Marc Marquez has made a mistake as Moto3 client Maximo Quiles signs 2027 deal

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Aspar rider Maximo Quiles has crushed the competition in Moto3 this season, building a 104-point lead over nearest challenger Brian Uriarte at the top of the standings before the summer break.

Quiles has won six of the first 11 races and, perhaps even more remarkably, only finished off the podium once. Having finished third in the lightweight class as a rookie, he is on course to win the title with at least four rounds to spare.

The 18-year-old Murcian is represented by Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez and Jaime Martinez through Vertical Management.

Why Maximo Quiles skipping Moto2 would have made sense

Sky Sports Italy and journalist Rosario Triolo report that Quiles will move up to Moto2 in 2027, staying within the Aspar stable.

Daniel Holgado’s move to Gresini has already been confirmed, and teammate David Alonso is expected to join Honda (though he may start at satellite team LCR). Quiles is an obvious candidate to fill one of the vacancies.

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Quiles is likely to be a factor in the MotoGP rider market ahead of the 2028 season but, with most riders signing two-year deals, there will be limited vacancies.

It could be argued that his historic Moto3 form merits skipping the intermediate class altogether. Jack Miller took this route after a runner-up finish in 2014, while Darryn Binder did the same in 2022 before dropping back down to Moto2.

• READ MORE: Marc Marquez has promised Maximo Quiles that he will ‘wait for him’ in MotoGP before he retires

From Marquez’s perspective, there is no need for Quiles to rush given his age. Had he moved to MotoGP, he would have been the second-youngest rider to compete in the class behind 2002 debutant John Hopkins (18 years, 320 days).

Pedro Acosta was 19 when he arrived, as were Fermin Aldeguer and Fabio Quartararo.

Quiles is a similar calibre of talent, and 2027 is arguably the perfect time to enter MotoGP given the change in regulations, which will partly negate the advantage of experience. The premier class will switch to Pirelli rubber, bringing it in line with Moto2 and Moto3.

There’s no indication that Marquez has pushed for Quiles to jump up two levels, even though his backing would be extremely powerful. He knows it would be a risk but, in light of his results, it’s justified.