91 thousandths separate the World Champion from achieving his sixth Pole Position of the season, with his teammate sixth in Q2.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders will start from the front and second rows of the grid, respectively, at the Australian Grand Prix,on a weekend that could see them crowned Team World Champions. Jose Antonio Rueda will take off from second place, inside the Top 3 for the tenth time this season. Alvaro Carpe completed a solid Saturday with sixth on the grid, inside the front two rows for the 12th time this season.

Saturday began windy and cloudy at Phillip Island, with temperatures of just 12°C and 88% humidity, and midway through FP2 it began to rain.

Rueda quickly climbed to the top of the timesheets riding alone. Only a minor scare at the exit of Turn 3 halted his momentum slightly, and he then decided to work with the race in mind. The rainfall forced him to head back to the pits, and avoiding risks he decided to remain there until the end of the session, securing third place with a 1:35.197. He was 3 tenths quicker than his best time from Friday’s Practice session, and completed 12 laps in total. Carpe rode ten laps and also drew positive conclusions from the morning session. The rookie was competitive from the first lap, demonstrating that he has already adapted to the Australian track. Combining working with a group with laps ridden on his own, he managed to secure sixth place before the rain arrived, courtesy of a 1:35.600. Whilst it didn’t improve his Practice time, his feeling was better than on Friday.

In the afternoon, track temperatures rose to 25°C and humidity dropped to 63% for the grid-defining Q2 session, showing a similar conditions than yesterday in Practice.

In the final 15 minutes, Rueda made a Time Attack on his own, although many of his rivals lined up behind him to try to take advantage of a slipstream. However, the newly crowned Moto3 World Champion managed to put in a great lap initially, then a 1:34.147 following a pit stop that was a second faster than his previous best time at the circuit. He battled with Joel Kelso for pole position, with the home rider leaving Rueda in second place on the grid. It was the tenth time the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider has placed inside the Top 3 in Q2 this season. Carpe had an excellent session, managing to slot in behind his teammate at the start to try to get his fast lap in early. However, he only managed to place 14th, and required another attempt on his second stint. That time around, he managed to put together a 1:34.492, climbing into the Top 6 for the 12th time this season in Q2. He rounds out the second row, having been 8 tenths faster than his best lap from Friday.

In conclusion, it was a consistent and exciting Saturday for Rueda and Carpe, who tomorrow will be in a strong position to secure the team title for Red Bull KTM Ajo. To do so, both will be aiming for a great result in what is always a special race, where weather conditions will be key in determining the outcome of the event. The 21-lap Moto3 race will take place one hour later than the expected: at 12pm (local time) and could end with Red Bull KTM Ajo becoming Team World Champions at Phillip Island.

Qualifying Results
1. Joel Kelso (KTM) | 1:34.056
2. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:34.147 (+0.091)
3. Luca Lunetta (Honda) | 1:34.281 (+0.225)
4. Taiyo Furusato (Honda) | 1:34.406 (+0.350)
5. Matteo Bertelle (KTM) | 1:34:447 (+0.391)
6. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:34.492 (+0.436)

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“It was a positive day today. We were only able to do a few laps in the morning due to the rain, but I’m happy with the pace we showed during our time on track. In the afternoon, in Qualifying, we encountered conditions that were almost perfect for what we can expect at Phillip Island, with sunshine and hardly any wind, so we really enjoyed it. I would have liked to have Alvaro with me on the front row, but it wasn’t to be. We’re satisfied with the work we did, so we’re now focused on the race -which won’t be easy with the wind and the large field of riders who will be bunched together. We’ll have to fight until the last second, so it will be vital to keep a clear head at all times.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re very happy with today’s performance. We showed good pace in the morning, so I’m convinced we can fight at the front in the race. In Q2, we didn’t quite get the time we wanted because I didn’t calculate the exact distance I needed to get the most out of working with my teammate, but a second row is still great. Tomorrow could be a great day for everyone, so we’ll enjoy it and fight for a good result, which we’ve deserved after so many weeks of working to be back with the best. It’s what we aim for, after all.”