Image: Supplied.

A career-best second-place finish at round three of the Moto3 World Championship has left team LevelUp-MTA’s Joel Kelso with increasing belief after a strong ride at the Americas GP on Sunday proved front-running competitiveness for both he and the team.

Kelso’s weekend in the United States started on the right foot, with the Australian international securing a front-row start thanks to a third-place time in qualifying.

From there, the 21-year-old delivered a steady performance throughout the 14-lap encounter, collecting what would be a dual podium for the team and Kelso’s first in dry conditions.

“Today, we proved that we are competitive, and that’s what really counts,” commented Kelso after the race. “We already showed our strength [yesterday], and today we were able to confirm that with a second place [finish].”

Despite the strong result, Kelso acknowledges that continued work is needed to contend consistently, for which both he and the team are up for.

“We still need to work to close the gap to our rivals, but that’s the challenge we love, and that’s why we are here,” he added.

After three rounds of world championship racing in 2025, Kelso moves into sixth place in the overall Moto3 standings, with the Grand Prix of Qatar the next stop on the calendar on April 11-13.