Veda Ega Defeats World Champion Maximo Quiles, Secures Pole Position at the Australian Moto3 event.

Veda Ega Pratama has carved new history for the world of Indonesian Motorcycle Racing after recording the fastest time during the 2026 Moto3 Australia qualifying session at Phillip Island Circuit, Saturday 24 October 2026. This Honda Team Asia rider became the first ever Indonesian rider to claim a Grand Prix pole position. 

The 17-year-old rider posted a lap time of 1 minute 35.299 seconds, finishing ahead of all his rivals including Maximo Quiles, who had already secured this season's Moto3 world championship title.

The official MotoGP Instagram account highlighted this historic milestone for the rider originating from Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta.

"Just made history for Indonesia," wrote the official MotoGP Instagram account alongside a photo of Veda on Saturday.

This success is a major achievement for Veda during his debut Moto3 season. 

He has not only demonstrated exceptional single-lap pace, but also proven he is capable of competing against elite level riders in one of the world's most competitive motorcycle racing championships.

Veda Ega Pratama Defeats 2026 Moto3 Champion

The Australian Moto3 qualifying session was fiercely contested. Veda only finished 0.021 seconds ahead of second placed Maximo Quiles, who recorded a lap time of 1 minute 35.320 seconds.

Meanwhile, home rider Joel Kelso secured third position after posting a time of 1 minute 35.366 seconds, finishing 0.067 seconds behind Veda.

These narrow time differences show just How tight the battle at the front was. Under these conditions, perfect timing to execute a clean fastest lap became the critical deciding factor for starting grid positions.

Veda's path to pole position was not an easy one. He first had to compete in Qualifying 1 (Q1) to earn a spot to advance into Qualifying 2 (Q2).

Veda progressed after finishing 4th in Q1. He lifted his performance level in Q2 to set the fastest lap time and lock in his first ever pole position in his debut Moto3 season.

This achievement shows Veda's consistent positive progress throughout the season. Starting the race from the front grid position gives Veda a strong chance to record his best ever result in the Moto3 class.

Two Previous Podiums As Foundation To Chase A Top Result

Before making history at Phillip Island, Veda had already demonstrated his potential with two podium finishes this season. The young Indonesian rider finished third at both the Brazilian Grand Prix and French Grand Prix.

These two podium finishes provided valuable experience during his debut campaign. Ahead of the Australian Moto3 round, Veda occupied 8th position in the provisional championship Standings with 111 points.

On the championship table, Quiles leads comfortably with 351 points. Alvaro Carpe sits in second place with 217 points, while Brian Uriarte holds third position with 198 points.

Despite the significant points gap to the championship leaders, this pole position result proves Veda can match the best riders in the class over a single lap. His next challenge will be maintaining this consistent pace across the full race distance.

Starting from pole position gives Veda the opportunity to fight right at the front from the very start of the race. However he will still face fierce competition throughout the entire grand prix, including from Quiles and Kelso who will line up directly behind him on the starting grid.

The 2026 Australian Moto3 Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday 25 October 2026 at 07.00 WIB at Phillip Island Circuit, with riders competing over a total of 21 laps.

For Veda, this pole position opens the opportunity to return to the podium once again, as well as chase the best result of his entire debut season. 

Regardless of the final race outcome, his achievement at Phillip Island has already permanently etched Veda's name into Indonesian Grand Prix history records.