Diogo Moreira finishes seventh in the Balaton Park Sprint
Balaton Park CircuitPro Honda LCR rider enjoys strong day in Hungary
After qualifying 11th on the grid for the Sprint race at Balaton Park, Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira made a great start and moved up into sixth position on the opening lap. The Brazilian rider enjoyed some close battles with his rivals and successfully defended his position for much of the race. At the chequered flag though, he crossed the line in seventh place - his best MotoGP result to date.
Luca Marini did what needed to be done in Q1 alone, securing passage with a perfectly timed lap towards the end of the session as others hunted for a slipstream. His 1’37.594 saw him head to Q2 as the second fastest rider, going just a fraction slower in the second session to secure ninth on the grid – equalling his best Qualifying result of 2026. From the third row, the #10 launched well in the Sprint and did his best to defend from the likes of Moreira and Bastianini early on. A close fought battle with Di Giannantonio would see Marini lose contact with the top ten, crossing the line in 12th place. Improving grip and turning will be the primary focus for Sunday.
Missing out on a Q2 spot by only 0.162s had Joan Mir lining up in 13th on the grid for Saturday’s Sprint. Determined to make up ground early, Mir went deep into Turn 1 when the lights went out as he looked to tag onto the back of his teammate. Settling into his rhythm and doing his best to bring his Honda home, Mir crossed the line in 15th place as he again looked for better handling from his package and looked for a solution to vibrations.
Cal Crutchlow continued to make progress at the Hungarian circuit, making a strong start in the Sprint. The Castrol Honda LCR replacement rider followed a smart strategy and conserved energy for the final laps. He took the chequered flag in 22nd place, having gathered valuable information and experience ahead of tomorrow's Grand Prix.
Today I gave absolutely everything in the Sprint. I did my best and got the most out of our package to secure this result. We know we can be more competitive in Sprint races, and that’s what I tried to make the most of today. We’re working really well and making progress every weekend, so we need to keep this momentum going and see what we can achieve tomorrow.
Today I gave absolutely everything in the Sprint. I did my best and got the most out of our package to secure this result. We know we can be more competitive in Sprint races, and that’s what I tried to make the most of today. We’re working really well and making progress every weekend, so we need to keep this momentum going and see what we can achieve tomorrow.
Positive to come through Q1 today, we were able to put together a good lap at the right time. It’s the first time all year that I have felt strong like this in Qualifying. Not our best start today, we have become used to better ones and then my braking point wasn’t ideal so we could have made up some more places with a bit more risk. I was behind Pecco and Diggia for a while, but I didn’t have the same speed or feeling as this morning – much less grip than before. We need to check how we can improve the grip and the turning for tomorrow, understand what tyre to use depending on how the temperature behaves as it was quite hot today.
Positive to come through Q1 today, we were able to put together a good lap at the right time. It’s the first time all year that I have felt strong like this in Qualifying. Not our best start today, we have become used to better ones and then my braking point wasn’t ideal so we could have made up some more places with a bit more risk. I was behind Pecco and Diggia for a while, but I didn’t have the same speed or feeling as this morning – much less grip than before. We need to check how we can improve the grip and the turning for tomorrow, understand what tyre to use depending on how the temperature behaves as it was quite hot today.
We were really close to getting through Q1 with Luca, a shame to miss out but I think I made up for it with my start to the Sprint! A tricky day today, in the Sprint we had a lot of vibration again and it was quite complicated to ride how I wanted. You probably saw me drop quite some places in the Sprint and this was just from a small mistake, nothing strange. I did my best to get the bike home, stay with my teammate for as long as could and try to improve for tomorrow. The condition of the track changed quite a lot from this morning to the afternoon so we need to check what the situation will be on Sunday.
We were really close to getting through Q1 with Luca, a shame to miss out but I think I made up for it with my start to the Sprint! A tricky day today, in the Sprint we had a lot of vibration again and it was quite complicated to ride how I wanted. You probably saw me drop quite some places in the Sprint and this was just from a small mistake, nothing strange. I did my best to get the bike home, stay with my teammate for as long as could and try to improve for tomorrow. The condition of the track changed quite a lot from this morning to the afternoon so we need to check what the situation will be on Sunday.
The shoulder is not too bad, actually better than I expected. I wanted to save some energy and manage the race in a smart way, and we managed to do that. I’m losing some time in the changes of direction, but in other areas I’m performing quite well. Right now, we’re not focused on the result; we’re focused on understanding more and continuing to make progress. This circuit is demanding for me because I have no references here, as it’s completely new. In any case, we’re doing a good job and I’m feeling comfortable on the bike. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow!
The shoulder is not too bad, actually better than I expected. I wanted to save some energy and manage the race in a smart way, and we managed to do that. I’m losing some time in the changes of direction, but in other areas I’m performing quite well. Right now, we’re not focused on the result; we’re focused on understanding more and continuing to make progress. This circuit is demanding for me because I have no references here, as it’s completely new. In any case, we’re doing a good job and I’m feeling comfortable on the bike. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow!
