Deniz Öncü finishes 21st after suffering a crash when fighting for the Top 10.

The Australian Grand Prix did not end as expected for Deniz Öncü. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider made a good start, but suffered a crash halfway through the race and crossed the finish line in 21st place.

Öncü was forced to start the Australian Grand Prix race further back than planned, after a penalty received the previous day. Once the lights went out, the Turkish rider got away well, gaining up to 10 positions on the opening lap. He kept up a good pace and tried to stay in the Top 10 in a very close race, with constant changes of positions. Halfway through the race, the Moto2 rookie crashed when he was occupying a spot in the points, although he was able to get back up, continue gaining experience and cross the finish line 21st. Despite the result, Öncü showed great competitiveness on Sunday after a difficult weekend.

The next round for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team will be next week in Buriram, where the Thai Grand Prix will be held from October 25-27th.

Results Race
1. Fermin Aldeguer (Boscoscuro)  35:08.816
2. Aron Canet (Kalex) +0.194
3. Senna Agius (Kalex) +7.228
4. Ai Ogura (Boscoscuro) +8.385
5. Diogo Moreira (Kalex) +8.397
21. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +1 lap

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2024
1. Ai Ogura (Boscoscuro) 241 points
2. Aron Canet (Kalex) 176 points
3. Fermin Aldeguer (Boscoscuro) 175 points
4. Sergio Garcia (Boscoscuro) 175 points
5. Alonso Lopez (Boscoscuro) 163 points
8. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 140 points
20. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 34 points

Moto2 Teams Championship Standing 2024
1. MT Helmets MSI – 416 points
2. Beta Tools Speed Up – 338 points
3. Only Fans American Racing Team – 238 points
4. Gresini Moto2 – 231 points
5. Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – 194 points
7. Red Bull KTM Ajo – 174 points

AKI AJO – Team Manager:

“It was an unfortunate weekend for Celestino, who on Friday suffered a collarbone injury. Fortunately is it not too serious and next week we will see if he is able to come back in Thailand or if we need to delay his comeback for Malaysia. Deniz had a strong weekend for his learning. Phillip Island is one of the most challenging tracks for a rookie in Moto2, with the different shape of the track and the wind and mixed conditions. Especially during the race he showed improvement, but unfortunately he crashed and lost out in the fight for the Top 10. As I have said many times, in a rookie year we need these experiences and for sure we have more in our basket after this weekend.”

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“We have finished the AustralianGP. The whole weekend has been tough for me, because the track was not in perfect condition and that made things difficult. Yesterday in qualifying we made some mistakes, but today in the race we had a good start. On the first few laps we overtook some riders, moving up into 10th. Then I tried to take more risks in order to improve, and unfortunately I crashed. I want to say sorry to the team. Today we learnt more, and we will continue learning and improving in Thailand.”

Jose Antonio Rueda finishes ninth at the Australian Grand Prix, while Xabi Zurutuza is seventeenth.

The Australian Grand Prix came to a close on Sunday with the Moto3 race. The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo tried to make up as many positions as possible on race day, with Jose Antonio Rueda claiming ninth position at Phillip Island and Xabi Zuturuza seventeenth.

Rueda started from the fifth row, in fifteenth position. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider focused on staying in the front group and gaining as many places as possible on the first few laps. He fought his way into the Top10, staying in a large group and then pushing to keep up his pace on the closing laps. After 21 intense laps battling with his rivals, Rueda crossed the finish line in ninth position.

Zurutuza had a difficult weekend due to crashes he had suffered on previous days. The Moto3 rider started from 22nd on the grid and tried to make up positions early on, although physical discomfort did not allow him to perform at 100%. Despite this, Zurutuza had a good feeling with his bike during the race, and came close to earning points as he held a solid pace for 17th place.

The Thai Grand Prix will take place next week, from October 25-27th, at the Chang International Circuit.

Moto3 Results Race
1. David Alonso (CFMOTO) 33:49.557
2. Daniel Holgado (GASGAS) +2.936
3. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) +2.939
4. Stefano Nepa (KTM) +2.957
5. David Muñoz (KTM) +2.972
9. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +3.908
17. Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +30.611

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2024
1. David Alonso (CFMOTO) 346 points
2. Daniel Holgado (GASGAS) 232 points
3. Collin Veijer (Husqvarna) 209 points
4. Ivan Ortola (KTM) 191 points
5. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) 153
8. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 128 points
22. Xabi Zurutuza (Redd Bull KTM Ajo) 11 points

Moto3 Teams World Championship Standing 2024
1. CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 391 points
2. MT Helmets MSI – 297 points
3. Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP – 291 points
4. Leopard Racing – 290 points
5. Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 285 points
7. Red Bull KTM Ajo – 142 points

AKI AJO – Team Manager

“It was a challenging weekend this year in Phillip Island due to the weather conditions. In any case it was quite a solid race for both riders. Rueda was in the top group and we are happy with his pace and performance. He also improved to fight for better positions on the last laps. Xabi had a really challenging weekend, as it was his first time at Phillip Island, with really tough conditions. After having some crashes during the weekend he had a solid race, although his performance was not enough to reach the points.”

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today’s race was difficult, but the feeling was good. At the beginning of the race I felt quite comfortable and we managed to gain a lot of positions. But the final part of the race was tough, because I had a hard time overtaking due to the gear settings we had chosen. With the feeling I had today, I think we could have been fighting higher up, even for the podium. Today we took a chance and it didn’t work out, so we’ll learn from this race and hopefully Thailand will go better.”

#85 XABI ZURUTUZA

“We’ve finished up at Phillip Island. It’s been a very positive day, where we’ve taken a big step forward in terms of pace and race laps, so I’m very happy. It’s a shame that my physical condition hindered me, as I had a lot of pain in my neck and that prevented me from improving. However, I’m happy with the work that the team and I have done. It’s been a more difficult weekend than expected due to the crashes, but I’m really looking forward to the next Grand Prix in Thailand.”

The Turkish rider sets the seventeenth fastest time in Moto2 qualifying.

Deniz Öncü was the sole Red Bull KTM Ajo rider in action in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, after teammate Celestino Vietti was declared unfit on Friday. The Turkish rider went into Q2 and placed seventeenth.

Practice 2 for the intermediate class was held in wet conditions. The low temperatures and wind made riding difficult, causing numerous crashes among the Moto2 field. Faced with the impossibility of improving his times and with a direct spot in Q2 assured, Öncü took the opportunity to continue gaining confidence with his bike. After a pit stop, improved lap after lap, setting the sixteenth best time of the session with a 1:46.701.

In qualifying he did not have the best feeling and had to fight to get a good starting position for the Australian Grand Prix. Conditions were different again, with the track dry. Öncü lowered his times steadily, but his 1:32.165 on his penultimate lap only allowed him to finish seventeenth. Unfortunately, he also received a penalty of three grid positions for riding slowly and disturbing other riders, so he will start the race in twentieth place, on the seventh row.

The 23-laps Moto2 Australian Grand Prix race will take place tomorrow at 12:15 pm, local time.

Results Quailfying
1. Fermin Aldeguer (Boscoscuro) 1:30.876
2. Aron Canet (Kalex) 1:31.072 +0.196
3. Alonso Lopez (Boscoscuro) 1:31.144 +0.268
4. Marcos Ramirez (Kalex) 1:31.168 +0.292
5. Barry Baltus (Kalex) 1:31.413 +0.537
17. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:32.165 +1.289

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ
“Our qualifying session wasn’t what we expected today. It was really hard for me because of the conditions, but tomorrow I hope to have a good race in the dry. We received a 3-place penalty, so we will start from 20th. It will be a long race. The objective is to improve my riding and enjoy myself. We’ll keep working and it will be a nice test tomorrow.”

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo will start the race from the fifth and eighth rows of the grid.

Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix was held this Saturday at Phillip Island circuit, and the Red Bull KTM Ajo duo faced a difficult day. Jose Antonio Rueda will start the race fifteenth, whilst Xabi Zurutuza will do so from 22nd.

Practice 2 was once again held in the wet, compounded by the low temperatures and strong winds at Phillip Island. The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders worked to improve their times and secure a direct spot in Q2. Rueda took a big step forward and improved his times by up to 2 seconds, showing great consistency in difficult conditions. He achieved his best time on his last lap, a 1:46.494 that put him in eleventh place. Zurutuza also started the day with a good feeling, looking for a place among the Top 15. However, he suffered a heavy crash at Turn 4 after completing just 5 laps, leaving him with no chance of improving his times, and was forced to go through Q1.

The first qualifying session took place in dry conditions, and Zurutuza did not have the same feeling. After 8 laps, he was eighth with a time of 1:38.531, so will start the race from 22nd position. Rueda carried over his form and feeling in Q2, but saw his attempts curtailed by the intense activity on the track and strong gusts of wind, which did not allow him to turn his good work into complete laps. He was only able to finish fifteenth, with a time of 1:37.293.

The 21-lap Moto3 Australian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday at 11:00 am, local time.

Results Qualifying
1. Ivan Ortola (KTM) 1:35.872
2. Collin Veijer (Husqvarna) 1:35.996 +0.124
3. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) 1:36.023 +0.151
4. David Muñoz (KTM) 1:36.201 +0.329
5. Scott Ogden (Honda) 1:36.275 +0.403
15. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:37.293 +1.421
22. Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:38.531 +1.843 *Q1 Time

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA
“Today we took a good step forward in the wet, despite the wind, and went straight into Q2. I’m very happy about that, because these are the conditions that are most difficult for me. The result in Q2 does not reflect the work and the feeling we had; I felt very comfortable on the bike. However, I had to abort laps on several occasions because the rest of the riders were going slower. When I was on my best lap, a gust of wind prevented me from completely nailing it, and these are things that happen in these conditions, especially today. Tomorrow we will try to fight back from the start, because I feel very comfortable, it will be a very fast race and I think we can do very well. I feel very comfortable with the bike and with the team and that is what motivates me the most.”

#85 XABI ZURUTUZA
“Today was a pretty difficult day, because of the crash in Practice 2. The feeling was good in the wet, but at Turn 4 I had a high side and we had to go through Q1. It was the first dry session, and it was also very windy and cold, so we have to improve the feeling a lot because it wasn’t easy. This afternoon we will continue working to be able to improve tomorrow and get a good result in the race.”

The Turkish Red Bull KTM Ajo rider sets the ninth fastest time of the day. His teammate suffers a crash in the morning that prevents him from taking part in Practice.

The first day of the Australian Grand Prix was a mixed one for Red Bull KTM Ajo. Celestino Vietti suffered an early crash in the morning’s Free Practice that brought his weekend to a premature conclusion, whilst Deniz Öncü completed a solid Friday and set the ninth fastest time of the day.

The morning Free Practice was not an easy session for the Red Bull KTM Ajo duo. The rain and track conditions made riding difficult, and Vietti and Öncü went out looking for a good setup and to adapt to the Australian track. However, Vietti suffered a heavy crash after only five laps, and was unable to resume the session. After a visit to the medical centre, he was declared unfit to ride and will not participate in the rest of the weekend.

Öncü was left as the only representative for Red Bull KTM Ajo in the intermediate class. The Turkish rider completed a steady Free Practice in the morning, making progress and improving his times lap after lap. Öncü even fought for the Top 3, reaching as high as fourth place. After 18 laps, the Moto2 rookie was sixth thanks to his 1:42.276 on his 15th lap. In the afternoon session, Öncü continued to move forward and, with better track conditions in the dry, he was able to improve his times considerably. Very competitive from start to finish, he topped the timesheets at one point before placing ninth, setting a 1:33.600 on his last lap.

Qualifying sessions for the intermediate class will take place on Saturday from 1:45 pm, local time.

Results Practice 1
1. Fermin Aldeguer (Boscoscuro) 1:32.718
2. Aron Canet (Kalex) 1:32.995 +0.277
3. Alonso Lopez (Boscoscuro) 1:33.025 +0.307
4. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) 1:33.155 +0.437
5. Jake Dixon (Kalex) 1:33.221 +0.503
9. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:33.600 +0.882
NC. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo)

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“We have finished the first day here in Australia. It has been a good day for us, because it was very easy to crash in those tricky conditions, but we didn’t. My teammate crashed and was injured, so I wish him a speedy recovery. Tomorrow in Qualifying I will try to do my best, and hopefully it can be good and we can have a good race on Sunday, which is my target for the weekend.”

Jose Antonio Rueda finishes nineteenth, while Xabi Zurutuza is eighteenth.

The first day of the Australian Grand Prix presented a difficult scenario for the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders. After a wet Free Practice with tricky riding conditions, Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza continued their work in the afternoon, finishing nineteenth and eighteenth respectively.

Water accumulated on the track forced the riders to take extra precautions to avoid making mistakes. Rueda made steady progress amidst the tricky conditions. After 16 laps, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was only able to set the 20th fastest time, with a 1:47.519 on his penultimate lap. Zurutuza had a difficult start at the Australian circuit. The Moto3 rookie suffered a crash early on, although after a stop in the pits he was able to return to the track in the final minutes of the session and improve his times. Unfortunately, he had a second crash at Turn 1, meaning his 1:47.352 on his seventh and final lap placed him nineteenth.

Despite the fact that Practice 1 started in the wet, the track dried out in some areas and during the session, which saw numerous crashes throughout. Rueda had difficulties and wasn’t able to improve his times from the morning. His 1:48.610 on his ninth lap of 15 placed him eighteenth. Zurutuza concentrated on adapting to the track and completing a productive Practice, after not being able to ride much during the morning. He worked on his setup while fighting to take a place in the Top 15. He was also unable to improve his times, finishing Friday in eighteenth position after setting a fastest lap of 1:48.610.

On Saturday, both riders will work hard to secure a direct spot in Q2. Moto3 qualifying will start at 12:50 pm local time.

Results Practice 1
1. Angel Piqueras (Honda) 1:44.949
2. David Alonso (CFMOTO) 1:45.991 +1.042
3. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) 1:47.062 +2.113
4. David Almansa (Honda) 1:47.111 +2.162
5. Matteo Bertelle (Honda) 1:47.153 +2.204
18. Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:48.452 +3.503
19. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:48.610 +3.661

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today was a strange day. In the first session we were improving lap by lap, but we reached a point where we couldn’t improve any further. In the second practice the track conditions were tricky, because it started out wet but then it dried out. I didn’t feel comfortable at all. The positive thing is that the rest of the weekend will be dry, so we have a lot of room for improvement.”

#85 XABI ZURUTUZA

“We have finished the first day in Australia. It has been a tough day due to the weather conditions. In the first practice we had a very good feeling with the bike, but we made two mistakes, with two crashes. The second, at Turn 1, was heavy, but luckily we didn’t have any serious injuries. In P1 the conditions were changing, although we started in the wet. We have taken a step back, we didn’t have much feeling, so we are focusing on tomorrow to improve.”

Celestino Vietti and Deniz Öncü face the final stretch of the season with good expectations in Australia.

The Australian Grand Prix takes place this weekend, and Celestino Vietti and Deniz Öncü want to return to the top after a demanding round in Japan and a week off. The race at Phillip Island kicks off the last triple-header of the campaign.

The track is one of the most special circuits of Vietti’s sporting career. The Italian achieved his first podium in the World Championship at the Australian track, but comes into this round after a difficult weekend in Japan, where the choice of tyres in a rainy race affected his fight for the top positions. He will face a big challenge in Australia, where weather conditions often play a big role as well. With 140 points, he is eighth in the overall standings.

Öncü continues to make great progress in his first year in Moto2. He enjoyed a solid weekend in Japan, although the Sunday results did not reflect the work he put in, given the difficult track conditions. At Phillip Island he was the Moto3 winner in 2023, clinching the victory on the final lap. He remains in contention for the Rookie of the Year honour in the intermediate class, and is 19th with 34 points.

Red Bull KTM Ajo are sixth in the Team standings with 174 points. The team have wins at Phillip Island through Brad Binder (twice) and Miguel Oliveira, in addition to three further podiums. The Moto2 race will be held on Sunday at 12:15pm local time.

Circuit information – Phillip Island Circuit
Length: 4.448 m / 2.764 miles
Width: 13 m / 42.65 ft.
Left corners: 7
Right corners: 5
Longest straight: 900 m / 0.559 miles
Constructed: 1956
Modified: 1988

#13 CELESTINO VIETTI

“We finished the Japanese GP with confidence in dry conditions. We were quite fast, and the feeling is good. We hope the weather will be more straightforward compared to the last weekend, but anyway Phillip Island is a track that I like a lot. I got my first podium there, so it’s very special for me. I hope to do a good job and we will see what we can do on Sunday.”

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“After a difficult weekend in Japan and a few days of rest, we are looking forward to going to Australia to keep improving. We continue to make progress and understand everything better, so I’m confident we can get a good result there. Last year we got the win, but this time it will be different because it’s a new class. I think we can do well at Phillip Island.”

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders start the last triple-header of the year at Phillip Island.

The legendary Phillip Island circuit in Australia brings together the Moto3 World Championship field to celebrate the seventeenth round of the season. After a week off, Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza have renewed energy to face an intense end of the year.

Rueda placed in the Top 5 in the last Grand Prix, held in Japan. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider made a great comeback in a solid race, amidst difficult conditions throughout the weekend. The Spanish rider is ready to return to the podium again and be as competitive as possible in Australia, where last year he was 18th under treacherous weather. With 121 points, Rueda is eighth in the overall standings.

Zurutuza is once again coming to an unfamiliar circuit, and will try to adapt quickly to one of the most unique layouts on the calendar. The Moto3 rookie was 18th in the Japanese Grand Prix, but made progress at Motegi. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider wants to consolidate this in Australia and be competitive to score points once again. With 11 points, he is 22nd in the standings.

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 are seventh in the Team competition and have 135 points. In the 2023 Australian GP, Deniz Öncü won with a great overtake on the final lap. The 21-lap Moto3 race will be held this Sunday at 11:00h, local time.
 

Circuit information – Phillip Island Circuit
Length: 4.448 m / 2.764 miles
Width: 13 m / 42.65 ft.
Left corners: 7
Right corners: 5
Longest straight: 900 m / 0.559 miles
Constructed: 1956
Modified: 1988

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Phillip Island is a circuit that was a bit difficult for us last year, due to the conditions, but one that I really liked at the same time. It has very fast corners and I think we can do quite well there. We hope there is good weather, since it can be very changeable there. We want to improve a little in qualifying and continue working as we have been doing. We know that on the last lap we always have a little extra, so if we improve these things we can be more competitive.”

#85 XABI ZURUTUZA

“We arrive in Australia really looking forward to it, since it is another circuit to discover. It is very different from the rest, so we will look to further consolidate all the progress we made in Japan. We made a good step forward in the race in terms of our feeling, so our objective is to continue moving forward and continue improving the results.”

Celestino Vietti finishes in seventh position, with Deniz Öncü seventeenth.

The Mobility Resort Motegi enjoyed a thrilling race in the intermediate class, reduced to 12 laps after a red flag stopped proceedings due to rain. Tyre choice was key, and Celestino Vietti kept up the pace to cross the line in seventh position. Deniz Öncü finished in seventeenth position after fighting for points until the last lap.

Vietti made a great second start, opting for full wet tyres after the race was declared wet. The Italian was up into the podium positions in just three laps and tried to maintain his position and manage tyre wear. However, after the first part of the race he began to lose positions as the riders on slicks came through. Vietti was able to keep up his pace as long as possible and remained in the Top 10, coming home in seventh position.

Öncü also opted for wet tyres for the resumption of the Moto2 race. After the rain stopped and tyre management became even more difficult, he battled to stay in the points. On the final laps, Öncü was involved in an intense tussle with several other riders, with constant changes of position. Unfortunately, after moving into sixteenth, he was forced to give up a position for exceeding the track limits on the last lap and was awarded seventeenth.

After a very positive weekend for both riders, the Moto2 team will return to work in two weeks’ time, with the Australian Grand Prix from October 18-20th at Phillip Island.

Results Race
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex)
2. Ai Ogura (Boscoscuro) +2.535
3. Filip Salac (Kalex) +9.103
4. Jeremy Alcoba (Kalex) +9.240
5. Zonta van den Goorbergh (Kalex) +14.758
7. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +53.847
17. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +1:08.863

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2024
1. Ai Ogura (Boscoscuro) 228 points
2. Sergio García (Boscoscuro) 168 points
3. Alonso Lopez (Boscoscuro) 163 points
4. Aron Canet (Kalex) 156 points
5. Joe Roberts (Kalex) 153 points
8. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 140 points
19. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 34 points

Moto2 Teams World Championship Standing 2024
1. MT Helmets – MSi – 396 points
2. Beta Tools SpeedUp – 131 points
3. OnlyFans American Racing Team – 232 points
4. QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2 – 218 points
5. ELF Marc VDS Racing Team – 184 points
6. Red Bull KTM Ajo – 174 points

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“It has been a challenging weekend in Moto2 due to the weather. We felt during the whole weekend that both Celestino and Deniz were in a really good mood and had good pace, but unfortunately today was a very, very challenging race, as it started to rain. After the red flag, for the second start it was very tough to make the correct decisions -in part because of the quick grid procedure. We decided to go with wet tyres, as did most of the grid, but unfortunately the track was drying out and the riders with dry tyres were ahead of us. In any case, we had a strong weekend and we have confidence going into the next triple-header.”

#13 CELESTINO VIETTI
“Unfortunately today it was difficult to know which tyre would be the right choice. Maybe we didn’t get it correct, but anyway it was not too bad because we were the best of those who went for wets. Next time we will try to make a better choice. Thanks to the team for all the work they did during the weekend. With dry conditions we were strong, so we have confidence for the next few races. Now we have a week off to rest and we will take on the last races of the year in the best way.”

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ
“We’ve finished the Japanese GP and, honestly, the weekend was not bad for us. The forecast today hurt us a little bit and we gambled with our tyre choice. This time we didn’t make the right choice, as it didn’t work out and the right option was the slicks. Anyway, we are strong and I am confident that we will be even stronger in Australia.”

The Moto3 rider finishes in fifth position, with Xabi Zurutuza eighteenth.

The Japanese Grand Prix came to an end on Sunday with Red Bull KTM Ajo completing an intense race, in which Jose Antonio Rueda made a great comeback to take fifth position. Xabi Zurutuza fought to reach the points, eventually coming home in eighteenth.

Rueda was forced to fight back through the field after starting from fourteenth position. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider got off the line well, thanks to which he was already in eighth place after the opening laps. The Spanish rider also set a fast lap in the early stages, staying in the leading group and trying to continue advancing. Halfway through the race, the group broke away, leaving Rueda behind, although he did not give up and increased his pace on the final corners to catch up with the frontrunners again. Rueda continued to overtake riders for a remarkable fifth position.

Zurutuza started from the back of the grid, having been unable to get past Q1 on Saturday. The rookie held his position and tried to maintain a constant pace, lap after lap. Halfway through the race, Zurutuza pushed and managed to recover several places in his quest for points. Whilst he continued to battle until the end, he completed his first Japanese Grand Prix in eighteenth position.

Red Bull KTM Ajo will rest up next week, before the Australian Grand Prix from October 18- 20th.

Results Race
1. David Alonso (CFMOTO)
2. Collin Veijer (Husqvarna) +0.524
3. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) +0.766
4. Daniel Holgado (GASGAS) +1.168
5. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +1.209
18. Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +22.539

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2024
1. David Alonso (CFMOTO) 321 points
2. Daniel Holgado (GASGAS) 212 points
3. Collin Veijer (Husqvarna) 209 points
4. Ivan Ortola (KTM) 191 points
5. David Muñoz (KTM) 141 points
8. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 121 points
22. Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 11 points

Moto3 Teams World Championship Standing 2024
1. CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 366 points
2. Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP – 290 points
3. MT Helmets – MSi – 287 points
4. Leopard Racing – 268 points
5. Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 262 points
7. Red Bull KTM Ajo – 135 points

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“It was a challenging weekend in Moto3, especially because of the weather conditions. At least in the race it was more clear and we could have a solid race. Jose Antonio maybe started to catch the frontrunners too late to fight for the podium, but in any case we need to be really positive about this last part of the race, when he reeled in the front group and finally fought in the Top 5, close to the winner. This was positive after some challenging weekends. Xabi had a solid race, and of course step-by-step we hope to be closer to the points, but in any case we are collecting data and gaining experience. We hope to be fighting for the points again at Phillip Island.”

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA
“We managed to make up several positions at the start, so it was very positive after not having been able to qualify well yesterday. Halfway through the race I lost a bit of pace compared to those in front when I had contact with another rider. I fell a bit behind and it was a little difficult for me, but on the last laps I was sure that I would catch them again. I felt very comfortable and had much more pace, so I continued to overtake. If we had had a couple more laps we could have fought for the podium, and that moment in the middle of the race hindered us. I am very happy with how the weekend went. We took a good step forward and I think that in Australia we will be able to do better and continue improving in qualifying.”

#85 XABI ZURUTUZA
“We have ended a weekend in Japan with ups and downs. In the wet we had a very good feeling, but in the dry it was very difficult for us. In the race we made a big leap up and, although the feeling is still not the best, I do feel more comfortable. It’s time to rest this week to arrive at Phillip Island focused. I’m looking forward to riding at such a special circuit, so we’ll try to do better there once again.”