Rueda comeback earns first Moto2 point in Austin

29.03.2026

The rookie climbs 13 positions in a chaotic race, while Veijer is unable to finish due to a crash while running in 10th.

Jose Antonio Rueda earned points for the first time as a Moto2 rider in Sunday’s Moto2 United States Grand Prix. After two starts to the race, due to an incident on the first lap, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie climbed from 28th to 15th in Austin. A more unfortunate fate befell Collin Veijer, who was unable to finish due to a crash with seven laps remaining.

Slightly warmer conditions than on Saturday greeted the Moto2 riders, with a track temperature of 42°C. However, the first lap of the contest had to be aborted due to several crashes for nine riders.

Veijer was one of the riders close to one of the bigger incidents, and later narrowly avoided a collision in a crash for a number of riders at Turn 11. He ended up suffering a highside by himself, but the red flag allowed him to return to the pits and take the restart. This time, the Dutchman got off the line well, maintaining eighth position. After settling into the Top 10 positions after the first three laps, Veijer then had a fast crash at Turn 7, which took him out of the race. Fortunately, he escaped without injury, and with 13.5 points finds himself 12th in the overall standings.

Rueda put in a great performance, managing to avoid the chaos of the frequent crashes in the race. In the second start, with three riders less, he started in 25th position, and was able to move up the field thanks to a series of such incidents for other riders. In a race reduced to ten laps, the rookie worked his way up the order to finish 15th, leading the group he was riding amongst. So, having won last year’s Moto3 United States Grand Prix, the Spaniard has secured another great memory in Austin and moves up to 21st in the Moto2 overall standings with 1 point.

In conclusion, it was a bittersweet Sunday for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, with great news from Jose Antonio Rueda and a difficult day for Collin Veijer after a good weekend. Red Bull KTM Ajo have already accumulated 14.5 points this season, placing them 10th in the Team standings. Now they have almost a month off, before a return to Europe at the Spanish Grand Prix on April 24-26th.

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 39.5 points
2. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 36 points
3. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 33 points
4. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 32 points
5. Daniel Muñoz (Kalex) | 26 points
12. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 13.5 points
21. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for. On Friday, we started well, but in today’s race, Collin wasn’t able to maximise his performance and crashed. We know this class is incredibly hard, so we just need to keep working to get back into the Top 5. Jose Antonio’s race was very positive. He learnt more than ever about the intermediate class today, and also scored his first point in Moto2. From now, I think everything will be much easier for him, going back to a lot of tracks he knows very well. Also, he has three weeks to prepare for the Spanish round in terms of fitness -something essential in this class. We’re very much looking forward to seeing him progressing throughout the year”.

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“It was not the best day. I’m disappointed and angry with myself. Firstly, I want to apologise to the team and to everyone involved. Today we finally made a good start, so we can take that as a positive from the race. Unfortunately, my performance wasn’t the best, and we can’t really afford to make these mistakes if we want to show our true potential. This wasn’t my best race, but we need to keep our heads up and work hard to get to Jerez with plenty of motivation. We have a lot more potential than what we have been showing at the moment, so we will work stronger these next few weeks to be better in the near future.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We’ve finished the weekend with a very good feeling. We still need to get used to the first few laps with new tyres, but scoring our first point in the class is a great start. It’s true there were a lot of crashes in the race, but we did our job well, so we have to focus on that. It was a crazy race, just like the previous two, so I’m looking forward to Europe and to competing against the rest of the grid under normal circumstances. I hope to put on a good show ar Jerez in front of our fans and get in the points there too.”

Third place for Carpe in frantic United States Grand Prix

29.03.2026

The Spanish rider narrowly misses out on his first victory on the final corner. Uriarte makes a great comeback to finish seventh.

It was a great Sunday for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 at the United States Grand Prix, as Alvaro Carpe secured third place. The Spaniard tried to overtake for the win on the final corner, but had to settle for earning his first podium of the season, the sixth in his career. Meanwhile, Brian Uriarte climbed seven places to finish seventh -his best result so far in Moto3, as he did in Thailand.

Whilst overcast, the conditions for the Moto3 race saw track temperatures reaching 42°C, with relatively lower humidity than during the rest of the weekend. It meant a cautious choice of tyres for the lower cylinder class riders.

Carpe made a magnificent start, taking the holeshot from 1st on the grid and avoiding any potential trouble at Turn 1. After the first sector, he pushed hard to try and stretch out the group, before relinquishing the lead to Maximo Quiles a few laps later. With the first third of the race completed, and two riders crashing on the entry to the back straight, the battle for victory was narrowed down to five riders, one of them being Carpe. Initially unable to contend Quiles’s strong pace, he had to fight his way back to catch up with him, finally managing to do so with three laps remaining. A four-way battle ensued, with Carpe snatching the lead at the final corner. However, his move on Valentin Perrone sent him slightly wide, and he eventually finished third. It was his first podium of the season and the sixth of his career, moving him up to second place in the Moto3 World Championship standings with 42 points.

Uriarte had a perfect start, overtaking four other riders to move from 14th to tenth before the end of the first lap. Aiming to prevent the leading group from pulling away, he continued to climb through the field and had a spell in the lead of what became the chasing pack. As the laps progressed, two crashes at the front allowed him and seven other riders to battle for sixth place. As the rookie approached the finish line, his bike and that of Adrián Cruces made contact, nearly ending up in a crash. He ultimately secured seventh place, matching his best result to date -achieved at the ThaiGP a month ago. Uriarte is now ninth in the Moto3 World Championship with 23 points.

After a great weekend overall, Red Bull KTM Ajo are joint-second in the Team standings with 65 points, and now face a break lasting almost a month. They return to action at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto for the Spanish Grand Prix, on April 24-26th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Overall, it was a positive weekend here in Austin. The conditions were quite good, and Alvaro especially really found himself this weekend. The first couple of weekends were quite good, but maybe he wasn’t at his best, and here he was very strong from the beginning. He found his rhythm and he was able to push alone, as we saq yesterday in Qualifying, where he was incredible. During the race he was also great. There was a moment when he was near to losing the front group, but he managed to recover in the end to fight for the victory until the last corner. The result wasn’t what he was hoping for, but it’s still a very positive weekend. Brian also had a great weekend at one of the hardest tracks for a rookie. Qualifying wasn’t the best, but he managed to fight for the first position in the second group today, so that’s a big thing. We’re looking forward to continuing with this progression with him.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We finally got our first podium of the season. I’m a little disappointed with how the race here in Austin ended, as I not only lost two positions, but Perrone also missed out on a podium finish, and I feel bad for him. The race went well, although we struggled at times, but luckily, we managed to turn things around in the final stages. We have to focus on the positives; it’s been a very complete weekend. We led the race, secured a Pole Position, and finally got that podium finish we were hoping for. Now it’s time to switch off, keep working, and start thinking about Jerez.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“This was an important result today. The goal was to learn, knowing that with my grid position it would be difficult for us to be in the leading group. I think we managed the race well, and battling with so many other riders allowed me to learn things from all of them. We’ll try to put all that into practice at the next few rounds. The work this weekend has been very good, so I’m leaving Austin with a very positive feeling from my first time here. We could have gained one more position, but I’m happy with my performance and the process we’ve been through with my team, to whom I’m extremely grateful. I’m really looking forward to getting back to Europe.”

Third row start for Veijer in Austin

28.03.2026

The Dutchman will take off from eighth at the United States Grand Prix, while Jose Antonio Rueda continues to improve his lap times at COTA.

Collin Veijer took eighth position in Q2 at the United States Grand Prix, continuing a strong weekend for the Dutchman. Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 teammate Jose Antonio Rueda will start 28th on the grid, having improved his lap time in both sessions in which he participated on Saturday, shaving one second from his Friday time.

Under slightly cooler conditions than Friday, with track temperatures of 22ºC, the Moto2 riders took to the track for FP2. The session saw the all-time track record broken by the intermediate class.

Veijer started similarly to his Friday strategy, working alone and running within the Top 10. Looking to fine-tune aspects of his bike ahead of Qualifying, the Dutchman focused on a long run throughout FP2. Unfortunately, he suffered a minor crash at Turn 7 while on course to set the fastest time of the session. Escaping unscathed, he was unable to complete any further laps during the final ten minutes, settling for 12th place with a best time of 2:07.262 after 10 laps.

Rueda continued to make the same strides forward he has done in every session since the start of the season. Looking to complete as many laps as possible, he rode 12 in total, with his best time coming in the final part of the session. His 2:08.304 saw him improve by over a tenth of a second compared to his time from Friday. With more data gathered and increasingly adapting to the American circuit, he finished 26th.

With a track temperature of 37°C for the afternoon session, conditions were slightly better than in the morning for the Moto2 riders.

In Q1, Rueda completed eight laps, divided into two runs. After the first stint, the rookie was already relatively close to his best time up to that point, but it wasn’t until his sixth lap that he managed to lower it to 2:07.439, a second and a half faster than his first appearance with the Moto2 bike, in yesterday’s FP1. Steadily adapting to both his bike and the circuit, Rueda will start Sunday’s race from 28th.

Veijer also took another step forward in Q2, putting in seven laps in total. Near the Top 10 positions after his first run, he went back out to set his best lap of the weekend: A 2:05.596 that was just 3 tenths of a second off Pole Position. One of several riders to break the previous Moto2 lap record in Austin, he was eventually relegated to eighth place in the last seconds, from where he will begin the race. Tomorrow will be the third time in three races with Collin starting the race inside the Top 10.

All in all, another successful day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team in Austin. Once again, Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda have continued to make steady progress, and tomorrow they will aim to round off the weekend with a strong performance on Sunday in the United States. The 16-lap United States Grand Prix will take place at 1:15 p.m. local time.

Qualifying Results
1. Barry Baltus (Kalex) | 2:05.347 (+0.144)
2. Alonso Lopez (Kalex) | 2:05.363 (+0.160)
3. Angel Piqueras (Kalex) | 2:05.454 (+0.251)
4. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 2:05.500 (+0.297)
5. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 2:05.524 (+0.177)
8. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:05.596 (+0.249)
28. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:07.439 (+2.092)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“Today went fine. This morning I suffered a small crash, but we managed to get everything fixed for Qualifying in the afternoon. My first lap time wasn’t amazing, but on my second stint I found some more pace and managed to put myself on the third row. I wanted more from today, but it’s what we have to deal with. A yellow flag prevented us improving a little bit more on the last lap, so ninth is all we could get. Tomorrow we will give our best to be close to the top guys.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“It’s another day completed in Austin. This morning we improved our lap time a bit compared to yesterday, and focused on continuing to gain experience with the bike at this circuit, which is anything but easy. This afternoon, we were able to improve a little more and the feeling was better, so we need to focus on the progress we’re making session-by-session. We’d like to be a bit higher up on the grid, but we know our potential and tomorrow we’ll fight to finish the weekend on a high note.”

Pole Position and all-time lap record for Carpe at United States Grand Prix

28.03.2026

Red Bull KTM Ajo secure a first Pole of the season through Carpe, with teammate Uriarte starting from 14th on the grid.

A perfect Saturday for Alvaro Carpe in Austin saw the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider topping both sessions, claiming his first Pole Position of the season -the second of his career- in Q2. Setting the all-time track record in both practice sessions, particularly in Q2, where he was more than four-tenths of a second faster than all his rivals, Alvaro was the fastest all day, after working well together with his teammate. Brian Uriarte also made progress at COTA, to earn 14th place on the grid for Sunday’s race.

Although the track remained dry from the start of the day, cloudy skies brought the temperature down to 21ºC at COTA, which has enabled the all-time track record to be broken once again.

Carpe continued his progress from Friday, riding alone and amongst the Top 5 early on. Either side of a red flag caused by Cormac Buchanan’s crash, he improved his time on several occasions late on, demonstrating his consistency without the need for a tow. On his last attempt, Carpe consolidated first position in FP2 with a final 2:13.190, improving his best time from the previous day by more than a second and achieving the best lap ever in Austin with a Moto3 bike. On course to adding the top spot in FP2 to his FP1 result, he completed 13 laps.

Uriarte climbed several positions, consistently riding among the Top 10. Also working alone to gather as much data as possible, he had already lowered his best time from Friday during the first part of the session by four tenths. In the final stages, working with used tyres, he was unable to go any faster, having to settle for 11th place courtesy of a 2:14.076. Like his teammate, Uriarte also rode 13 laps.

In the afternoon, conditions were even more productive for Qualifying, with a track temperature of 37°C.

Carpe led the way when Q2 began, setting a time of 2:12.589 on his first flying lap, working together with his teammate Uriarte. His initial time was almost 6 tenths of a second quicker than his morning marker, and set the tone for the session. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider maintained his lead through to his second run, awaiting the final Time Attacks. Again working together with Brian, he took another 4 tenths off his time to stop the clock at an amazing 2:12.107. The Spaniard was 4 tenths quicker than his nearest rival and 7 tenths faster than the riders on the second row, as he set a new track record to achieve his maiden Pole of 2026.

Uriarte put in his best time on his second run of Q2, following in the slipstream of his teammate and also helping him to achieve their great laptimes. That left him in a strong spot going into his pit stop, but when he went back out he was unable to complete a perfect lap. Thus, his 2:13.561 from the start of the session -5 tenths faster than his best time of the weekend- put him 14th. He completed 7 laps, matching his teammate.

All in all, it was a perfect Saturday for Red Bull KTM Ajo, who secured their first Pole Position of the season with a perfect performance from Carpe in Q2. With both riders on the front rows of the grid, the pole-sitter himself and Uriarte will be aiming to round off the weekend tomorrow. The 14-lap Moto3 United States Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday in Austin at 12:15 p.m. local time.

Qualifying Results
1. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:12.107
2. Casey O’Gorman (Honda) | 2:12.519 (+0.412)
3. Valentin Perrone (KTM) | 2:12.526 (+0.419)
4. Veda Pratama (Honda) | 2:12.813 (+0.706)
5. Guido Pini (Honda) | 2:12.837 (+0.730)
14. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:13.561 (+1.454)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“The feeling of getting another pole position is fantastic. I had two incredible laps, completely turning around the feeling I had in Brazil. Here in Austin, I’ve felt great from the first moment, and now I’m much more comfortable today than yesterday, which is very, very positive. I love the track, and so far everything has gone smoothly, so we’re going all-out tomorrow. In Moto3, anything can happen, but I’ll try to be at the front of the pack and enjoy the race to the fullest from start to finish.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“This Saturday was positive. This morning we were able to do a lot of laps, which is something we needed here. In Q2 we couldn’t put together a clean lap and the frontrunners were very fast. It’s very difficult to put together a good lap in Austin because it’s a really long track. We need more laps under our belts, but we have to work with the time we have, and that’s what we did. Tomorrow we’ll have to move up the order a bit, take another step forward, and learn as much as possible from such a unique race.”

Third consecutive Q2 for Veijer in 2026

28.03.2026

The Dutchman’s 11th place in FP1 continues his perfect Q2 run. Jose Antonio Rueda finishes 26th after a positive day.

Collin Veijer earned a third consecutive Q2 spot on Friday at the United States Grand Prix, claiming 11th in Practice. Jose Antonio Rueda finished 26th in the afternoon after a good progression through the day and will have to go through Q1 in Austin.

Following a strong start to the Moto3 session, with riders already lapping at the pace of the 2025 Pole Position, the Moto2 riders enjoyed ideal conditions of 26°C track temperature in FP1, which allowed them to set a speedy laps, destroying the all-time lap record in Austin.

Veijer was competitive from start to finish in the morning. The Dutchman worked alone to find the best setup for Sunday’s race, completing an initial stint of 11 laps that left him just 8 tenths off the top spot. After returning to the pits, he improved his time again, with a 2:07.549 more than 1.5 seconds quicker than his best lap from 2025. After completing 14 laps, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider finished FP1 in 11th position, keeping his figure 0.8 seconds behind the fastest rider.

Rueda ran a slightly shorter stint, completing ten laps before heading back to the pits. On a demanding, long track with very different racing lines from Moto3 to Moto2, he focused on adapting to the conditions and making progress. The Spaniard was 2.9 seconds off the pace after his first run, then was able to substantially improve his time by 6 tenths in the final part of the session to gain three places. With a final time of 2:08.958 following 14 laps, Rueda finished in 24th place.

Fantastic conditions for the start of Practice, with much higher temperatures both in the air and on the track: 29°C and 47°C respectively. Having set a new all-time track record earlier in the day, they managed to do it again this afternoon, which showed just how good the Austin track has been all day on Friday.

Veijer had a solid start to the afternoon session, moving up to sixth early on. He only required a quarter of an hour to improve on his morning time, and was just 4 tenths of a second off the pacesetter. Comfortably inside the Top 14, he still needed to up his pace during the final minutes, setting a 2:06.906 that was 6 tenths faster than his best from the morning. It allowed him to place 11th, putting him directly into Q2.

Rueda also managed to improve on his morning time before the end of Practice, at a long and challenging track where the field were riding at an exceptionally fast pace, including lowering the circuit record. His second stint involved his first Time Attack of the weekend, and he shaved 2 tenths off his previous best time: The reigning Moto3 World Champion clocked a 2:08.442, 5 tenths faster than in FP1, leaving him 26th after 14 laps.

In conclusion, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders finished with good feelings the first third of the United States Grand Prix. With different goals for the second half of the weekend, both Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda will line up at 9.25 a.m. (local time) for Free Practice 2. Rueda will then take part in Q1 at 1:40 p.m., attempting to join Veijer in Q2 at 2:05 p.m.

Practice Results
1. David Alonso (Kalex) | 2:05.847
2. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 2:06.341 (+0.494)
3. Barry Baltus (Kalex) | 2:06.453 (+0.606)
4. Filip Salac (Kalex) | 2:06.504 (+0.657)
5. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 2:06.633 (+0.786)
11. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:06.906 (+1.059)
26. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:08.442 (+2.595)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m very happy with today’s work. I’m not completely satisfied with the final position in Practice, but we did some great work and found some solutions to things we’d been struggling with this morning. Overall, I’m pleased to be in Q2 again, but I know that we can do better in some aspects tomorrow. Now it’s time to work with my team in order to prepare for Qualifying and also Sunday’s race.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“With the first day completed at COTA, we’re feeling good. We’ve had to focus on learning all the tricks of the circuit, and there are a lot of them due to its length. It’s a track I like much more than Brazil, so that also helps us speed things up -although it’s also a more difficult layout. I still have a lot to learn, so tomorrow we’ll take another step forward. The first day was just about getting acquainted with the track, so now we’ll work hard to be closer on the second day here.”

Carpe tops FP1 and finishes 3rd in Austin’s Practice

28.03.2026

Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte make a successful start to the United States Grand Prix, to go through to fight for the Pole Position tomorrow.

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 began the United States Grand Prix weekend on Friday, with Alvaro Carpe topping FP1 and finishing third in Practice. Teammate Brian Uriarte also made his way directly into Q2 for the third time this season.

After two Grands Prix with somewhat uncertain weather conditions, Moto3 Free Practice 1 in Austin provided more stable circumstances, with a track temperature of 24°C and 74% humidity to begin the morning.

Carpe showed good progress throughout the session, managing to establish himself among the Top 5 early on and remaining there until the final stages. After a pit stop, he was able to lower his time by almost a second, going on to put in a 2:14.209 which propelled him to the top spot. His lap was quicker than last season’s Pole Position time and 2 tenths quicker than his own best time from 2025, which he set in the race. Carpe rode a total of 13 laps.

Uriarte showed gradual adaptation to COTA, starting out in the Top 15, although more than 1.5 seconds off the pace. As the laps progressed, he took a solid step forward, moving up to ninth. He completed the session in 14th, putting in 16 laps as the rider with the most track time in the morning. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider’s best time was a 2:15.856, achieved halfway through FP1.

Practice saw track temperatures of 42°C and even more favourable conditions for the Moto3 riders, who have enabled a new all-time track record in the class.

Carpe had a series of early laps ruled out, either for yellow flags or his exceeding the track limits. It took the Spaniard more than ten minutes to set his first time of the session, climbing from 28th to 11th before returning to the pits. He went out for the Time Attack alongside his teammate, managing to briefly climb to sixth place. As his rivals made the most of the track conditions, Carpe responded with a series of laps to rise from 13th to third place, setting a 2:14.202 to shave 0.007 tenths off his time from FP1. He put in a total of 11 laps during the afternoon session.

Uriarte also rode 11 laps, and had several laps of his own scrubbed. This, combined with some challenging close calls at the tricky Turn 9, left him in 22nd position after his first run. Working closely with Carpe for his second stint, he made his way up to fourth, although the final minutes of the session saw many changes on the timesheets. With no opportunity to improve further on his closing attempts, he had to settle for 13th place with his 2:14.660 lap -more than a second faster than in the morning. Uriarte thus secured his third consecutive place in Q2 this season.

All in all, it was a productive Friday for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders in Texas. Both Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte made good progress during the two sessions and comfortably qualified for Q2, meaning they can now focus on Saturday’s qualifying session, which will take place from 1:10 p.m. (local time). Before that, in the morning, the two riders will participate in Free Practice 2 at 8:40 a.m.

Practice Results
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 2:13.757
2. Guido Pini (Honda) | 2:13.929 (+0.172)
3. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:14.202 (+0.445)
4. Matteo Bertelle (KTM) | 2:14.293 (+0.536)
5. Valentin Perrone (KTM) | 2:14.309 (+0.552)
13. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 2:14.417 (+0.660)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“I felt much better than last Friday. From the start, I felt fast, especially on the second run in FP1, where we improved quite a bit. Practice was a little more challenging, but we know what we need to tweak on the bike to be more comfortable tomorrow, so I’m confident we’ll take another step forward once we’ve fine-tuned these small details. Overall, I’m happy to have started with a much more positive feeling than we had in Brazil a week ago.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“The day went well. The circuit is very long, so it’s easy to make a mistake anywhere on the track. We’ve done well from the beginning and stayed close to the fastest riders, so I’m happy with that as a starting point. Now we need to keep working to take another step forward tomorrow and qualify as high up the grid as possible. Sunday will be a tough race, so we have to try to prepare as well as possible in every detail.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo change Brazil for the United States before coming back to Europe

25.03.2026

Veijer and Rueda arrive in Texas with the aim of achieving a good result on a circuit where both have fond memories from last year.

Red Bull KTM Ajo travel from South America to North America to complete the first double-header of the season this weekend. Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda will try to continue their progress at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, where both achieved great results last year, albeit in very different circumstances to those they face in 2026.

Veijer arrives to Texas being one of the regular riders near the top of the intermediate class. After a fifth-place finish in Thailand, he finished eighth in Brazil, which puts him sixth in the overall standings. The Dutchman has achieved four Top 10 finishes in a row, carrying his form over from 2025. Last year in Austin, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider scored his first Moto2 points with a strong 10th finish in the rain. Now, much more established in the class, he has 13.5 points in just two races in 2026.

Rueda arrives in Austin after taking solid steps forward in his three rides to date, at Jerez, Thailand, and Brazil. He experienced his first Grand Prix in Buriram and managed to finish a race for the first time in Brazil, very close to the Top 20, after battling for 16th place for much of the race. The reigning Moto3 World Champion has good memories of last year’s trip Stateside, where he achieved his second victory of the Moto3 season with a dominant display from start to finish. Now, in a very different context, he seeks to open his Moto2 points account at the Circuit of the Americas.

In conclusion, interesting weekend ahead for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, which arrives to a track that saw them celebrating some rostrums in the past: two victories with Raul Fernandez (2011) and Pedro Acosta (2013), and three further podium finishes: two by Johann Zarco in 2015 and 2016, and one by Miguel Oliveira in 2018.

Both Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda will be looking to get the weekend off to a good start this coming Friday. Free Practice 1 will take place from 9:50 a.m. (local time). The 16-lap race will be held on Sunday at 1:15 p.m.

Circuit information – Circuit of The Americas (COTA)
Length: 5.513 m. / 3.426 miles
Width: 15 m. / 49.21 ft.
Left corners: 11
Right corners: 9
Longest straight: 1.200 m. / 0.746 miles
Built: 2012

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“We’re going to Texas with the goal of using the positive things we’ve learned from Brazil. The race there wasn’t as good as we wanted, but we’re already thinking about this next challenge, so we’ll try to improve a little in terms of our performance in the United States. Austin is a completely different track from Goiânia, so we will need to work hard to be competitive also there. Last year I achieved in COTA my first Moto2 points with a Top 10 in the rain, so we’ll try to transform this into good energy to face the weekend with more confidence and motivation.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We finished the weekend in Brazil well, so we need to build on that momentum in the United States. We learned a lot during the race, as it was my first full Moto2 contest, so I’ll try to take all those lessons and apply them in Texas. The circuit is completely different to Brazil, much longer and more demanding, so I’ll have to adjust my approach a bit. The goal is the same as in these previous races, but I do want to try and put up a bit more of a fight. I have great memories from last year, and that always helps.”

Carpe and Uriarte to conclude the first back-to-back rounds in Austin

25.03.2026

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 arrive in the United States aiming to build on their strong weekend in Brazil.

After completing the first part of their double-header in Brazil with a positive feeling, Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte move on to Austin and the United States Grand Prix this weekend. Following two more strong results in Goiânia, the Spanish pair is hoping to round off a successful weekend in Austin before returning to Europe.

Carpe arrives in Texas wanting to open his podium account for the season. The young Spanish rider, who is in good form, is hoping to get his first podium of the season in the United States. He has already secured two fourth-place finishes in Thailand and Brazil, just a tenth of a second from the rostrum on both occasions. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider has fond memories from last year at Austin, where he finished sixth on his first visit. Carpe is currently fourth in the overall standings with a total of 26 points.

Uriarte will face a big challenge this weekend: he will have to adapt to one of the longest and most complex tracks on the calendar. However, the rookie is improving rapidly, as he demonstrated at unfamiliar circuits in Thailand and Brazil, where he achieved great results -including reaching Q2 and even topping a Free Practice session last Friday. The 5.5 km track length will make learning the racing line a challenge for the Spaniard, who sits eighth in the overall standings with 14 points.

Red Bull KTM Ajo are in second place in the Team standings with 40 points. In Austin, they won last year through a breakaway by Jose Antonio Rueda, and have two other victories with Jack Miller (2014) and Jaume Masia (2011), plus two third-place finishes from Luis Salom (2013) and Brad Binder (2016).

So, in just two days’ time, Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte will begin riding in Austin. The Free Practice 1 will take place this Friday from 9am (local time). Sunday’s 14-lap race will begin at 12:15 p.m.

Circuit information – Circuit of The Americas (COTA)
Length: 5.513 m. / 3.426 miles
Width: 15 m. / 49.21 ft.
Left corners: 11
Right corners: 9
Longest straight: 1.200 m. / 0.746 miles
Built: 2012

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re coming off a difficult weekend, but we managed to turn things around starting from last Saturday afternoon, so we’re arriving in Austin motivated and knowing that we can be competitive -no matter the circumstances. Last year we learned a lot and got a good race result, so we’re going to try to replicate that weekend to match or improve on it. Austin is a difficult and long circuit, almost the opposite of Brazil, so we’ll need to reset to get up to speed as quickly as possible. We’ve been very close to the podium for the last two weeks, so the goal for this round is clear.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“We’re heading to the United States with confidence after a complete weekend in Brazil, where we took away some positives. I’m really looking forward to Austin, a circuit everyone raves about and one of the longest on the calendar. I know it won’t be easy to adapt, as it has many different corners and sections, but I’ll try my best and build on what we learned this past week in Goiânia. I hope to get a good result at this final round before the series returns to Europe, and really enjoy another new experience.”

Eighth place for Veijer at Brazilian Grand Prix

22.03.2026

A second Top 10 finish of the season is taken by the Dutchman, with Jose Antonio Rueda completing the contest in 21st.

Collin Veijer earned a second consecutive Top 10 finish of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix, placing eighth at the second round of the year. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, who had previously enjoyed a strong Q2 performance for sixth on the grid, earned valuable points. Jose Antonio Rueda, who qualified 27th, completed a Moto2 race for the first time with 21st place.

For Qualifying, held early on Sunday morning, the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders faced partly cloudy skies but good track conditions: 36°C and 75% humidity.

Rueda set a best time of 1:21.976, 7 tenths faster than his Saturday time from FP2 and putting him 27th. He ended Q1 early due to a minor technical issue.

Veijer had a great Q2, achieving his best result of the weekend to earn sixth on the grid. He was able to lower his time twice in the second Time Attack, with a 1:20.946 putting him just 2 tenths off pole position.

Heading into the race, conditions became more extreme, with track temperatures reaching 51°C, along with significantly lower humidity than the rest of the weekend.

When the contest got underway, Veijer dropped to 10th position on the first lap, then steadily improved throughout the race, gradually moving up to lead the chasing pack in sixth position by Lap 4. However, the two-second gap to the front group proved insurmountable, as the pace increased as the laps progressed. Veijer would eventually cross the line in eighth place, riding alone. He added eight points to his tally, bringing his total to 13.5 and placing him sixth in the overall standings.

Rueda got off the line well, climbing to 23rd position on the opening lap and beginning a battle for 19th place. Past the halfway point of the race, he gained another two positions, whilst in the final third he suffered from a lack of experience in the Moto2 class, as the group stretched out from him. He remained just two seconds behind 18th place until the end of the race, taking the chequered flag in 21st for his first Moto2 finish. He is currently 25th in the overall standings, still waiting to claim his maiden points.

All in all, it was another weekend of progress and development for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, which not only picked up some valuable points but also managed to bring both bikes to the box after taking the chequered flag. Red Bull KTM Ajo remain in sixth position in the Team standings with Veijer’s 13.5 points. The series now moves on to the Circuit of the Americas and the US Grand Prix, from March 27-29th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Overall, it was a positive weekend after all the crazy conditions we had in Brazil. To tell the truth, we’re not 100% satisfied today as we felt there could have been a little bit more from us during the race, but it will arrive in the next few rounds. Collin didn’t have the best feeling during the race, but even on a day like this he still managed to get an 8th place which confirms he has taken another step closer to the top spots this year. Jose Antonio had some good battles going on in his group and I’m sure he learned more things than ever on a Moto2 bike today. For him, the main thing was to finish the race and get more experience, which he did. It’s positive for him in his second ever intermediate class weekend.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“This morning’s Qualifying wasn’t too bad. We managed to set a decent lap and I felt quite confident with the session overall. Unfortunately, the race start was terrible for us, and we dropped many places. After that, I tried to recover some positions and I did. I had to keep my pace up, and we did that during the first 15 laps. After that, I started to struggle with my front tyre, but the gap to the front riders was still the same, so that’s positive for us. In the end, it’s an 8th place and good points for the championship.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Without a doubt, today has been our best day in Brazil. We managed to finish a first Moto2 race, so I’m satisfied with that. At the beginning of the race, I wanted to conserve the front tyre and I could have pushed a bit harder, but these things happen and we’ll learn from this. We have room for improvement, we enjoyed ourselves, we learned, and we’re going to the United States with a good feeling and the confidence that we still have a lot of fight left in us.”

Carpe comeback earns fourth place in Brazil

22.03.2026

The Spanish rider narrowly misses out on the podium after a great race. Uriarte finishes 11th in his latest appearance for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Red Bull KTM Ajo earned important points at the Brazilian Grand Prix, as Alvaro Carpe placed fourth and Brian Uriarte eleventh on their first visit to the South American country. The former was just 1 tenth of a second off the rostrum, with his teammate able to earn good points for the second consecutive round.

Although the sky was partly overcast, the conditions for the Moto3 race were positive, with track temperatures reaching 42°C and air temperatures of 28°C, along with relatively lower humidity than during the rest of the weekend.

Carpe was 10th on the starting grid, and the young Spanish rider made a good start, managing to recover positions and stay at the front of the race. In just three laps, the Red Bull KTM Ajo man moved into the Top 5, but his podium challenge was hindered by a heavy crash for another rider in the middle of the pack that split the leading group on Lap 6. Battling for third place alongside ten other competitors, on Lap 14 he took the lead of that group for the first time.
After one of the two leading riders crashed, Carpe was in a strong position to place on the rostrum, but a red flag with nine laps remaining closed things up in the field. Upon the restart, with only five laps remaining, he made several overtakes to maintain his position in the front three. Unfortunately, he could then only watch as Maximo Quiles and Marco Morelli pulled away again, and was then caught and passed by Veda Pratama. Just a tenth of a second denied him a podium. His second consecutive fourth place finish also keeps him fourth in the overall standings, with 26 points.

From 6th on the grid, Uriarte dropped to twelfth after two laps. Fortunately for him, the leading group remained compact, allowing him to stay firmly in contention near the front. After the crash that split the leading group, he gained a position, keeping him just outside the Top 10. Following the red flag, the restart favoured the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie, as he came out fighting to move into ninth and try to close the gap to the podium spots. However, the pace was incredibly high, leaving Uriarte unable to cut the distance. He ultimately missed out on a Top 10 finish by a mere 0.080 tenths, placing eleventh. He now has 14 points, putting him in eighth position in the overall standings.

In conclusion, it was a positive weekend for Red Bull KTM Ajo, with both riders once again finishing in the points to take their total to 40 points and move into second place in the team standings. The second half of this first double-header of the year will take place next week at the Circuit of the Americas, with the US Grand Prix on March 27-29th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“After this crazy and unpredictable weekend, we can be satisfied with getting both riders in the points today. We were a little bit unfortunate with the red flag, as both riders were starting to pick the pace up and gain places before that, but these things happen. Alvaro finally found his way during Qualifying and during the race after a difficult weekend, so I’m very proud of how he faced a pressure situation. Brian had a good weekend, starting very fast in difficult conditions on Friday, and he also had a good Q2 yesterday and managed to take some important points today. It gives him more experience that will be very useful during the coming race weekends.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“I’m happy with the final result after a difficult weekend. During the first part of the race, I was very optimistic, as I managed the tyres well and saw that I could gain something extra compared to the other riders. The red flag didn’t work out well for us. For the restart, we all started on the soft tyre, and I didn’t feel completely comfortable with it. However, the overall assessment of the weekend is very positive, as we struggled to find speed here in Brazil, so we have to consider this fourth place a very good result.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“It was a good Sunday to finish off a full weekend in Brazil. Our start wasn’t the best, so we had to fight our way back a bit. I was able to recover positions, but the red flag came out just when we were feeling at our most comfortable on the track. For the second start, we changed tyres and it took us a while to regain our previous speed, so we focused on securing valuable points to keep adding to our tally, which is also vital for building confidence and approaching the next races with more peace of mind.”

Partners