An unusual situation for Red Bull KTM Ajo sees the Dutchman make it into Q2 in 14th position, while the Spaniard will have to go through Q1, in 15th.

Practice for the German Grand Prix produced something of a rarity for the Moto2 field and for Red Bull KTM Ajo, as both Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda clocked 1:23.007 laps. The identical times led them to finish 14th and 15th respectively, with Veijer’s second fastest lap giving him the nod and sending him directly into Q2 at the expense of his teammate.

With more favourable and comfortable weather conditions than those experienced during the recent double-header at Brno and Assen, the Moto2 riders were able to take to the track for Free Practice 1 with a manageable ambient temperature of 18°C ​​ambient and track temperature of 26°C.

Veijer demonstrated consistency early on, and showed that he has fully recovered for this weekend. After the first fifteen minutes of the session, the Dutchman was already seventh, comfortably within the Top 10 and less than 4 tenths of a second off his best time from last year -his rookie campaign at the Sachsenring in Moto2. After a pit stop, he tried out new setup details, clocking a 1:23.208, his best time ever time at the German circuit. After 22 laps, Veijer finished 10th.Rueda also racked up 22 laps in FP1. He took a more cautious approach, gradually improving his understanding of how to work on a Moto2 bike at such a unique circuit. He remained just over a second off the pace during his first stint, finishing in the Top 20. After his pit stop, the Spaniard was able to shave more tenths off his laps, reaching a 1:23.747 and finishing 19th -just 1.2 seconds off the pacesetter.

In the afternoon, conditions were conducive to a good Practice session, with an ambient temperature of around 24°C and track temperature of 43°C.

Veijer focused on developing his race pace. Low down the order during the first part of the session, the Dutchman upped the pace as it entered its final 20 minutes, reaching 18th. Later, after a tyre change, he improved his time to secure what would prove to be the 14th fastest lap. Unfortunately, he then suffered a minor crash at Turn 3, which took him off the track in the final laps. His 1:23.007 keeps up his perfect record of direct spots in Q2 so far in 2026. Rueda posted the exact same time, finishing 15^th. He missed out on Q2 as his second-best lap was slower than that of his teammate. The Spaniard followed the same strategy as Veijer, and was behind him for much of his first run. Confident and with good pace, he climbed to 16th place, and was 4 tenths faster than his best morning lap. On his second stint, he used fresh tyres to try and grab a place in Q2, but fell just short. He had to settle for 15th place after 21 laps -two more than Veijer.

In conclusion, it was a positive first day for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 guys at the Sachsenring, although they were unable to get both straight into Q2. On Saturday, the intermediate class will undertake Free Practice 2 at 09:25 a.m. (local time), whilst in the afternoon, Rueda will take part in Q1 from 1:40 p.m. and Veijer Q2 at 2:05 p.m.

Practice Results
1. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 1:22.260
2. Ivan Ortola (Kalex) | 1:22.296 (+0.036)
3. David Alonso (Kalex) | 1:22.475 (+0.215)
4. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 1:22.562 (+0.302)
5. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 1:22.567 (+0.307)
14. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:23.007 (+0.747)
15. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:23.007 (+0.747)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“It was a little bit of an unfortunate day. We managed to go through to Q2, but the feeling was not amazing. We still need to improve some tenths in Sectors 2, 3 and 4, but overall we tried our best and we will work hard this afternoon to take another big step tomorrow. My shoulder is getting much better than it was at the races before this one, and that’s also because we have fewer right corners here. It’s another positive thing to take away from today.  I’m sure we will achieve better results tomorrow with hard work and confidence, so we’ll give it 100% from the beginning.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today I felt really good on track, at a circuit that’s a lot of fun on a Moto2 bike. We took a very solid step forward from Free Practice 1 to Practice, so I’m happy about that. It’s a shame I couldn’t go directly into Q2; I’ve never had anything like this happen to me before, matching my teammate’s time, but these things can happen. Collin helped me understand the lines during Practice, so I’m very grateful to the team for everyone’s great work. Tomorrow I’ll have to grit my teeth and get into Q2, which is now the main objective.”

Both Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders earn their places in Q2 after a good first day at Sachsenring.

Friday was a successful day at the Sachsenring for Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte. The two Red Bull KTM riders secured spots in Q2 and will fight for Pole Position at the German GP on Saturday. Carpe topped Free Practice 1 and was fifth in Practice, while Uriarte finished the day with eleventh.

There was fine weather for the start of the German Grand Prix, with temperatures cooler than in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands at recent rounds. Track temperature was 25°C for Free Practice 1.

Carpe began with a positive feeling, and he managed to climb into the Top 5 early. After a solid first run that kept him among the fastest riders throughout the session, the Spaniard headed to the pits to adjust some details for the final minutes of FP1. He then made another leap forward, taking the top spot with five minutes remaining and even improving his time once more. After 21 laps, Carpe topped the timesheets in FP1 for the fourth time this season, bringing his total to eight first places in Free Practice sessions. His time of 1:25.996 left him just five tenths of a second off his best lap from last year at Sachsenring. Uriarte had an excellent start, beginning the session among the Top 5. Less than ten minutes into the session, he had even taken the lead. After a good initial run alongside the Moto3 World Championship leader, he headed to the pits. When he reemerged, the Spaniard improved his time, achieving a 1:26.481 which ultimately placed him tenth. His 22 laps were more than any other rider in the class.

Later in the afternoon, the ambient temperature of 22°C and track temperature of 41°C created a warmer session in Practice.

Carpe worked alone for the first part of the session, focusing on improving his feeling on the bike and gathering data for Sunday’s race. Having settled into seventh place during his first run, he then went out for his Time Attack and clinched his place in Q2. With several improvements made in the final laps, the Spaniard comfortably settled into fifth place, with a best time of 1:25.967. He was just 1 tenth of a second off the pacesetter and accumulated 21 laps. Uriarte replicated his FP1 form, topping the timesheets on his third lap out and holding the position until the Time Attacks in the final ten minutes. His initial time was already more than 3 tenths of a second faster than his morning marker, demonstrating a solid step forward from Free Practice 1. After returning to the garage, the key moment of the session arrived, but he couldn’t lower his time any further on his second run, having to settle for his 1:26.110. The result put him 11th after 21 laps, securing his place in Q2.

All in all, it was a positive start for the Spanish duo from the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, who have shown not only speed but also good pace as they look to have a successful weekend on German surface. On Saturday, both riders will take part in Free Practice 2, starting at 08:40 a.m. (local time), and then Q2 from 1:10 p.m. with the clear goal of securing good positions on the grid.

Practice Results
1. Veda Pratama (Honda) | 1:25.848
2. Joel Esteban (KTM) | 1:25.856 (+0.008)
3. Eddie O’Shea (Honda) | 1:25.883 (+0.035)
4. Jesus Rios (Honda) | 1:25.904 (+0.056)
5. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:25.967 (+0.119)
11. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:26.110 (+0.262)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“The day went really well overall. From the very first thing this morning, I felt very comfortable, and we were able to improve our feeling throughout the two sessions. We tried out different things, and I think we found some interesting details, so tomorrow we’ll try to finalise the setup to be strong on Sunday. The work has been good; we feel fast and have a good pace to start building on, so we’re going to continue the same way to take another step forward tomorrow.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“I’m happy with this first day at Sachsenring. Today we managed to work on our own  quite a bit, which is what we’ve been struggling with the most at the start of this season. The fastest lap we set wasn’t bad, but it’s not perfect, and everything is very close at this circuit. Now we have to analyse the areas where we can be more precise and try to take another step forward tomorrow. It’s a very peculiar circuit, with many left-hand corners, so we have to be very mindful of tyre wear.”

The German Grand Prix sees the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders in action before the summer break.

Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda will take part in the eleventh Grand Prix of the season in Germany this weekend, in what marks the final round of the Moto2 season before the summer break.

Veijer arrives in Germany following the Dutch TT, where he had an intense weekend at his home event. After solid results over the first two days at Assen, he managed a commendable ninth place on Sunday -the second-best result ever for a Dutchman at Assen on a Moto2 bike. Aiming for a consistent run, he goes to the Sachsenring having never scored points there in either Moto3 or Moto2. Veijer has also competed at the tight and twisty circuit twice previously as a Red Bull Rookies Cup rider, achieving a second-place finish in 2022. Currently, Veijer sits tenth in the overall standings with 48.5 points.

Rueda is in good form, despite failing to score points in the Netherlands. He made steady improvement at a demanding circuit in extreme heat, taking a step forward heading into Sunday’s race, but it wasn’t enough to extend his four-race streak of consecutive Top 15 finishes. His 17th place at Assen came after he was off the pace on Friday and advanced significantly over the course of the weekend. In Germany, he secured a third-place finish last year, narrowly missing out on the victory in Moto3, whilst he has triumphed at the Sachsenring in the 2022 Red Bull Rookies Cup. Currently, leading the Rookie of the Year standings, Rueda sits in 17th place overall with 19 points.

Back after a 15-day break following the double-header in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, Red Bull KTM Ajo are eighth in the Team standings with 67.5 points, just three points shy of seventh place. In previous editions of the German Grand Prix, Deniz Öncü secured a resounding victory one year ago. Sachsenring is one of the tracks where they have the best record in the series, with five wins through Johann Zarco (2016), Brad Binder (2018). Remy Gardner (2021), Augusto Fernandez (2022), and Pedro Acosta (2023), in addition to four further podium finishes by Zarco (2015), Miguel Oliveira (2017), Binder (2019), and Acosta (2022).

The German GP gets underway this Friday at 9:50 a.m. (local time), with Free Practice 1. The 25-lap race will take place on Sunday at 12:15 p.m.

Circuit information – Sachsenring
Length: 3.671 m / 2.281 miles
Width: 12 m / 39.37 ft.
Left corners: 10
Right corners: 3
Longest straight: 700 m / 0.435 miles
Constructed: 1996
Modified: 2003

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m very happy to be back for another race weekend. I feel ready for Sachsenring. We tried to solve my shoulder problem, so let’s see how it goes in Germany this time. We will try to give it 100%, and I’m feeling stronger again. We have been training hard, I’m feeling great and getting better day by day, so I’m very excited to get started at this special, unique track before the summer break begins. Let’s try to enjoy to the maximum and bring back a good result to the box.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Sachsenring is an anti-clockwise circuit that I really like because of its characteristics and its unique nature: It’s small, narrow, and short. I’m very curious to try it out on a Moto2 bike, as it certainly won’t be easy and we’ll have to be very precise in everything we do. It’s the last race before the summer break, so it’s vital to carry over the momentum from the last few races and try to find that feeling that’s so necessary in such extreme heat. I hope to have a good weekend and go into my holidays with a positive feeling.”

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo look to head into the summer break with a strong result at Sachsenring.

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 face their final race before the summer break this weekend at Sachsenring. Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte will compete in the German Grand Prix, the twelfth round of the season, with solid positions in the overall standings.

Carpe was hindered by a mistake at the recent Dutch TT, ending a weekend of significant progress with disappointment after a crash on the second lap. He went on to remount and complete the race, and now travels to Germany. He has good memories of Sachsenring, a circuit unfamiliar to him until last season’s Grand Prix, where he achieved fifth-place in both Q2 and the race, missing out on the podium by less than a tenth of a second and the victory by three. He remains in second place in the 2026 overall standings with 121 points.

Uriarte has had two good results at circuits where he had limited previous experience. On the rostrum at the Czech Republic, he followed that up with a sixth-place finish in the Netherlands. He will find himself in a similar situation at Sachsenring, where he has only competed on one occasion. During the Red Bull Rookies Cup last year, he secured victory in Race 1 under adverse conditions that persisted throughout the weekend. The forecast for this time around is for extreme heat, similar to at Brno and Assen. Uriarte is currently fourth in the overall standings with 102 points, and the series’ top rookie.

Red Bull KTM Ajo arrive at the Sachsenring with 223 points, occupying second place in the Team standings. In Germany they have achieved two victories so far, with Pedro Acosta (2021) and Deniz Öncü (2023), in addition to Jose Antonio Rueda’s podium finish last year.

The action at Sachsenring kicks off this Friday at 9:00 a.m. (local time) with Moto3 Free Practice 1. The 23-lap Moto3 race will take place on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in the shortest track on calendar.

Circuit information – Sachsenring
Length: 3.671 m / 2.281 miles
Width: 12 m / 39.37 ft.
Left corners: 10
Right corners: 3
Longest straight: 700 m / 0.435 miles
Constructed: 1996
Modified: 2003

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re arriving at Sachsenring with a lot of motivation, especially after that lingering disappointment from how the weekend ended in Assen. The crash was a big one, but we’ve recovered and are preparing in the best way possible. Sachsenring is a somewhat unique circuit, unlike any other, with so many left-hand corners, so we’ll have to be very careful with tyre wear and race management. We’re ready to fight from the start and to work in the same way we did at Assen, which is definitely the way forward.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“Sachsenring is a circuit I have good memories of, as it was my first visit there last year and I managed to win in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. I think we’re in good form and we’re arriving with confidence after a good weekend in Assen, despite a few minor mistakes on the Sunday. The work we’re doing on weekends is very good, so I hope to continue that in Germany. This week off has been great for me to completely disconnect and train in flat track, which will be useful for managing tyre wear on a track that’s entirely left-handers.”

The Dutchman leaves Assen with a fifth Top 10 of the season, whilst Rueda takes 17th place.

Collin Veijer had a solid Sunday at the DutchGP, taking ninth place at his home round for a positive result. This is the second-best result ever achieved by a Dutch rider at the TT Circuit Assen in the history of Moto2 class. Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 teammate, Jose Antonio Rueda, managed to climb from 24th to 17th place after a bad start, finishing just a few tenths behind the points.

Hot conditions continued at the Moto2 DutchGP, despite overnight rain at Assen. Track temperature was as high as 38°C for the 22-lap race.

Veijer made a good start from 14th on the grid, moving up a place by the conclusion of the first lap. He went on to overtake two more rivals, demonstrating a good enough pace to join the leading group and opening up a gap of up to three seconds from those behind him. As the laps progressed, the leaders increased their advantage at the front, leaving Veijer at the back of the group. He held onto 11th place despite severe tyre wear late on, and was promoted to ninth due to penalties for other riders. It was his fifth Top 10 finish of the season, and the second-best result ever for a Dutch rider at his home Grand Prix in Moto2. Veijer now has 48.5 points and climbs to tenth place in the overall standings.

Rueda started from 20th, and lost two positions off the line, subsequently being held up by the traffic ahead of him on a narrow track. On the second lap he dropped to 24th, returning to 21st by the end of the opening third of the race. Gradually, the Spaniard closed the gap to the group battling for 17th place, reaching 19th with several laps to go. Benefitting from post-race penalties for other riders, Rueda secured 17th, just a few tenths of a second shy of the Top 15. The series newcomer is also 17th in the overall standings, but remains the leader in the Rookie of the Year ranking with 19 points.

With these Collin’ points, Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team move up to eighth place in the Team standings with 67.5 points, just three behind the structure in seventh. The Moto2 World Championship will be back in action in two weeks for the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring, held from July 10 to 12th.

Race Results
1. David Alonso (Kalex) | 35:33.175
2. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | +0.024
3. Senna Agius (Kalex) | +0.234
4. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | +2.795
5. Ivan Ortola (Kalex) | +4.355
9. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +12.177
17. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +21.411

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 185.5 points
2. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 128 points
3. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 123 points
4. David Alonso (Kalex) | 116 points
5. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 109 points
10. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 48.5 points
17. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 19 points

Moto2 Teams World Championship Standing 2026
1. Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP | 308.5 points
2. CFMoto Azul Marino Aspar Team | 211 points
3. BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 | 142.5 points
4. HDR SpeedRS Team | 120 points
5. OnlyFans American Racing Team | 102 points
8. Red Bull KTM Ajo | 67.5 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Was an OK Sunday, not great but not a bad one. Our performance was on the same line than the rest of the weekend. Collin did a decent race, as a Top 10 is not a bad result here, but we’re still working to find something better. Step by step, we will be closer again. Jose Antonio didn’t have an easy weekend. Assen isn’t an easy track for a Moto2 rookie and we suffered a little bit more than we expected at the start, but anyway, he showed progress during the weekend and the race. Now we look forward to Germany.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m not completely happy with today’s result, but we managed to take a good step forward during the race and the rest of the weekend in different aspects. I’m very proud of all the team for their work here at Assen, and also the weather was very nice, so we can be satisfied overall. We will keep trying to get to 100%, physically and mentally. Now we have some days off for my shoulder to recover, and let’s see if we can keep improving our confidence at the next race. We leave Assen with points and very proud of how we managed the emotional side.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“It was a tough weekend. We’d been making progress throughout all the sessions, but today’s race didn’t quite go as planned. The heat didn’t help much either, so we’ll have to find something extra for days with such extreme conditions. We gave it our all, but we didn’t have much more left, so it’s also important to get the bike back to the pits even when the feeling isn’t the best. We need to learn, take away the positives, and prepare for the next race, which is the most important thing right now.”

The rookie takes good points after two close calls during the DutchGP. Carpe suffered a scary crash on Lap 2 and retires five laps from the end.

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 took sixth place at the DutchGP through Brian Uriarte, who benefitted from three penalties after the race to improve from 9th to 6th. The rookie had two close calls during the early laps that caused him to drop far back in the standings, but the chaos among the leaders in the final laps allowed him to comeback. Alvaro Carpe suffered a scary crash at the start of the second lap, completed 14 more laps, then retired before the end of the contest.

Conditions were slightly cooler than the rest of the weekend, following overnight rain at the TT Circuit Assen. Track temperature was 38ºC for the tenth Grand Prix of the season.

Uriarte made a good start from third place, even taking the lead during the first lap. However, a minor incident on the fastest section of the circuit dropped him to eighth, forcing him to fight his way back to the front. He narrowly avoided a highside when exiting Turn 11, relegating him to 15th position after Lap 6. Initially at the head of the second group, in 11th place, past the halfway point of the race he left the six riders who were with him behind, heading alone towards the leading group. Without a tow or any reference points, he couldn’t close the gap, which remained at two seconds, but was able to pick off two riders who had fallen back, reaching ninth place overall. The Spaniard was awarded sixth place after several penalties were imposed after the end of the race. With 102 points, he is fourth in the overall standings now.

Carpe took off from eighth place and maintained a good position early on. After the first lap, he was up into fifth place, but a small error while overtaking another rider at Turn 5 caused him to crash. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider was able to continue, even though the other rider’s bike had run over his torso. The Spaniard rejoined the race in 24th position, more than 30 seconds behind the leader. Demonstrating grit and willpower, Carpe completed 14 more laps with his bike’s fairing damaged and without a screen, but decided to retire on Lap 15 while running alone in 20th place, in order to avoid further damage. He remains second in the overall standings with 121 points.

In conclusion, it was a bittersweet Sunday following a good weekend for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3, which ultimately failed to have either of its two riders in contention for a podium finish. With the ten points scored by Uriarte, the team have 223 in the Team standings, comfortably in second place. The Moto3 World Championship will take a break next week before returning on July 10-12th for the German Grand Prix, the last one before the summer holidays.

Race Results
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 33:51.801
2. David Almansa (KTM) | (+0.513)
3. Marco Morelli (KTM) | (+2.433)
4. Valentin Perrone (KTM) | (+2.551)
5. Jesus Rios (Honda) | (+2.921)
6. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | (+4.438)
DNF. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | (+5 laps)

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 211 points
2. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 121 points
3. David Almansa (KTM) | 109 points
4. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 102 points
5. Marco Morelli (KTM) | 102 points

Moto3 Teams World Championship Standing 2026
1. CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team | 313 points
2. Red Bull KTM Ajo | 223 points
3. Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP| 167 points
4. Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 119 points
5. AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI | 97 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“A bittersweet Sunday today. I think we did one of our best weekends so far. Both riders were very fast alone and showed a great race pace throughout the weekend.  Unfortunately, the things today didn’t work as we expected and Alvaro did a small mistake that was expensive to pay. This is racing and these things can happen. Brian did a good race but I think he was a little bit excited at the beginning with a few mistakes. Later, he worked to catch the group, but was not enough. Anyway, he was very fast at the last part of the race. Now it’s time to think about the next race in two weeks’ time.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“It’s a shame about the crash today. We were feeling really strong here after working really well all weekend. We deserved a good Sunday, but I made a small mistake on the second lap. The impact was hard, but luckily it was just a scare. We tried to get back on track, but it wasn’t worth taking any unnecessary risks. We have to focus on the positives from the weekend, which are many, and start thinking about the next race, which will be important before the summer break.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“The race was defined by those two close calls we had. Both hampered me quite a bit, especially the second one. Had it not been for them, I think I could have been fighting at the front without any problem, since in the final stages of the race I was the fastest driver on track. We have the potential and we know it, so we’re looking forward to getting to Germany to show our best form again. We take away many positives from this weekend and a hard-fought sixth place. As always, I want to thank the team for all their hard work and for pushing us from start to finish.”

The rookie takes third position on the grid for the third time, with Alvaro Carpe eighth for the DutchGP.

A successful Saturday for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 at Assen saw them achieve a seventh front row of the 2026 season. Brian Uriarte took third place with a strong Saturday performance, whilst Alvaro Carpe has to settle for starting from eighth on the grid after being the fastest rider on Free Practice 2.

Once again, very hot conditions put the riders to the test on the second day of the Dutch TT. An ambient temperature of 27°C and a track temperature of 33°C awaited the Moto3 grid for Free Practice 2.

Carpe had a slow start, but gradually improved as the session progressed. He waited almost ten minutes to complete his first flying lap at Assen, after focusing solely on his race pace, riding alone. He ran a different strategy to his rivals, and with ten minutes remaining in the session, the Spaniard entered the pits to prepare for the second part of the session. On fresh tyres, Carpe set a 1:40.678, topping a seventh Free Practice session of the season, more than anyone else. Uriarte completed 18 laps -three more than his teammate. The rookie quickly moved into the leading positions for the first time this weekend. After the initial laps he remained competitive, working on his own race pace for Sunday. Without pitting and riding the entire session on used tyres, Uriarte was one of those with the most track time during FP2, finishing in 18th with a 1:41.229. This was 3 tenths faster than his previous best from Friday.

In the afternoon, the conditions remained the same, with an ambient temperature of 34°C and a track temperature of 47°C. The two Red Bull KTM Ajo riders decided to work together in Q2, making only one run in the session.

Uriarte managed to put in several good laps along with his teammate, going up into ninth on his first flying lap and moving into first place after using slipstreams from both Carpe and other riders. Employing a single-run strategy in Q2, the rookie had opportunities to lower his time on several occasions, but traffic on track prevented him from completing a clean lap. He finished third in Q2 for the third time this season, thanks to a 1:40.430 that was some 8 tenths quicker than his previous marker, and will occupy a position on the front row of the grid. Carpe was also on course for a front row spot early on, but after giving his teammate a tow, he couldn’t put together a complete hot lap. Waiting for a reference, he decided to pit shortly before the clock reached zero in the session, and couldn’t go back out in time to improve his lap. His 1:30.720 situates him eighth on the grid at Assen.

All in all, it was another good day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, which led the morning session and secured a front-row grid position in the afternoon. Brian and Alvaro will contest the 20-lap Dutch GP from 11 a.m. (local time) on Sunday.

Qualifying Results
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 1:40.130
2. Joel Kelso (Honda) | 1:40.155 (+0.025)
3. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.430 (+0.300)
4. Marco Morelli (KTM) | 1:40.454 (+0.324)
5. Adrian Cruces (KTM) | 1:40.456 (+0.326)
8. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.720 (+0.590)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“The day went quite well. My pace was good, and we also felt comfortable over a single lap, so we have to focus on the positives from today. I know Q2 could have gone a bit better, but I’m sure we can work around that tomorrow. We’ve had some trickier situations, so I’m confident heading into the race. The conditions improved somewhat today, so we’ll have to see what we find tomorrow and if the wind ends up being strong. Whatever happens, we’re ready to fight and give 100% on track.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“I’m happy with this front row we achieved today. I think we have good enough pace to fight at the front in the race. At Brno it was more difficult, and even then on Sunday we were able to stick with the best riders, but here I think that I’m in the right place riding on my own. Today we’ve taken another step forward and we have a sound base for the race, so we’re going to try to fine-tune a few more details and rest up for tomorrow. I’m sure we can put on a good show, and if we can do it while fighting for the top positions, even better.”

The Dutchman continues his run of Q2 spots, whilst Jose Antonio Rueda finishes 20^th in a very hot Friday.

Friday at Assen helped Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda get reacquainted with the track, and they both ran a positive pace for the Dutch Grand Prix. The home rider secured 11th place for his latest spot in Q2, whilst his teammate was 20th in Practice. The Dutchman had a solid first day, securing eleventh place in this afternoon’s Practice session, which gives him his tenth direct ticket to Q2 after ten Grands Prix this season. On the other side of the garage, the Spaniard struggled a bit more on his first day in the Netherlands, but showed promise and adaptability, and will try to qualify from Q1 tomorrow after finishing 20th in practice.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 duo put in plenty of laps at the start of the Dutch TT, in a session that saw an ambient temperature of 26°C and a track temperature of 34°C.

Veijer had a very positive first session at his home Grand Prix, demonstrating progress throughout. Splitting FP1 into two parts, he was able to take a step forward on his second run, pushing harder for a faster time and moving from 19th to 12th. His 19 laps was one of the highest in the Moto2 field, and his best time of 1:36.525 was just 3 tenths of a second off his marker from last year. Rueda had more difficulty adapting to the Dutch track. He completed 18 laps in the opening session of the tenth Grand Prix of the 2026 season, ultimately finishing in 25th place. He was 1.4 seconds off the top spot with a 1:37.149 achieved on his final attempt as he made a gradual adaptation to Assen.

With temperatures up to 49°C on track, the Moto2 riders went back out for a very eventful practice session that involved a red flag, further delaying the session’s conclusion.

Veijer had a positive start and wasn’t hampered by the interruption of the session following the red flag. He had reached seventh place before the Time Attack began, and was careful following his trip back to the garage. Wary of the numerous crashes due to the track’s poor grip levels, Veijer rode steadily to confirm his place in Q2. Eleventh fastest, he extended his run of direct spots in Q2 to 10 consecutive rounds, thanks to a 1:46.455. He put in 18 laps, the best just 3 tenths of a second off the fastest time. Rueda felt much more comfortable than in the morning, and was much closer to the leading group of riders on the timesheets. He ran a used tyre to continue getting a feel for the track during the first part of the session, then employed a Time Attack for the final stage of Practice. The reigning Moto3 World Champion was able to improve his time to 1:36.990, shaving 2 tenths off his morning best, although it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in Q2. However, the Spaniard reduced the gap to the fastest rider to 0.8 seconds. He completed 19 laps of the Dutch circuit during the session.

All in all, it was a good Friday for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team at Assen; although they were unable to get both their riders into Q2, they worked well to keep making progress throughout the day. With the main goal of being both in the running for Pole Position tomorrow, the two riders will take part in Free Practice 2, which starts at 9:25 a.m. (local time). In the afternoon, Rueda will enter Q1 at 1:40 p.m., trying to join his teammate Veijer in Q2 at 2:05 p.m.

Practice Results
1. David Alonso (Kalex) | 1:36.154
2. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 1:36.163 (+0.009)
3. Tony Arbolino (Kalex) | 1:36.218 (+0.064)
4. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 1:36.271 (+0.117)
5. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 1:36.318 (+0.164)
11. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:36.455 (+0.301)
20. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:36.990 (+0.836)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m very happy with our work today. This morning it wasn’t very easy. The first run was difficult, but we managed to improve a lot during the second. Practice was very hot, and it was hard to navigate the situation with used tyres. Then we tried a hot lap and put ourselves in 6th place. On the last lap, we avoided a lot of difficult situations with the rear tyre because of the heat, but overall, it was good for us. We made it through to Q2 again, so I’m satisfied with this and very confident for the second day at my home round.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“It was a tough day today. We struggled to find the right racing line at this circuit because it changes so much from Moto3 to Moto2. Luckily, on our second run this morning, we were able to adjust several things and feel much better. Later, in the afternoon, some further changes made me feel even more comfortable, so things are looking up and we’re more positive. Physically, I wasn’t at my best, so we’ll try to get some good rest today and be better prepared for the heat tomorrow. I know we can take another step forward on the second day here.”

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders overcome high temperatures at the DutchGP to earn places in Q2.

The intense heat at the Dutch TT on Friday couldn’t prevent Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte from achieving their objective for the day. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders progressed well throughout the day, ultimately securing seventh and tenth in Practice.

Warm, sunny conditions kicked off the weekend in Assen, continuing the circumstances from the previous weekend in the Czech Republic. Ambient temperature was at 23°C and track temperature at 29°C for Free Practice 1.

Carpe moved almost immediately into the Top 3, in a repeat of his performance from last Friday in Brno. Whilst he had a minor coming-together with Adrian Fernandez at the entrance to the track’s trademark chicane, the incident was resolved without adverse consequences. After the first part of the session, the Spaniard pitted to prepare for the final stretch, returning on track with six minutes remaining. It was then that he managed to take the lead on his last lap of a total of 16, with a best time of 1:40.869. It was the sixth time Carpe had topped a practice session in 2026. Uriarte completed a single run at Assen, with the aim of accumulating as many kilometres as possible of an almost entirely unfamiliar circuit. Hovering around the Top 20, the rookie gradually moved up the field before the end of the session, when he strung together several consecutive fast laps that left him in 12th place, with a time of 1:41.512. He was just 6 tenths of a second behind his teammate, after a total of 16 laps.

Even hotter conditions awaited the riders on Friday afternoon for Practice, with an ambient temperature of 34°C and a track temperature of 47°C.

Carpe once again strung together a series of positive laps from the start, moving up to third on one of his opening flying laps. After changing tyres, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider went back out to lead a pack of riders, but was unable to significantly improve his time. His 1:41.389 put him seventh after completing 17 laps, and earned him a direct spot in Q2. Uriarte had a slightly better start to proceedings than in Free Practice 1, firmly in the Top 14 during the first half of the session. After his first run, he was up to 13th, allowing him to approach the Time Attack with extra confidence. After his change of tyres, Uriarte tried to work with Carpe, although the large chasing group did not make this strategy easy to employ. On his 13th attempt, he managed to lower his time to 1:41.506, giving him tenth and securing his place in Q2 for the second round in a row.

In conclusion, it was a good start for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo, who -for the second time in a row- managed to go straight into the fight for Pole Position, avoiding tomorrow’s Q1. With the goal of taking another step forward under the Dutch heat, both riders will take part in Free Practice 2 on Saturday morning at 9:25 a.m. (local time), followed by Q2 at 1:10 p.m.

Practice Results
1. Joel Kelso (Honda) | 1:40.918
2. Guido Pini (Honda) | 1:41.134 (+0.216)
3. Eddie O’Shea (Honda) | 1:41.167 (+0.249)
4. Marco Morelli (KTM) | 1:41.313 (+0.395)
5. Adrian Cruces (KTM) | 1:41.317 (+0.399)
7. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:41.389 (+0.471)
10. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:41.506 (+0.588)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“This first day at Assen went quite well. We felt comfortable both in the morning and the afternoon, we were able to work on single laps and Time Attacks, and we made solid progress for the rest of the weekend. This afternoon it was very hot and windy, which made things a bit tricky, but we adapted, and that’s what’s important. Overall, things went as planned, so we’re ready to take another step forward tomorrow.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“This morning I pushed myself to the limit to get back up to speed, as it had been a long time since I’d ridden at Assen. I felt quite comfortable from the start, so the goal for Practice was to try and take another step forward. The second session also went as planned, although we still have a few things to fine tune. Tomorrow morning we’ll try to finish preparing and then head into Qualifying, which will be important for Sunday.”