All set for the season opener in Buriram

With the 2026 pre-season testing programme now complete, the team heads into the opening round of the Moto3 World Championship fully prepared and confident ahead of this weekend’s season opener in Thailand. A comprehensive winter of development, testing and rider preparation has laid solid foundations as Joel Kelso and Eddie O’Shea get ready for the first Grand Prix of the year. 

Following two productive days of testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, the team leaves Spain encouraged after finally enjoying favourable weather conditions that allowed both riders to complete their programmes, gather valuable data and make the final adjustments ahead of the season opener.

The official February pre-season tests began at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, where persistent poor weather limited track time for the Moto3 riders. With conditions far from ideal, the team adopted a cautious approach: Eddie O’Shea took to the track on the first day, completing ten laps, while Joel Kelso chose to wait for improved conditions in Jerez before beginning his main test programme.

By the time the team returned to southern Spain, the weather had improved. Although track conditions on the opening day still reflected the recent rain, the sun soon emerged, allowing both riders to gather crucial information for the upcoming season across Saturday and Sunday.

Kelso completed 42 laps on the first day in Jerez, setting a best time of 1:46.070 to finish 16th overall. O’Shea also completed  42 laps, achieving a best time of 1:46.841, placing 23rd. Kelso was just over one second behind the fastest rider of the day, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Álvaro Carpe (1:44.980), while O’Shea was 1.9 seconds behind.

Conditions improved further on the second day in Jerez, allowing both riders to increase their track time. Kelso completed 59 laps as he finalised the Honda set-up ahead of Thailand. His fastest lap came on his 44th lap (1:44.738) placing him 14th on the timesheets and just 0.8 seconds behind the day’s fastest rider, Máximo Quiles, who set a 1:43.930.

O’Shea mirrored his team-mate’s progress, completing 60 laps while refining the set-up with his new crew chief. He improved on his previous day’s best with a 1:45.342, the 20th quickest time, finishing 1.4 seconds off the top.

Before the February tests, the team had already completed an initial outing in November, just two weeks after the end of the 2025 season. A private two-day test at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto provided valuable early track time alongside several Moto2 and Moto3 riders. On the second day, Kelso made an immediate impression in his first outing with the team’s Honda, setting a best lap of 1:44.785 to top the day’s standings and finish second overall across the two days. O’Shea posted a 1:45.707 to secure seventh on the day and ninth overall.

Following that first taste of the 2026 season package, both riders made the most of the winter break, balancing well-earned time with family and friends alongside an intensive training schedule in preparation for the new season.

Joel Kelso made the most of the Australian summer to continue riding, while O’Shea trained at several circuits in England and Spain to stay race-ready.

Over the Christmas period, both riders spent time with their families. They then regrouped with part of the team in Italy early in the new year for a wind tunnel programme aimed at refining aerodynamic data and maximising performance ahead of the official tests. In the weeks that followed, both continued their on-track preparation to ensure they arrived at pre-season testing in optimal condition.

Now the wait is over. the team heads to the Chang International Circuit for the opening round of the 2026 Moto3 World Championship. With the groundwork completed, attention turns to delivering when it matters most.

Joel Kelso and Eddie O’Shea arrive in Thailand determined to unlock the full potential of their Honda machinery and start the season as competitively as possible, as the team embarks on the 2026 campaign with confidence, ambition and clear objectives from the very first race weekend.