Veda Ega Pratama, a 17‑year‑old rider making his Grand Prix debut, received a sanction at the Moto3 Qatar 2026 Grand Prix. After ignoring the yellow‑flag signal during the first free‑practice session, he must drop six places on the starting grid, preventing him from starting from the front six rows.
The penalty reduces Veda’s chances of competing at the front, although he still has an opportunity to affect the race outcome. The previous week, Veda secured runner‑up in Moto3 Malaysia 2026, even reaching the podium after starting from eighth position.
In Qatar, Veda showed competitive performance on the first day, recording sixth place in the first free‑practice and fifth in the practice session. His time gap to leader Maximo Quiles was only about 0.3 seconds, indicating a relatively small margin.
The rider expressed a positive attitude ahead of the race, naming the Lusail circuit his favourite. A record of three podiums, including two titles in the Asia Talent Cup, provides additional motivation for him.
In a press conference held the previous week, Veda emphasized that his primary goal is not the final championship standing, but rather a good race, scoring points, and correcting mistakes that occurred during his debut season.
Source: cnnindonesia.com
