Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder complete first two testing days with the new KTM.

The first test for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team concluded this Thursday at the Jerez Circuit, with positive data gathered for the rest of the 2017 preseason. Just as they did on Wednesday, Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder followed different workplans, but both improved their feelings with a new machine that has provided improvement day by day and has great potential.

Miguel Oliveira’s year of experience in Moto2 has helped the entire team to take important steps forward with each hour of testing. Good weather conditions at Jerez allowed the Portuguese to put in some 66 laps, including the first laps for the KTM with soft tyre compounds at this track.

Brad Binder continued with his adaptation to the class, completing 85 laps of the Andalusian track with a bike he is finding enjoyable to ride –although which he admits he needs more days to understand.

Work for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 project will continue next week in Valencia.

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“We are very excited to be starting this project in Moto2 with the new KTM. It is clear that we are only at the beginning and it is important to carry out many tests. After these first two days, we already have information, in this case at a circuit that is not easy. I think we have started very well and it is very important to also get a lot of data from a track as different as Valencia is. Binder and Oliveira have done a great job. For Brad it was the first test in Moto2 so it’s a big challenge. Miguel showed his great professionalism and has done very consistent work. I thank them both and the team for this good start.”

#41 Brad Binder
“These two days of testing at Jerez have been very fun, and I have really enjoyed riding. I have tried to fully understand how to ride this Moto2 bike and I have had a great time. I have begun to notice improvements and find the way to go, but I know I will need many laps to understand it 100%. It was strange, because after a few consecutive laps I set a good time, but after going through the pits, I couldn’t understand how I had been able to get it. I just need to keep working hard and little by little everything will go better.”

#44 Miguel Oliveira
“Today we once again had many good hours on the track. This is the first time that KTM have been able to run the soft tyres at this track, so it has been a challenge since we had no previous reference; this is what prevented us from being able to go a little faster with new tyres. In any case, the day has been very positive because we have identified where we can improve the bike. This KTM Moto2 bike has a lot of potential! We are happy with these first two days of testing.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo riders draw positive conclusions from first two days of testing at Jerez.

This Thursday, Bo Bendsneyder and new Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Niccolo Antonelli completed the first two days of the 2017 preseason, in a test at the Jerez Circuit. The Moto3 pair ended the test happy and having enjoyed the benefit of extended track time thanks to fine weather.

For the second consecutive day, Bo Bendsneyder was amongst the fastest riders in the class. The Dutchman, who completed a total of 86 laps, had two positive days of testing, capped with a small race simulation. Niccolo Antonelli continued his adaptation to the KTM this Thursday, improving his feeling with his new machine. The Italian escaped unharmed after crashing in this second day, and put in a total of 59 laps.

The preseason 2017 continues next Monday and Tuesday in Valencia, with the final test before the winter break.

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“It’s been two important testing days with the new 2017 KTM here in Jerez. Bo [Bendsneyder] is starting his second year in the class and with KTM, and is very confident already as part of the group. I have to say that he has done a great job, being very consistent and gathering very important data for the factory and the team. For Niccolo [Antonelli] it was the first time he rode with the KTM. It’s never easy to change manufacturer and he wanted to go step by step, looking for the best possible feeling. It will be important to continue working hard in Valencia and to collect as much data as possible there.”

#23 Niccolo Antonelli
“This second day in Jerez has been useful for continuing testing different aspects of the new KTM. We were able to push on with some setups and discard others. The whole team are working very well to find the perfect setup for next season. Next week, in Valencia, we will continue in the same way so as to reach the winter break with the work as far along as possible.”

#64 Bo Bendsneyder
“This second day was another very positive one. In particular, in the first few hours we tried different setups, although it was not at that time that we set our best lap time. At the end we put on the soft tyres and our one-off time was really good, considering the track conditions. We had had time to do a race simulation and the pace was good. There is still work to be done, so I can’t wait to get back on the bike in Valencia.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo World Champions regains 21 positions and takes his seventh victory of the season. Bo Bendsneyder finishes in the points once again, in 13th.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo team rounded off 2016 in the best possible way, finishing the season at with a win thanks to Moto3 World Champion Brad Binder. The South African handed the team their third consecutive win at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, where they have dominated in recent years, and ended his time in the class with a stellar performance. Climbing from 21st place, Binder earned his seventh win of the season and signed off in style. Bo Bendsneyder, who started 20th due to penalty handed to him after qualifying, finished in the second group fighting for the Top 10. He crossed the line in 13th place.

At the start of the contest, Binder up into the top positions, although a problem on Lap 2 dropped him back down to 22nd. Despite being 5 seconds off the race leader, he used a steady pace to climb up the order lap-by-lap, reaching the lead group with 10 laps remaining. He took the lead with 3 laps to go, and after several back-and-forth overaking moves on the penultimate lap, took the top spot definitively on the final lap of the season to take victory number seven.

Bendsneyder had qualified eighth for the Valencian GP, but was forced to start from 20th due to a penalty. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie had to fight to get into the points and a good start put him fifteenth on the opening lap. Throughout the race he was part of a nine-strong group of riders battling for tenth, and finally finished thirteenth.

With the Valencia GP concluded, Brad Binder ends the year as World Champion with 319 points. From next week he will ride the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 bike as he moves up to the intermediate class. Bendsneyder ends the year in 14th place with 78 points, and will begin preparation for the 2017 Moto3 season next week season with two days of testing -alongside new teammate, Niccolo Antonelli.

Results – Race
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 40:13.777
2. Joan Mir (KTM) +0.056
3. Andrea Migno (KTM) +0.081
4. Enea Bastianini (Honda) +0.147
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Honda) +0.713
13. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +8.603

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2016
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 319 points
2. Enea Bastianini (Honda) 177 points
3. Jorge Navarro (Honda) 150 points
4. Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra) 145 points
5. Joan Mir (KTM) 144 points
14. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 78 points

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“It is difficult to find the words to define this season. Before the race started it was a very emotional day for Brad [Binder] and the performance he gave us, despite the problems at the beginning, is another example of what he has been able to do on the bike all season. It’s been a historic season, in a way. I am very grateful to be able to work with riders like him and with a team like ours. Bo [Bendsneyder] finished the race well. He didn’t feel good with new tyres, but as the laps went by he was able to find a good pace and do well. I am happy because he has finished the season well, and in the coming weeks he will continue working with the team to improve for next year.”

41 BRAD BINDER
“I wanted to finish my time in Moto3 with a victory, but I did not expect to do so. Something happened to me, but I could not understand it and I moved aside to see if everything was in place. I lost two laps checking that the bike was working well before I pushed hard again. To come back and win the race was incredible. I am very happy and I cannot be more grateful to the team for the incredible year we have had. Now it’s time to think about Moto2. I had been counting the days to get on the new bike. It is very important for me to move to a higher class and I am very motivated. This season has gone much better than I expected, and winning the title with four races to go and getting seven wins is incredible. I’m on cloud nine and I can only thank the team.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“I can not say that I am completely happy about today. The bike worked great; with new tyres it behaved a little nervously, but once they began to wear I gained more confidence and a better feeling and went faster. From the second half of the race to the end I had a great pace, but I lost a lot in the first seven or eight laps. The penalty was a shame, but it was my mistake and I need to work on it. In the end, we came back from 20th to 13th and we earned three points that allow us to finish in 14th position overall, so I am quite happy. I want to thank the whole team and above all Aki [Ajo] for believing in me; It was a good season for us. We have taken two podiums and quite a few Top 10 finishes. I’m already looking forward to Wednesday’s test.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider places just 18 thousandths of a second off pole position for the Valencia GP.  Bo Bendsneyder, purchase eighth, thumb will start from the third row.

The starting grid for the last race of the 2016 Moto3 World Championship season was decided on Saturday in Valencia. Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Brad Binder and Bo Bendsneyder took their opportunity to place high up the order for the season finale, pharm with Binder only missing out on pole position by 18 thousandths of a second. Bendsneyder took a spot on the third row of the grid.

The last Free Practice session was used by the Red Bull KTM Ajo duo to put in a long run, with the race in mind. Binder and Bendsneyder went out with used tyres, then came in for a brief stop to change tyres and put in stints of 13 and 12 laps, respectively. Binder, third with a 1:39.909 best lap, and Bendsneyder, tenth with a 1:40.079 time, found a great pace for tomorrow, although only the Dutchman was able to improve his times from yesterday.

Qualifying began with a small problem for Bendsneyder, but a quick stop in the pits for his crew to fix the issue enabled him to rapidly get back on track with his teammate. Both riders clocked their fastest time on their penultimate attempt, as Binder took second with a 1:39.279 lap and Bendsneyder eighth with a 1:39.553.

Although he just missed out on the top spot in qualifying, Binder is the rider with the most pole positions this season with a total of six. The Moto3 Valencian GP takes place tomorrow at 11am local time.

Results – Qualifying Practice
1. Aron Canet (Honda) 1:39.261
2. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:39.279 +0.018
3. Hiroki Ono (Honda) 1:39.383 +0.122
4. Nicolo Bulega (KTM) 1:39.420 +0.159
5. Juanfran Guevara (KTM) 1:39.463 +0.202
8. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:39.553 +0.292

41 BRAD BINDER
“The pole position has been very close. I lost about four laps during the qualifying session, just because some riders were waiting around. In the end, I told myself that I had to go for it on my own, give it everything and see what I was capable of doing. On the penultimate lap I was able to ride completely by myself and set a 1:39.2, which is a really fast time. We took a step forward with the bike in qualifying, and that gives me a lot of confidence ahead of the race. Tomorrow we will try to win, I have nothing to lose and it will be my last race before moving up to Moto2, so I will try to achieve the best possible result and move up to the intermediate class happy.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“First of all I want to thank the team, because without them I would not have been able to finish the qualifying session -since we had a little mechanical problem in the early stages. I am happy with my 8th position; in FP3 we had a very good pace and in qualifying we also set a fast time. The team did a great job. On the penultimate lap I was riding amongst many riders, so I had to find a good position and a good slipstream; I put an excellent lap together with Brad [Binder] and Bulega. I think tomorrow we must fight to be among the Top 10 in the race.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo began the final weekend of the 2016 season with a good feeling at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit on Friday. On a day in which as many as 28 riders finished within a single second, ed Brad Binder placed fourth and Bo Bendsneyder eighteenth on the combined timesheet for the first two Free Practice sessions.

The morning session started with track temperatures down to just 10ºC, seek and so during the first few laps the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders looked to get a feel for the circuit and adapt to the conditions. Binder had got up to the top spot after his only return to the pits, but eventually finished FP1 in 3rd place with a time of 1:40.590. Teammate Bo Bendsneyder was inside the Top 10 for much of the session, finishing 11th with a time of 1:40.900.

FP2 began with a better track temperature, allowing the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders to feel more comfortable and lower their times. However, it was not until the last 15 minutes of the run that Binder took a step forward, setting a best time of 1:39.748 to take 4th. Bendsneyder, with a time of 1:40.239, concluded the session in 18th position, although only 6 tenths off the fastest rider and out on track by himself.

Tomorrow both riders will participate in the last qualifying session of the season, which will be at 12:35pm local time. Brad Binder is the rider with the most pole positions in Moto3 this year -with six-, and will fight for his third in a row. Last year Red Bull KTM Ajo took pole through Miguel Oliveira.

Results (Combined practice time FP1-FP2)
1. Enea Bastianini (Honda) 1:39.556
2. Juanfran Guevara (KTM) 1:39.655 +0.099
3. Joan Mir (KTM) 1:39.734 +0.178
4. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:39.748 +0.192
5. Philipp Oettl (KTM) 1:39.793 +0.237
18. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:40.239 +0.683

41 BRAD BINDER
“Today went well. At first, I did not feel so good when I went out on track, because the asphalt was really cold and quite slippery. However, as the day progressed, the grip level improved and in the last run I felt pretty good with new tyres. In any case, we have to keep working, because I need to improve my feeling with the front end. Tomorrow we have more time, so we will try to resolve some things and improve a little.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“The day started well, because we were always inside the Top 10. With used tyres we did not had so much confidence, but we changed the setup and step-by-step we became comfortable again. At the end we made a good lap riding alone, though it was not enough because I finished 6 tenths off the fastest rider and was 18th. I think our basic setup is good, and I set my best time without any reference –which is also important. I am looking forward to tomorrow. We need to improve the feeling with the front end, to gain confidence and stability, and we will work on this with the team.”

Brad Binder and Bo Bendsneyder will round off an excellent season this weekend in Valencia.

As is traditional, the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain, will bring down the curtain on another Moto3 World Championship season. Brad Binder and Bo Bendsneyder come into the season finale at the end of an excellent campaign, with the former having recently been crowned World Champion and the latter having placed on the podium twice in his rookie season. Both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders have the opportunity to finish the year in style at Round 18.

The new Moto3 World Champion, Binder has taken 6 wins and a further 7 podiums in 2016. He has the chance to equal the record for Moto3 victories in a season this weekend, set by Luis Salom with Red Bull KTM Ajo in 2013. Binder, who finished fourth in Valencia both last year and in 2011, will undertake his 93rd and final race in the lower cylinder category, before moving up to Moto2 next year with the new KTM.

For Bendsneyder, this will be the end of his first season in the World Championship. This year he has achieved two podiums, the most recent in Malaysia two weeks ago. Fifteenth in the overall standings with 75 points, the Dutchman will seek to maintain or improve this position in the season finale.
The 24-lap Moto3 Valencia GP takes place at 11am this Sunday.

Circuit information – Ricardo Tormo
Length: 4.005m / 2.489 miles
Width: 12m
Left corners: 9
Right corners: 5
Longest straight: 876 m / 0.544 miles
Constructed: 1999

41 BRAD BINDER
“I am very eager to ride at the last race of the year in Valencia. We have already started the week in a busy fashion, travelling first to Austria and then attending the EICMA in Milan for the presentations by KTM. Now we come to Valencia, a circuit I know well. It will be a special weekend, my last race in Moto3 and the last of an unforgettable season. I hope I can finish this time with another victory, after the disappointment of Malaysia -where I thought I was strong enough to fight for it. I have been just off the podium twice at this circuit, so this Sunday I hope to get a rostrum finish and end 2016 in the best way possible.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“After the Asian rounds and spending a week at home, I can’t wait for this last Grand Prix of the year and want a good result. I think we can do well, because we already had good pace in the tests we did there in preseason -although the conditions may be different. After the podium in Malaysia, I hope to get another good result at a track that I already know. We will start out with the idea of going for the Top 10, although once we have seen how we go, we will see if we can aim for more.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider takes third place at Malaysian Grand Prix affected by difficult track conditions. Binder finishes seventeenth after a crash.

The 2016 Moto3 Malaysian Grand Prix ended with Red Bull KTM Ajo taking their sixth podium at the circuit, this time through Bo Bendsneyder. The Dutch rookie achieved third place in a race brought to an early end by a red flag, claiming his second rostrum finish of the season. The race was affected by high humidity on the track, which caused numerous crashes -including for new World Champion Brad Binder, who finally finished seventeenth.

Binder was one of the first to suffer from the high humidity, falling at Turn 7 of the third lap alongside three other riders while fighting for first position. Behind him, Bendsneyder managed to find his pace and moved into the podium spots 12 laps before the end.

As the Red Bull KTM Ajo team performed an incredible effort to get Binder’s KTM back on track, Bendsneyder continued his chase for second place. Once he had moved into the position, a red flag forced the race to conclude ahead of schedule, with the placings as of Lap 13 counting as definitive. That meant the Dutchman finished third, with Binder seventeenth.

The Moto3 World Championship, already won by Binder, comes to a close in 2 weeks’ time in Valencia. Bendsneyder occupies fifteenth position overall, thanks to his 16 points earned today.

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“I haven’t got much to say about the Moto3 race, because I cannot understand why there were so many crashes; I think it has to be analysed. It was a shame that Brad [Binder] crashed when he was in the leading group. We should be happy that he is ok and has not suffered any injury. I am very happy with Bo [Bendsneyder] and his second podium because with each race he is showing that he is more mature. The whole team are doing a great job helping him, in all respects; he is also very strong mentally. Next year I am sure he will get great results.”

Results (Race)
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra) 29:29.351
2. Jakub Kornfeil (Honda) +7.108
3. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +7.253
4. Fabio Quartararo (KTM) +8.469
5. Andrea Locatelli (KTM) +12.414
17. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +3 laps

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2016
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 294 points
2. Enea Bastianini (Honda) 164 points
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra) 145 points
4. Jorge Navarro (Honda) 143 points
5. Nicolo Bulega (KTM) 129 points
15. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 75 points

41 BRAD BINDER
“For me the race was over earlier than expected, but I was enjoying myself on the bike. I do not know why, but both the rider ahead of me and some behind me slid after going over something. There was something on the track. It is unfortunate and disappointing, because I think we had the pace to fight for the victory. I cannot thank the team enough for the work they have done to get the bike ready again and get me back on track. They did an amazing job in just 5 minutes! Once on track I felt good, and it was easy to ride fast. It was good to see that I could remain competitive. I have to be happy because throughout the season we were lucky and this has happened to us when the Championship has already been decided. Now we have to enjoy the last race.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“I am very happy to finish the Malaysian Grand Prix with my second podium of the season. I was riding behind Jakub [Kornfeil] for a few laps and was able to pass him on the final laps. It’s a shame because in the end, due to the red flag, we went back to the previous lap for the final standings -where I was third. It’s a pity, but getting on the podium again -at a circuit where I had never ridden before- is something incredible. I want to thank the team for all the work they have done over the weekend. Now we want to finish the season in Valencia with another good result.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider snatches sixth pole position of the year at wet Sepang International Circuit. Bo Bendsneyder heads the third row for Malaysian GP.

Red Bull KTM Ajo enjoyed a great Saturday at the Malaysian Grand Prix, with riders Brad Binder and Bo Bendsneyder showing their wet weather skills and occupying spots on the front and third row for Sunday’s race. Binder took pole, with his rookie teammate seventh.

The asphalt of the Sepang International Circuit was dry with damp patches for Moto3 FP3. This prevented lap times from improving until the very end of the session. As happened yesterday morning, Binder waited until the last lap to set the top time of the entire weekend in the class -2:14.690. Bendsneyder also dropped his time from yesterday, going eleventh with a 2:15.517.

In the afternoon, heavy rain forced Race Direction to show the red flag with 19 minutes remaining, when the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders occupied two of the places on the second row. When conditions improved, the qualifying session resumed and the riders went on to roll the dice in the final stages. Binder pushed for one final lap, with which he took pole position -2:26.268-, whilst Bendsneyder’s 2:27.604 time gave him a praiseworthy seventh place.

The penultimate race of the year will start at 12am local time -5am CET- on Sunday. Brad Binder and Bo Bendsneyder will look to add to the podium record for Red Bull KTM Ajo at Sepang, which stands at 5 -3 wins- in four years.

Results – Qualifying Practice
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:26.268
2. Jorge Navarro (Honda) 2:26.361 +0.093
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra) 2:26.395 +0.127
4. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (KTM) 2:27.078 +0.810
5. Gabriel Rodrigo (KTM) 2:27.307 +1.039
7. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:27.604 +1.336

41 BRAD BINDER
“To be honest, on the last run in qualifying I didn’t feel quite right, but when I saw the team put on the board that I could have improved my time, I thought it was time to try to set a good time and go for pole position. I am very happy, I’ve felt very strong in all conditions and also the team have done a great job and provided me with a perfect bike. Getting pole in wet conditions is unbelievable.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“Today we had a very good qualifying session. Also FP3, in the dry, was very good, something important when we are facing a possible race in those conditions. I think we’re prepared for all conditions, wet or dry, and to fight for a Top 10 finish. At first the track was between dry and wet in qualifying, so I seized that moment to push as hard as I could. When it started to rain harder we maintained good grip. On the last lap I gave it everything and could improve on the first sector, but then I braked a little late and lost any chance of improving. In short, we are competitive in both conditions and I look forward to the race.”

Moto3 World Champion sets best time of the day in only dry session on Friday. Bo Bendsneyder debuts at Sepang with fifteenth fastest lap.

The first day of the Malaysian Grand Prix saw very different track conditions for the Moto3 riders in the two Free Practice sessions. In the opening session, sickness Red Bull KTM Ajo enjoyed a positive run with Brad Binder topping the timesheets and Bo Bendsneyder in fifteenth –in his first experience on the track. In the afternoon, ask rain stopped the pair from improving their times at the resurfaced Sepang International Circuit.

In the first practice session in Malaysia, pharm Brad Binder put in the showing of a World Champion. The South African waited until 12 minutes from the end, when the asphalt was drier, for a single seven-lap stint. He set his best lap on his final attempt, with a 2:15.520 that put him 8 tenths ahead of the rider in second place. Bendsneyder used a different strategy, waiting only five minutes to go out and get to know the circuit. He completed a total of 13 laps and, like his teammate, set his best time on his last attempt. Bendsneyder was fifteenth with a 2:18.026.

As is typical in Malaysia, the weather changed completely for the second session –leaving 40 minutes of wet track time for the Moto3 grid. The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders used the time to test their feeling in the conditions, aware that it could be the same on race day. Bendsneyder was seventh –2:28.387– while Binder was more conservative and clocked a 2:29.436 –nineteenth.

Tomorrow will see the penultimate pole position of the season contested, starting at 12:35pm local time –6:35am CET. Binder will look for a second consecutive pole position and Bendsneyder a place that allows him to fight for points on Sunday.

Results (Combined practice time FP1-FP2)
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:15.520
2. Khairul Idham Pawi (Honda) 2:16.371 +0.851
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Mahindra) 2:16.534 +1.014
4. Marcos Ramirez (Mahindra) 2:16.834 +1.314
5. Livio Loi (Honda) 2:16.898 +1.378
15. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:18.026 +2.506

41 BRAD BINDER
“This first day in Malaysia went pretty well. This morning we could not do many laps, because we waited until the track was more or less dry to get out there and push. The feeling in the dry was good, but in the wet in the afternoon it was not very good and we had to test setups. The good news is we know how to fix things for tomorrow in order to be faster and get a better feeling in the wet. In the dry we are very strong and we just have to continue on.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“Overall it was not a bad day. In the first practice we had dry conditions but with wet patches. It helped us to learn the circuit, which is totally new to me. I think we have made the most of the session and it went well. In FP2, in the rain, we also did a great job. At first I was a little worried about the grip, but it ended up being pretty good. In short, I am happy with how things went, step by step we are going faster and I hope that tomorrow will be even better.”