Milan Pawelec has started 2026 just as he started 2025: at the top of the podium and leading the Moto2 European Championship
AGR Team remains in excellent form. The team led by Anscari Nadal has begun its defence of the Moto2 European Championship title with Milan Pawelec leading the standings following a victory and a third-place finish in Barcelona.
In the first race, Pawelec demonstrated excellent pace and tyre management, improving as the race went on, whilst in the second race the conditions were even tougher. The Polish rider overcame the toughest moments and secured third place on the podium following his victory in the first race, results that put him at the top of the standings with 41 points. This top position is also special for Astemo: the AGR Team’s new technical sponsor has secured its first victory in Moto2 with Showa suspension and Nissin brakes, two key elements in the bikes’ performance.
J.J. Nahlous also put in a commendable performance. The Australian rider, making his debut in the category, managed to score his first points in both Moto2 races. He finished twelfth in the first and thirteenth in the second, results that demonstrate his potential. Meanwhile, Owen Van Trigt finished twentieth in both races.
In the Moto3 Junior World Championship, Kgopotso Mononyane has demonstrated the clear step forward he has taken since pre-season. The South African rider managed to stay with the large leading group battling for podium places in both of today’s races. Ultimately, the AGR Team rider finished eighth and eleventh.
In the Moto4 European Cup, rookie Luuk de Vries celebrated his birthday today with his first race in this class. De Vries managed to improve day by day and gained valuable experience for his upcoming races. The Dutch rider crossed the finish line in twentieth position.
Milan Pawelec: “It’s been a great start to this new season. I’m very proud of the team and really happy for all the people who came to support me. The second race was really tough in the heat; I was pushing to the limit managing the tyres, and I want to congratulate Dennis Foggia and Unai Orradre because we had a great battle and they were very strong. I can only thank everyone who came all the way here to support me; I love the passion of all the Polish fans. Also, a big thank you to the whole team – let’s go for the next one!”
J.J. Nahlous: "I think my nerves got the better of me at the start of my first Moto2 race. Towards the end, I noticed I was starting to feel more comfortable and I scored my first points. In the second race, I wanted to be more aggressive in the opening laps and that’s what I did. I felt really good and, once again, we scored points and were close to the top 10, so we’re happy.”
Owen Van Trigt: "I felt pretty good in both races, but it was a shame that in the opening laps I couldn’t show my best form. If we improve on the starts and the opening laps, we’ll take a big step forward because the pace is good and I feel comfortable on the bike. We’ll try to improve in the next one."
Kgopotso Mononyane: "I enjoyed the first race more than the second. In the first race, I felt really good on the bike; the feedback was excellent and we finished eighth. In the second race we finished eleventh and, in both, less than three seconds off the win. Compared to the first race, in the second I didn’t feel quite as comfortable on the bike, but I managed to stay with the leading group and I’m happy because we’ve picked up some good points for the championship. We’re continuing to gain experience and learn… and I think it’s possible to secure a win this year; I believe that at Estoril, if we keep working like this, we can get a good result and fight for the podium. We’re going to keep fighting, and it’s proving just how well we’ve worked throughout the pre-season.”
Luuk de Vries: “I’m happy, to be honest. Especially because it’s my first weekend in this championship and I was able to take part in the race—that was the goal. My start wasn’t great and I made a few mistakes in the early laps, which meant I fell behind the group… though I managed to catch up with them again later. In the final laps I had some good battles and gained positions, so it’s been a great learning weekend for us.”






















































































































































































































































