Record-breaking Moto2™ pole for Agius; sixth Moto3™ pole for Almansa

· Australian pole. Australian rider Senna Agius (Kalex) secured pole position for the 2026 Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera with a time of 1’33.718, setting a new all-time lap record and lowering the benchmark set by Daniel Holgado last year (1’34.216) by almost half a second. Behind the Australian, who took his second pole of the year after the season-opening GP in Thailand, Daniel Holgado and Ángel Piqueras completed an all-Kalex front row. All three riders opted for soft SC1 front tyres.

· Almansa’s sixth Moto3™ pole of the season. Twenty-year-old David Almansa (KTM) took pole with a 1’40.612 lap on his sixth of eight laps, using soft SC1 compound tyres at both ends. Behind him were Brian Uriarte, also on a KTM but with a medium SC2 front tyre, and Joel Kelso (Honda), who, like the pole-sitter, used SC1 compound tyres at both ends. For Almansa, who sits third in the championship standings, it was his sixth pole of the year, following previous poles at Buriram, Mugello, Balaton, Brno and Aragón.
 
· Sun and rain. Saturday’s qualifying sessions took place in the warmest conditions of weekend so far, with the track temperature reaching 44°C during the Moto2™ session. By contrast, rain at the circuit during the early hours of both Friday and Saturday affected the Moto3™ teams’ work programmes, forcing them to run FP1 and FP2 in wet conditions. In this context, Pirelli DIABLO™ Rain tyres delivered consistent performance and high levels of grip, allowing the riders to work confidently despite the changing and challenging track conditions.

Positive debut for the new Moto2™ front solution
 
“At Misano, we introduced a new front specification for the Moto2™ riders, identified by the code F0749. This solution uses the same compound as the standard soft SC1 but combines it with a completely revised structure developed to increase support and provide greater stability.
The feedback gathered during the opening sessions has been particularly encouraging. The riders, who had the opportunity to make a direct comparison with the standard SC1, reported greater precision and stability under braking and on corner entry, as well as a better feel when releasing the brakes, allowing them to hold their line more effectively all the way to the apex.
We are still at an early stage of the evaluation, but the riders’ initial feedback is always a very important indicator. The fact that several of them are already inclined to confirm this solution for tomorrow’s race is an encouraging sign and is consistent with our expectations. At the rear, meanwhile, the SCX has once again proved to be the clear benchmark, and we expect it to be the unanimous choice for the race.
Finally, in Moto3™, we expect the soft SC1 solution to be the predominant choice on both axles, although some riders may opt for the medium SC2 at the front depending on their set-up needs and riding style.”