Veda Ega Pratama Shines in Moto3 Thailand Debut, Muñoz Faces Challenges

Veda Ega Pratama (#9) made a remarkable debut in the 2026 Moto3 Thailand Grand Prix, securing a stunning fifth-place finish at the Chang International Circuit. The performance was a surprise, surpassing expectations and placing him ahead of more experienced riders, including David Muñoz.

Pratama’s Impressive Performance

Pratama’s fifth-place finish was particularly noteworthy given it was his first race with Honda Team Asia. He finished 1.97 seconds behind Veda, demonstrating a strong performance on his debut (Ohlins Indonesia Facebook).

Muñoz Struggles in Thailand

In contrast, David Muñoz (#9), a three-time Grand Prix winner from the 2025 season, faced difficulties during the race. He finished in 16th place, unable to replicate the strong start of his teammate, and had to qualify through Q1 (MotoGP). Muñoz finished 11.657 seconds behind race winner David Almansa (Cycle News).

Muñoz expressed his disappointment with the result but remained optimistic about the upcoming race in Brazil. He acknowledged the team’s support and vowed to work towards a better performance (Cycle News).

Race Overview

The 2026 Thai Moto3 Grand Prix saw David Almansa take a record-close victory, winning by just 0.003 seconds – the joint smallest margin in Moto3 history (Crash.net). Maximo Quiles finished second, and Valentin Perrone completed the podium in third (Crash.net).

Muñoz, who has been competing in the Moto3 class since 2022, switched to the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team in 2025 (Cycle News).