Fifth and sixth positions for Carpe and Rueda, which were competitive both in the morning FP2 and in the afternoon Qualifying of the Argentinian Grand Prix.

There was a positive Saturday for the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders, as Alvaro Carpe and Jose Antonio Rueda took fifth and sixth on the grid, respectively. Earlier on in the day, in FP2, both riders worked on their race pace ahead of tomorrow’s Argentinian GP.

Saturday morning started with track conditions similar to those of Friday afternoon: Dry, but with overcast skies and mild temperatures. FP2 was productive for the two Red Bull KTM Ajo riders, who managed to return to the Top 10 at the end of the session. Rueda was the most active, leading for several minutes of the session. The current Moto3 World Championship leader completed a total of 14 laps, to finish fourth with a best time of 1:47.117. He was 3 tenths quicker than on Friday. Carpe also put in a positive 14 laps, although he was unable to improve on his Friday time. With a best lap of 1:47.430, the rookie focused on working on his race pace to conclude FP2 in ninth place.

In Q2, all riders were forced to make an early appearance on track, due to Q1 adverse weather conditions at Termas de Río Hondo. Carpe and Rueda worked together to try to consolidate a good grid position, pulling away from the main group and the slipstream and managing to run several tenths faster in the dry than in FP2. Finally, working alone, they secured places on the second row on the grid. Carpe completed eight laps during Q2, with a best time of 1:46.645, for fifth place. Rueda put in the same amount of laps as his teammate, and his 1:46.662 put him sixth.

After a positive Saturday, Red Bull KTM Ajo completed two thirds of the Thai Grand Prix with good results. The pair will defend their one-two positions in the rider standings in the 18-lap Moto3 Argentinian GP, which starts at 12pm local time on Sunday.

Qualifying Results
1. Matteo Bertelle (KTM) 1:46.034
2. Angel Piqueras (KTM) 1:46.266 +0.232
3. Ryusei Yamanaka (KTM) 1:46.330 +0.296
4. David Almansa (Honda) 1:46.363 +0.329
5. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:46.645 +0.611
6. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:46.662 +0.628

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Q2 could have been very difficult due to the rain, but luckily we were able to ride in the dry. I felt strong and my teammate and I worked well again, so the feeling and starting position are good for tomorrow. We could have gained a few more places on the grid, but there are long straights here and we didn’t take full advantage of the slipstreams. I’m happy overall, so it’s time to focus on preparing for the race as best as possible.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“I’m very happy with today. This morning we were able to take a step forward and work well on the setup, both in terms of our Time Attack and race pace. The second row means a lot to us, as it reflects all the hard work we’ve done throughout the weekend. We’re very motivated for Sunday’s race and feel capable of being in the group to compete with the rest of the riders on equal terms.”