) +4.205
5. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +7.971
6. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Aspar Team +8.080
12. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +15.056
DNF. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) 104.5 points
2. Izan Guevara (ESP) 86
3. Celestino Vietti (ITA) 73
5. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 58
7. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 49
11. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 29.5
22. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 5
PRESS CONTACT
Evangelia Sissis
PR Manager MotoGP
M: +43 676 665 2742
E: evangelia.sissis@ktm.com