The Dutch rider had a difficult start to his Moto2 career, but after recovering well from his injury, he feels ready to continue making progress throughout the second half of the season.

Collin Veijer has started his first Moto2 season with some good results, but also with an unfortunate injury that kept him out of action for a month. However, despite the severity of the injury, the rider has come back stronger than ever and, after scoring points at his home circuit, took a big step forward in Brno. Now, he feels ready to continue progressing with Red Bull KTM Ajo, a team he is very proud to be a part of.

Your first mid season in Moto2 is already done. Not an easy start, but you managed quite well. How you evaluate this first 12 GP’s?

“I would say it’s not been too bad. I think we learned quite a lot in the first twelve races. We had an injury and this was quite difficult for us, because we lost some valuable weeks of track time. I think overall we can be quite happy with how we’ve done in the first half of the year. Now we need to focus on the second half and try to do better. If I have to be honest, I’m not completely happy, as I know we can do better.”

Before Silverstone, you had your first big injury in the World Championship. How did you manage the situation, the recovery and how are you feeling now?

“The recovery was really good. We managed it really well with the team and with everyone around us. We managed to come back in four weeks from quite a big injury. So, I’m very happy with how the injury was recovered from. I still have some pain, but it is what it is.”

How it was your return in Mugello? Not an easy weekend with very high temperatures and also a phisycal track, but you could finish the race, that was a difficult one.

“Mugello was really difficult. I struggled a lot with the heat. It was the first race back, so I also struggled with the feeling, but I think overall we managed quite well during the weekend. Our return wasn’t an easy one, and it was a bit unfortunate about the weather and also the track characteristics, but I think we handled it quite well.”

We imagine that the most special weekend for you was in Assen. How it was to ride in front of the dutch crowd? In addition, you caught two good points, earning one of them with a great last chicane overtake.

“That was a very nice race weekend. It wasn’t too easy because it was my second race back after the injury, but I think overall we managed it quite well. It was just a very busy weekend, but it was really nice.”

Your best result of the season is a Top 10 in Austin. Also you scored in three race weekends more, but how important was for you to get your first points so quickly?

“We got our first points at the GP of the Americas, placing inside the Top 10. It was a bit of a strange weekend and a strange race, but we made it into the points. We did the same at Jerez and in Qatar, so I’m very happy with how that went. At Assen we took points too, which was really good for recovering my confidence after the injury. I was riding in front of the Dutch crowd, my friends and my family, and we took two points, so we enjoyed that a lot. I felt a lot of support, so I’m very happy to have had everyone there.”

In Brno, you made it directly into Q2 for the first time this season, which means you are taking steps forward step by step. Which are you next goals for the second part of the year?

“At Brno we took a big step forward by getting straight into Q2, and even in the test we had already taken a very big step, so I’m very happy with how we finished the first half of the year. We are really doing our best to get better and better, and I’m sure that we will improve a lot during the last ten Grands Prix of the year.”

At the start of the season you said that it was a pleasure to join Red Bull KTM Ajo. Now, after a lot of good results and great moments together, how are you feeling with your teammates and mechanics? How they helped you during the most different times of the year?

“Having my teammates with me is amazing. Deniz is an amazing person and also Rueda and Carpe are really good teammates. We enjoy the race weekends a lot and there’s always a lot of fun, although in the moments we need to be focused, we do that. I also enjoy spending time with the mechanics, the crew chief and, of course, with Niklas. It’s been an amazing journey and I hope we can have more good results this year.”

After these first twelve Grand Prix races of the season, Collin is convinced that his best form is yet to come. All in all, the Dutch Moto2 rider with the number #95 will be back alongside his teammate Deniz Öncü in just seven days for the Austrian Grand Prix (15-16-17 August), the home round for the team and also KTM factory.