Top 5 for Öncü and points for Veijer at Spanish Grand Prix

27.04.2025

A solid race from both Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders rounds off a very positive weekend at Jerez.

In the Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull KTM Ajo had a successful Sunday, as Deniz Öncü enjoyed a second consecutive finish in the Top 5, earning 11 points with his fifth place finish at the end of a strong weekend in which he has broken the all time lap track record. Collin Veijer also continued to make significant strides in his adaptation to Moto2, placing 14th at Jerez, his third race in a row in the points.

Both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders started from their best grid position so far in 2025, with Öncü taking off from 6th. He got off to a perfect start, going for the outside apex of Turn 1 and moving up to fourth on the opening lap. With a lot of movement at the front, the Turkish rider was able to settle into sixth place, from where he attempted a fightback for the podium. However, after passing Albert Arenas, he was unable to close the gap on the trio fighting for the rostrum spots, and had to settle for fifth place, his third-best result in the intermediate class. He was 2 seconds off the podium and earned 11 valuable points to be sixth in the general standings.

Veijer, meanwhile, also put in a remarkable performance at Jerez asphalt. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie rider lost a position from 17th on the grid, but was able to recover to enter the Top 15 before the halfway point of the race. Veijer then battled with Adrián Huertas for 13th place, which ultimately went to the Spanish rider. He came home 14th -his third consecutive Top 15 finish- earning two points. The Dutchman is now 16th in the overall standings.

In conclusion, a positive Grand Prix for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, who managed to get both their riders into the points for the second time in a row this season. With Öncü’s 37 points and Veijer’s 11, Red Bull KTM Ajo now have 48 points in the Team standings, where they occupy fifth place. The next round for the team will be the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, from May 9th-11th.

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2025
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 86 points
2. Aron Canet (Kalex) | 79 points
3. Jake Dixon (Boscoscuro) | 66 points
4. Barry Baltus (Kalex) | 53 points
5. Marcos Ramírez (Kalex) | 39 points
6. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 37 points
16. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 11 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“It was a very successful weekend for us in Jerez. Deniz made a big step up from Qatar. His performance improved, but also in the terms of Time Attack with his all time circuit record, and his race pace. Today he struggled a little bit more than expected, but the conditions were very tough and a Top 5 finish is a great result for the team after a difficult start to the season. Collin also did a very good job today. He continues making the same progress he has since Qatar, and we are all very happy with his performance and his work.”

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“First European round has finished in Jerez with a positive feeling. We had a consistent weekend and we stayed close to the frontrunners, so I’m pleased overall. In the race, I tried to be as close as possible to the podium positions, but it was not enough today. I did my best and a 5th position was the best I could do. We’re working in the right way, so we will try to keep this momentum up in France in two weeks. We need to analyse the weekend to discover which areas we can improve in to be more competitive at Le Mans.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“It was a quite good Sunday today in Jerez. I lost a position on the first lap, but after that, I gained places. I was quite confident today with my bike, and I felt very comfortable during the first part of the race. Then I struggled in some aspects during the second half, but these are things that we will try to fix in the coming weekends. We had a lot of good potential today, so I’m very happy about all we have shown during the Grand Prix. We’re learning and we’re on the right path, so it’s time to enjoy the week off and then think about Le Mans.”

Third win of the season for Jose Antonio Rueda to return to the lead in Jerez

27.04.2025

The home rider dominates the Spanish Grand Prix from start to finish for victory. Alvaro Carpe finishes eighth after a strong race.

There was a well-deserved victory for Jose Antonio Rueda at the Spanish Grand Prix, as the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider became the first Andalusian to win a World Championship race at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. Teammate Alvaro Carpe fought throughout the race in the chasing pack for fourth place, but ultimately had to settle for eighth.

A perfect start for Rueda from Pole Position saw him take the holeshot and never look back. He set a strong pace at the front, as the leading group was reduced to just eight riders. After three laps, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider managed to break away completely, leaving only Joel Kelso and Angel Piqueras within catching distance of him. He was able to continue setting a fast pace until the halfway point of the race, moving over 3 seconds clear, then increased his pace further to a steady 1:44 and to keep his two rivals away. He crossed the line with a lead of more than 4 seconds, allowing him to score his third victory of 2025 and regain the lead in the overall standings. In addition to yesterday’s Pole Position, the Spanish driderriver set the fastest lap in today’s race, lowering the previous record.

Starting from 5th on the grid, Carpe went into the first corner in second place with a wonderful manoeuvre around the outside. He battled throughout the race in the chasing pack, which was reduced when Ryusei Yamanaka began to move clear from the group. In a gruelling final stretch amidst high temperatures in Jerez, he dropped back from the fight for fourth to cross the line eighth. With the eight points he earned as a result the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider continues to be the top Moto3 rookie thus far in 2025.

After a good Sunday of racing in Jerez, Rueda now has four podiums and 91 points to his name, putting Red Bull KTM top of the Rider standings; the Teams’ championship, with 134 points; and the Rookie of the Year standings, where Carpe has 43 points. The sixth round of the Moto3 World Championship, the French Grand Prix, will take place from May 9th-11th at Le Mans.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“I’m very happy with the weekend we had in Moto3, once again. First of all, congratulations to Jose Antonio for his great performance in today’s race. All the hard work is starting to pay off and today’s race is a demonstration of that. Alvaro had a great weekend as well. He was a little bit unlucky with his tyre choice today, but we keep learning to achieve better results in the future.”

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“It’s a very special victory. I have no words to describe how I feel about winning my home Grand Prix. Winning at Jerez is always special, but there are so many reasons that it’s even more so this time. The support from the fans has been incredible; it’s one of the best events of the season without a doubt. I can only thank my family, who also came here today, and my entire team, as we did a perfect job this weekend. It’s time to enjoy it and soon I’ll have to shift my focus to France.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“The race was a lot of fun because there were a lot of overtaking moves. The start was perfect, placing me behind my teammate, who was very difficult to keep up with. I had some complications again on the final laps with the rear tyre, so we will have to keep working to improve it. The weekend was really positive, and we learned a lot. I also really enjoyed having all the Spanish fans cheering me on. It’s crazy and they made me have even more fun.”

Sixth grid position for Öncü and first Q2 for Veijer

26.04.2025

With the Dutchman 17th, the two Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders achieved their best qualifying result and will fight for a good race result tomorrow.

A solid Saturday in Jerez for the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders saw Deniz Öncü take his best qualifying result to date in the Moto2 class, with sixth on the grid. Earlier in FP2, he broke the track record to lead the session. Collin Veijer also showed his progress, making it into Q2 for the first time to earn 17th place, his best position in the Moto2 grid.

Having had a positive feeling on Friday, the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders went into FP2 with the aim of continuing the trend. During the first part of the session, Öncü made several adjustments to his setup, whilst in the latter stages he moved up from within the Top 10 to the top spot. He lowered his own track record by more than 2 tenths of a second, clocking 1:39.564 more than 5 tenths quicker than his closest rivals. Veijer also tried a Time Attack in the final stretch, achieving his best lap on his last attempt of 13 -one less than his teammate. The Dutchman, with a 1:40.671, achieved his best time of the entire weekend, just 1 tenth of a second away from breaking into the Top 10. He was 18th in the session.

The good FP2 feelings gave way to some very close and hard-fought qualifying sessions. Veijer went into Q1, and had to battle tirelessly to make it into Q2. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie, with a strong final push, was third in the session with a time of 1:40.480 -his fastest of the weekend so far. In Q2, with one set of tyres less than the rest of his rivals, Veijer couldn’t get below a 1:40.922 from his four laps of the track, which earned him 17th place. Öncü found himself in one of the closest Q2s in Moto2 recent years. Despite trying hard for eight laps, the Turkish rider clocked his best time on the second attempt, with a 1:40.055. Far off his time from the morning, he had to settle for sixth on the grid, albeit just 1 tenth off the front row.

After this second positive contact in Jerez, Öncü and Veijer are looking forward to Sunday’s race, where they will try to achieve two good results for the team. On the one hand, the Turkish rider will try to get back on the podium and, on the other, Veijer will fight for his best result in Moto2 so far. The 21-laps Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix will start at 12:15pm (local time) on Sunday.

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“Today was a positive day, but we want more from Qualifying. For tomorrow, the second row is not a bad position, so we have to be patient and calm. The most important thing is not to make mistakes and get to the last part of the race with the frontrunners. Tomorrow we will do our best to get as many points as I can. We worked on a good base here in Jerez, so we’ll try to finish things off in the best possible way.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“It’s not been a bad day, once again. We suffered a little bit in the morning, but we improved during Qualifying. The feeling was very good with new tyres, so we tried to push alone in Q1 and we set a very decent lap. In Q2 I couldn’t improve more, but we know what we have to change for next time, so I’m very happy with today’s improvements. We’re 17th for tomorrow, so it’s time to enjoy the race.”

Rueda takes first Pole Position of the season at Jerez

26.04.2025

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, with the track record included, will start first at his home Grand Prix, whilst Alvaro Carpe will take off from fifth position.

After coming close at previous races, Jose Antonio Rueda earned his first Pole Position of 2025 at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, dominant for virtually the entire weekend so far, outpaced his rivals in Q2 and took the second Pole in Moto3 with a new track record (1:43.755). Alvaro Carpe, meanwhile, fought until the last minute to get onto the front row, but ultimately had to settle for fifth position.

After a great Friday, in FP2 the duo aimed to fine-tune details in order to be competitive in the afternoon’s Q2 session. Following the same pattern as on Day 1, Rueda was a frontrunner, even though he worked throughout the session on the same tyres -which didn’t allow him to lower his time further in the final stretch. With a best lap of 1:44.505, 2 tenths slower than his FP1 time, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider finished third after putting 17 laps. Carpe completed the same number of laps, also following a similar strategy to his teammate at Jerez. Although the rookie didn’t improve his time during the second part of the session, he managed to place ninth with a 1:45.223.

Q2 was held in very hot conditions, but Rueda proved unstoppable as he claimed his first Pole Position of the season. He worked alone from the start, although most of his rivals chased him throughout the session to look for a tow. With the best provisional time set on his first outing on track, Rueda secured Pole on his second run, with two consecutive fastest laps that left the other riders with no chance of beating him. A 1:43.755 was 2 tenths faster than the previous track record. Rueda also completed more laps than anyone else in Q2, with eight. Carpe rode seven laps, and fought until the end to join Rueda on the front row. However, time slipped away from him on the final lap. The leader of the Moto3 Rookie of the Year standings posted his best time of the weekend with a 1:44.207. He finished within a thousandth of a second of the Top 3, but will have to settle for starting from fifth on the grid.

After an equally or even more positive Saturday than Friday, the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders head into Sunday’s decisive day at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto with the intention of maintaining the team and rookies‘ leads and, in addition, regaining the riders’ lead. With victory and a podium finish on their minds, Rueda and Carpe will start the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. local time.

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“I’m very happy to get my first Pole Position of the season here at Jerez. The feeling is incredible. I really enjoyed myself on the bike, so I hope to do that again tomorrow in the race. Racing at home always gives you extra motivation, and I also like this track, which suits me well. Every little helps. We’ve worked well on our own over these two days, and now it’s time to finish the job off in the race. The points are awarded tomorrow, so it’s all about making no mistakes and doing everything right.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“Today went very well. We’re happy because we qualified fifth, and our goal is always to be on the first two rows. The bike is working well, and we’re gradually achieving our objectives, so tomorrow we’ll try to fight for the podium. We’ve improved over a single lap, and also our pace, but we know there’s always room for improvement, and we’ll try to get better on Sunday. I feel strong both on my own and in a group, so tomorrow we’ll enjoy things calmly and without pressure.”

Öncü starts among the favourites and Veijer is close to Q2 in Jerez

25.04.2025

Friday for Red Bull KTM Ajo sees the Turkish rider head FP1, with Collin Veijer 17th, less than two tenths from Top 14.

Friday at Jerez was the best of the season so far for Red Bull KTM Ajo, with a very strong performance from Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer. The former managed to top the timesheets in FP1, including setting a circuit record, while the latter achieved his first Top 10 finish in a Free Practice. In the afternoon, Öncü remained among the three fastest riders, and Veijer was closer than ever to Q2, but was finally relegated to 17th.

Aiming to match the start of his Moto3 team-mates, Öncü took the lead just minutes into FP1, coming close to the track record. He went on to break it by more than 4 tenths on his second run, with a time of 1:39.836 that earned him the top spot in the opening session of the Spanish Grand Prix. Veijer, meanwhile, also started strongly, and was in the Top 20. After a pit stop, the Dutchman took another step forward, achieving his best practice result to date with tenth. His fastest time was a 1:41.087, less than 3 tenths off his best lap from the IRTA test at Jerez. He completed a total of 18 laps, the same number as his teammate.

For Practice, the track was even hotter than in the morning. Öncü trusted in his Time Attack for a fast time, and focused on his race pace for most of the session. In the decisive stage and on fresh tyres, he rose above his rivals and, finally, with a 1:40.629, the Turkish rider finished third. He put in a total of 19 laps, and made it into Q2. Two fewer laps were set by Veijer, who was close to making the cut for Q2. The rookie rider held places in the Top 14 for much of the session, but was unable to improve his lap time on the final laps and eventually dropped to 17^th. His best time was a 1:41.247.

Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer are already preparing to give the Red Bull KTM Ajo another good day’s racing on Saturday with speed on both sides of the box. The first session of the day will be Free Practice 2, which starts at 9:25 a.m. (local time). Following this, Qualifying will see Veijer in action in Q1 (1:45 p.m. local time), trying to join Öncü in Q2 at 2:10 p.m.

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“This is a good way to start the weekend. We were able to stay in the top positions during the whole day, so that’s very good news for the team and also for me. Everything we did on track today was positive, and we know what we have to do. My riding style lets me be fast here, but we’re not so competitive on the fast corners and we will do our best tomorrow in Qualifying to place as high as I can on the grid. Now it’s important to understand how to improve, so we will check all the data to be better on Saturday.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“The feeling was good today here in Jerez. In the morning, we were quite fast and we finished Free Practice 1 top, which gives us some extra confidence. In the afternoon, the session was more difficult because of the high temperatures, but overall we pushed a lot to improve our lap time. The bike was fresh at the start of the session and we tried to make our Time Attack at the beginning. Finally, we were able to finish in 17th. We were close to getting Q2, but it was not enough. Nevertheless, we’ll keep improving and for sure it was one of the best Fridays we’ve had until today, so let’s continue on this path tomorrow.”

Perfect start for Rueda and Carpe at Spanish Grand Prix

25.04.2025

The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders take 1-2 finishes in both sessions on Friday and they start their home Grand Prix with confidence.

There was a promising start for Red Bull KTM Ajo at Jerez, as Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe took first and second places in Free Practice 1 and Practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. The former led both sessions, whilst his rookie teammate benefitted from his perfect track knowledge at his first familiar circuit of the season.

Rueda started confidently and led the standings from practically the first lap. He worked alone during his two runs, allowing him to focus on his race pace and confirm the speed he had already displayed during the IRTA test at Jerez in February. After 16 laps, he earned first place with a 1:44.299 time, less than a second off the circuit record he set in preseason. Carpe secured the team’s first one-two of season. The rookie, who is familiar with the track, had a very competitive final stretch of FP1 that propelled him to second place in the standings for the session. With 15 laps under his belt, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider posted a best time of 1:45.077. Although he was more than 7 tenths behind Rueda, he was one of the few able to lap within a second of his teammate.

With temperatures higher than in the morning session, the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders replicated their performance in Practice. Rueda again topped the timesheets from start to finish, beating his own marker several times. Of his 17 laps, a 1:43.770 was his best, just a tenth off the circuit record and more than a second ahead of his rivals. Second place once again went to Carpe, who posted a 1:44.812. Despite only completing 12 laps, he focused on improving his setup, and in the Time Attack was able to finish the job to start the Spanish GP in the best possible way.

All in all, a great day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, who will be looking to build on Friday to fight for Pole Position tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. (local time). Before that, in the morning, both riders will compete in Free Practice 2, starting at 8:40 a.m.

Practice Results
1. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:43.770
2. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:44.812 +1.042
3. Taiyo Furusato (Honda) | 1:44.827 +1.057
4. Ryusei Yamanaka (KTM) | 1:44.847 +1.077
5. Jacob Roulstone (KTM) | 1:44.984 +1.214

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We managed to put in a good lap and overall our work was good. The asphalt isn’t 100% perfect yet, but it improved a lot compared to the morning. In any case, it’s only the first day, so we can’t get distracted. I’m happy with my feeling and the work we’ve done, but I think we can keep making progress, and that’s our goal right now. I’m enjoying riding in front of my family and my home fans, and the track is very special, so I’m very happy to be here.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“The day went very well, but we have to keep working because we’re one second behind Rueda, and that means there’s still a lot to do. We have room for improvement in several areas; I know I can adjust some more things with the setup, and I also have to work on corner entry, so we’ll try again tomorrow. I feel very comfortable, and we’re enjoying the Grand Prix and the fans, which is the most important thing when you race at home.”

Öncü and Veijer aim to continue team’s strong run at Jerez

23.04.2025

After good results in Austin and Lusail, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team lands in Europe with confidence and potential.

The Circuit de Jerez-Angel Nieto will host the fifth round of the 2025 Moto2 World Championship season this weekend, and Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer come into the Spanish Grand Prix confident of carrying over the momentum from events in Qatar and Austin. With their first podium of the season under their belts, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team will be looking to improve more and more at Jerez, a track both riders have fond memories of.

Öncü has scored points at the Spanish GP for the last three seasons, with two Top 10 finishes in Moto3 and 14th place last year in Moto2. In addition, he placed on the podium finish there in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. Most recently, he was one of the pacesetters in the recent test held at Jerez at the end of February. He aims to continue climbing the overall standings and put in another strong performance, like he did in Qatar. For this weekend, he will also try to claim a position high up the grid, with qualifying having so far been his Achilles’ heel during this first stretch of the season.

Veijer has his motivation sky-high. The Dutch rider is coming off two consecutive races in the points, with 10th place in Austin and 13th in Lusail. Last time out, at the Qatar GP, he also earned his best grid position (20th). The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie aims to make the cut for Q2 and become even more competitive on raceday this weekend. The Spanish track saw him take his second World Championship win as a Moto3 rider last year, whilst in 2022 he finished third and fourth in his final season as a Red Bull Rookies Cup rider. Like his teammate, Collin also performed well in the recent test at Jerez in preseason.

With a lot of motivation after the good performances in Lusail, Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer visit the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto with the hope of giving more joy to their team. Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 have achieved six podium finishes in recent editions of the Spanish Grand Prix, through Pedro Acosta, Tetsuya Nagashima, Jorge Martin, Miguel Oliveira (x2), and Johann Zarco. The Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix takes place on Sunday at 12.15am local time.

Circuit information – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
Length: 4.4km / 2,748 miles
Width: 11 metres / 36.09 ft.
Left corners: 5
Right corners: 8
Longest straight: 0.6km / 0,377 miles
Built: 1986

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“We are back to Europe and this is always special for us. Our objective for Jerez is to keep the same approach and follow the same way. We want to bring to the team the maximum number of points in each Grand Prix, so we’ll push to the limit during the three days to be prepared for the race. My crew are working very well and I have to respond as they deserve. Two weeks ago we achieved a strong result, but we need to keep this momentum up in the European races.

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m very excited for this weekend. It’s the first of the year back in Europe and Jerez is a very nice place for starting again. I think it will be a difficult weekend for us, but we will work through all the three days to have a good setup for Sunday morning. We need to keep learning on the European tracks, so we will try to keep also the progress we showed during the last two Grands Prix. Let’s see how it goes and try to finish in the best way as possible.”

Rueda and Carpe face home Grand Prix with motivation and confidence

23.04.2025

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team arrives in Europe convinced of getting back on track after four consecutive rounds overseas.

The Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto hosts the Spanish Grand Prix this week, as the 2025 Moto3 World Championship has its first round on European soil. Round 5 is also the home event for Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe, who will try to get back to stronger results at a familiar track after a tough Qatar Grand Prix race.

Rueda aims to regain the series lead, having failed to finish the Qatar Grand Prix. He had a great race but suffered a mechanical problem at the start of the final lap, meaning he retired from the contest for the first time this season. Although appendicitis prevented him from competing in the Spanish Grand Prix last year, he has ample experience at the track, achieving a fifth place in his rookie year in the Moto3 World Championship. Previously, he took victories and podium finishes in both the Junior GP and the Red Bull Rookies Cup there.

For Carpe, it will be a first home Grand Prix of his career. He remains top of the Rookie of the Year standings, and arrives with confidence after a solid race at Lusail, where he placed eleventh despite two Long Lap penalties. Jerez is the first familiar track for Carpe this season, and he also has fond memories of the circuit: Last year, he won the Red Bull Rookies Cup race there, in addition to finishing on the podium in all four Junior GP rounds he competed in between 2023 and 2024.

After a busy start to the season, the World Championship lands in Europe to stay for a long time. The first race on the continent will not be just any race for Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe, who arrive with enthusiasm and speed to their home Grand Prix, where both have good memories from the lower categories. Also, Red Bull KTM Ajo have enjoyed strong results at the circuit over the past ten years, with wins for Brad Binder (2016) and Pedro Acosta (2021), in addition to a second place for Miguel Oliveira (2015) and third for Binder (2015) and Jaume Masia (2022).

The action at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto will begin on Friday at 9:00 (local time) with the first Moto3 Free Practice. The race will be held on Sunday at 11am.

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Our home race is coming up, which always makes us especially excited. It’s one of the circuits I like most on the entire calendar, so I hope to enjoy it. Last year I wasn’t lucky enough to race there, but in 2025 we’re going to give it our all to make it a perfect weekend. It’s time to work as we have been doing so far to be able to give my all over the three days. I’m really looking forward to getting started and being able to race in front of my friends and family.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re starting off arguably the most exciting week of the year for us, because it’s our home Grand Prix. I think Jerez is a circuit that’s always suited me well, as well as being one of my favourites, so expectations are very high. We have to work the same way we have been doing so far and finish well in the final part of the race, which is where we’re struggling the most.”

First podium of the season for Öncü in Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2’s best round of the year

13.04.2025

The Turkish rider claims second in Qatar, with Collin Veijer again amongst the points (13^th).

Red Bull KTM Ajo enjoyed their best weekend of 2025 so far at the Qatar Grand Prix, with both riders in the Top 15 for the first time this season. Deniz Öncü rode his best race in the intermediate class, leading for half of the race. The Turkish rider fought until the end for second place to take his second podium in Moto2 and his best result ever on the Kalex. Collin Veijer also enjoyed a positive Sunday, scoring points for the second consecutive time in Moto2 as he crossed the line in 13th place.

If the grid positions were already the best of the season for Öncü and Veijer, their first lap was even better: Öncü was fifth on the opening lap, while Veijer was just outside the points, 16th.

Into the Top 3 after just two laps, he then pushed further to take the lead in a Moto2 contest for the first time. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider held on for more than six laps, but despite opening a gap of several tenths over his rivals, he was eventually caught by Aron Canet halfway through the race. Whilst he couldn’t match the Spanish rider’s pace, he held on to finish runner-up in the Qatar Grand Prix, after a fight with Manuel Gonzalez. It was his best result to date in the Moto2 class.

Veijer had placed 20th in Qualifying, but he fight for much more during the race. He maintained his pace and worked his way into the points, then to competing for the Top 10. In the second half of the race, the group moved closer to the Top 8 and swallowed up several other riders. In the final stretch, with worn tyres, the Dutchman had to ride alone to reach eleventh place. He was then caught by David Alonso and Zonta van der Goorbergh, who passed him and left Veijer in 13th. He earned three points in his fourth race on a Moto2 bike.

All in all, a perfect race – and Grand Prix – for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, which arrives in Europe with the conviction of being able to continue with the good results started in Qatar. Red Bull KTM Ajo are currently 8th in the Team standings. In the rider one, Öncü climbs to ninth overall with 26 points, while Veijer is 19th with 9 points. The next round of the World Championship will be the Spanish Grand Prix, which takes place from April 25-27th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“We had the best weekend of the season so far. Both riders worked very well during the three days, from the Free Practices to today’s race. Deniz had an incredible race after a difficult start to the season. After all the struggles this year today we saw his true potential and I’m sure this result gives him the needed confidence boost. Collin also had a very good race today and his best weekend of 2025 so far. He achieved points in wet conditions in Austin, but here he was very competitive in dry conditions as well and made another great step in his work.”

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“I needed a result like this, and so did my team. This is what we had been fighting for since the beginning of the season, and I have to get these types of results if I want to keep my dream alive. The three first Grands Prix of the season didn’t work out very well, but here in Qatar we can only take away a lot of positives. I had confidence and also a very competitive pace, so I’m very happy with all we did here during the entire weekend. It’s a shame not to fight for the victory, but my tyres were completely gone. Thank you everybody and we will try to carry this form over to Jerez.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“Today was not so bad. It was a solid race and we got into the points again. The first lap was really good and I gained some positions on the first few sectors. After that, I just tried to maintain the pace and pass the people in front of me. Then, I arrived to 11^th position, where I was feeling really good. But at the end of the race I started to lose a little of front tyre grip and we struggled to keep the position. Overall, we’re happy with today’s performance and motivated to carry this feeling over to Jerez. Thank you to the team for their hard work.”

Carpe finishes eleventh in Qatar and Rueda retires on the last lap

13.04.2025

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie secures five points at Lusail, while Rueda suffers a mechanical problem when fighting for victory.

There was an unfortunate Sunday for Red Bull KTM Ajo in the Qatar Grand Prix. Alvaro Carpe completed the race in Lusail eleventh, but had to fight back from two Long Lap penalties. Meanwhile, Jose Antonio Rueda missed out on points for the first time this season, after suffering a mechanical problem with one lap remaining.

Carpe started from 7th on the grid, and moved up to fourth in the opening sectors. He took advantage of the opportunity to carry out the two Long Laps he had been penalised with ahead of the race. Carpe didn’t make it to the lead group, but was able to make a great comeback to score points at Lusail. The Spaniard made contact with the third group, went from 21st to 12th in just eight laps, and led the chase for the Top 10. With three laps remaining, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider caught those fighting for seventh place, but when he snatched the position he was muscled back down to eleventh on the final lap. He collected five points for his showing in the Qatar Grand Prix.

From 3rd on the grid, Rueda was second early on, behind leader Ryusei Yamanaka. With the third lap completed, he moved in front of the Japanese rider for the first time, and an incident between David Muñoz and Dennis Foggia reduced the chasing group to just seven riders. Rueda led the way for much of the remainder of the race, but suffered a mechanical issue in the run-up to the closing lap and was unable to take the chequered flag when he was fighting for the victory. He missed out on points for the first time this season as a result.

Rueda drops to second in the overall standings with 66 points, one behind the series leader. Carpe is seventh with 35, and still top of the Rookie of the Year ranking. Red Bull KTM Ajo are top of the Teams standings, and will return to action at the Spanish Grand Prix, held at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto on April 25-27th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“After a really good and promising weekend, we had a very unlucky Sunday. Jose Antonio was very fast during the entire weekend, he did everything well here in Lusail, both during the Qualifying and also managing the race, but unfortunately we had a technical problem and we couldn’t finish. Alvaro started the weekend struggling, but yesterday he had a good Saturday. It’s a shame about the Long Laps, but he had a very good race until the last lap. We know that both guys have a lot of potential at the moment, so the unlucky days are part of the journey. We have to look forward to doing better in Jerez.”

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“The feeling from today’s race was good. Unfortunately we had a mechanical problem in the last laps and we couldn’t finish the race, so there’s not much more we can say. What happened to us today is something that can always happen in this sport, so let’s hope the next race goes better. The weekend was quite good, and we have to take that away to stay focused on the championship. We have another opportunity in two weeks, at Jerez, so we’re already thinking about the fifth round of the season.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“Today’s result isn’t all that bad considering we had a double Long Lap penalty to carry out. We made up for lost time and were able to run at the front of the field very well, so we’re leaving here happy. We have to keep working to fine-tune some details and avoid making mistakes that could punish us so much. It’s a shame because it was a race where we could have fought higher up, but it wasn’t to be. I’m already thinking about Jerez, which is our home race, so I can give 100% and get back to fighting for everything. ”

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