Can Öncü unveils the latest Moto3 project for the team in Mattighofen, Austria, metres away from the KTM factory.

Red Bull KTM Ajo presented their promising 2019 project in the Moto3 class in Mattighofen, Austria, with rider Can Öncü getting the chance to see the bike with which he will participate in his rookie season in the World Championship. The Turkish talent made a spectacular debut wildcard appearance at Valencia in the last race of 2018, becoming the youngest man ever to win a Grand Prix. The presentation also saw the unveiling of KTM’s structures for Moto2 and MotoGP, as the manufacturer prepares for a third consecutive season competing across all three classes.

Since their first collaboration in 2012, the partnership between Red Bull, KTM and Ajo Motorsport has enjoyed plenty of success, winning the Moto3 title twice -with Sandro Cortese in 2012 and Brad Binder in 2016. Under the management of Aki Ajo, this year the team will take part in the eighth season in the lower cylinder class, confirmed as the first step of KTM’s structure across the three categories.

The new Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 bike will be out on track on February 18th-19th, in a private test at the Jerez Circuit-Angel Nieto. Can Öncü will take part in three days of testing in which both he and the team will get ready for the season opener, to be held on March 10th at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Aki Ajo – Team Manger
“The Red Bull KTM Ajo team is part of the KTM structure, and part of our job is teaching young riders. This year in the Moto3 class we have Can Öncü, who in the last race of last year, at Valencia, achieved something incredible by taking his first victory in his very first race. But you have to keep your feet on the ground and we cannot forget that this will be his first year in Grand Prix racing. The goal for both him and the team will be to continue to improve day after day. Can [Öncü] has great talent and I am sure that by learning steadily and taking advantage of all the experience of our structure, he will have a great future.”

Can Öncü #61
“It’s a dream come true to be here today. Red Bull KTM Ajo are the team of my dreams, so being able to move up to the Moto3 World Championship with this team and form part of this big family is very special. I have always dreamed of being a World Championship rider, so I’m very happy to have achieved it. My aim for this season is to learn as much as possible, as new circuits for me will be coming up where we will have to work hard to learn and adapt to them. Nevertheless, I am going to give my all to try to achieve good results. I want to make the most of this great opportunity to compete in the World Championship.”