The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 duo head to a new country to kick off the first double-header of the season.

Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda return from a two-and-a-half-week break for the second round of the 2026 Moto2 World Championship season, travelling to South America for the Brazilian Grand Prix. The completely renovated Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna is back on the Grand Prix calendar for the first time since 1989, and is the second shortest on the current schedule, behind only Sachsenring.

Veijer arrives in Brazil off the back of a good preseason and an even better Thai Grand Prix, making him one of the riders to beat in the intermediate class. After finishing 2025 with excellent results, he started 2026 with a Top 5 finish in Buriram. Although the Dutchman is unfamiliar with the circuit and with Brazil itself, this weekend will be a good opportunity to measure his speed on equal terms with other riders. Receiving 6.5 points after only half-points were given in a curtailed Thai Grand Prix, Veijer is fifth in the overall standings.

Rueda had a shortened preseason due to injury, but made progress throughout February, in which he debuted with a Moto2 bike at the Jerez Official Test and took part in the Thai Grand Prix. With better results each time he took to the track in both events, the current Moto3 World Champion is looking to move towards his full potential. Although unable to finish the Thai Grand Prix due to an accident involving another rider, he will attempt to open his points tally in Brazil.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Moto2 team visit Brazil for the first time in their history, with only 125cc experience from over two decades ago for the structure itself. Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda will be tasked with ensuring that the debut is as successful as possible, starting on Friday with Free Practice 1 at 10:00 a.m. (local time) that will be a little much longer than usually: 50 minutes instead of 40. The 26-lap race will be on Sunday at 1:15 p.m.

Circuit information – Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna
Length: 3.835 m. / 2.383 miles
Width:12 m. / 39.37 ft.
Left corners: 5
Right corners: 9
Longest straight: 994 m.
Constructed: 1974
Modified: 2026

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m very excited to get started at another new track. I’ve never been to Brazil before, so it will be a great experience and I will try to enjoy it to the fullest. We want to maintain the momentum we have from Thailand, so let’s see what we’re capable of there. We’ve been preparing for this round very well during the last two weeks, which also allowed us to disconnect a little, so we’re more than ready to face this new challenge in South America. We will try to adapt to the track as quickly as we can, in order to prepare for the race in the best possible way.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“I’m really looking forward to this latest opportunity at a circuit that’s new to everyone. I’m very excited to get to know the track and see what we will find on our first visit to this country. Obviously, we’ll follow the same approach as we had in Thailand, and we’ll try to learn as much as possible, which is our priority at all these initial Grands Prix. In the first round, in Thailand, we made progress in every session, so we’ll try to do the same here to find our feel for the bike.”