Moto3 Dream Remains Alive for Kiandra Despite Austria Setback

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian young rider Muhammad Kiandra Ramadhipa may have ended his Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2026 campaign with disappointment, but his pursuit of a Moto3 seat next season remains within reach through another development pathway.

Kiandra was unable to finish the second and final Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, on Sunday, September 20, 2026, after becoming caught up in an incident involving David Da Costa near the end of the race, as quoted by Antara.

According to race organizers, the 16‑year‑old Indonesian was forced out of contention after Da Costa crashed at the end of lap 11, with only five laps remaining. The incident was particularly unfortunate for Kiandra, who had produced a strong recovery from 18th on the grid and climbed to 11th place before the race‑ending accident.

The second Austrian race was eventually won by David Gonzalez. Despite the setback, Kiandra concluded the 2026 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season in ninth place overall with 106 points.

The championship title was secured by Benat Fernandez, who topped the standings with 175 points, ahead of Fernando Bujosa (170 points) and Ryota Ogiwara (159 points).

Although he fell short of the top‑three finish generally required to qualify for Moto3 while still under 18, Kiandra showed marked improvement compared with his 2025 campaign. Last season, the rider from Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, collected 102 points without recording a race victory.

In 2026, he improved his tally to 106 points and celebrated two race wins, claiming victory in Race 2 at Jerez, Spain, and Race 2 at Sachsenring, Germany. Those results underlined his growing competitiveness in one of the most important junior categories on the road to Grand Prix racing.

More importantly, Kiandra’s opportunities to reach Moto3 in 2027 remain open through the FIM JuniorGP World Championship Moto3 category, another recognized pathway to the world championship.

He currently sits fifth in the JuniorGP Moto3 standings with 80 points, just 21 points behind third‑placed Giulio Pugliese, who has 101 points.

Four races remain on the JuniorGP calendar: two at MotorLand Aragon in Alcañiz, Spain, on September 25–27, and two more at Misano in Rimini, Italy, on October 16–18.

Should Kiandra finish among the top three in the championship, the rider -- who will turn 17 on December 4, 2026 -- would meet the requirements to compete for a Moto3 team in the 2027 season.

While the Austrian round brought an early end to his Rookies Cup campaign, Kiandra’s progress this year and his strong position in JuniorGP mean his ambition of reaching Moto3 remains very much alive. ***