Moto3 world champion announces racing future after emotional MotoGP farewell

One-time Moto3 world champion Albert Arenas will compete in World Supersport next season with Yamaha, having announced his departure from the MotoGP paddock.

The Spanish rider announced ahead of last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix that 2025 would be his final year of racing in the MotoGP paddock.

In an emotional social media post, Arenas said he was departing the grand prix paddock having not fulfilled his lifelong ambition of making it to MotoGP.

However, the 2020 Moto3 world champion teased that his racing journey was not coming to an end.

For 2026, he will join AS Racing in World Supersport to compete on a Yamaha R9 and will parner Aldi Satya Mahendra.

“I am very happy to join Yamaha with the new AS Racing team,” Arenas said.

“It’s a new challenge and championship for me, and it’s a big opportunity for me to build my racing career and return to winning ways.

“I arrive with a lot of motivation and the mentality of wanting to keep growing as a rider.

“My objective is clear; to be as competitive as possible and ride to the best of my ability.

“To be part of an official structure with the support of Yamaha is something that motivates me, and I trust a lot in the potential of the project.

“And I want to thank Yamaha, and the team, for the trust and confidence in me. It will be an exciting new journey and I’m very excited.”

Arenas currently competes in Moto2 with the Gresini squad, and managed a podium finish at the Italian Grand Prix.

With one round remaining, he sits ninth in the standings after finishing eighth last weekend at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

News of AS Racing partnering with Yamaha comes after the Evans Bros team announced it was splitting with the Japanese brand despite there being a deal in place for 2026.

That outfit has partnered with Chinese brand ZXMoto.