Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 end French Grand Prix empty handed

11.05.2025

Deniz Öncü finishes 17^th the race in Le Mans, with Collin Veijer crashing out on the opening lap.

The French Grand Prix ended without points for Red Bull KTM Ajo at Le Mans. Deniz Öncü took the chequered flag 17th in the race on Sunday, whilst Collin Veijer was involved in an incident on the first lap that meant he had his first DNF of the season.

The track conditions were difficult on Sunday after morning rain. Öncü dropped from 13th on the grid to 17th after the first lap, as he struggled for pace. He would move up to 14th at one point in the race, but returned to 17th as several mistakes in the final third of the race affected his position. Finally, after fighting for 16th on the closing lap with Daniel Holgado, he finished behind the Spaniard. This breaks his good momentum after the P2 in Qatar and the P5 in Spain. Öncü is now 10th in the overall standings, with 37 points to his name.

The start of the Moto2 race saw several incidents in the middle of the field, and Veijer was one of the worst affected. He had taken off from 19th, and was hit by another rider at Turn 2. He would end up crashing coming out of Turn 8, bringing his race to an early end despite his attempts to remount. It was the first time in the last four races that he had failed to pick up points, and the first time this season that Red Bull KTM Ajo had not finished a Sunday race. Veijer is 18th in Moto2, holding 11 points.

In conclusion, a complicated and unlucky Grand Prix for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, which completed the first round of the season with no points for either of its two riders. Aiming to bounce back from this weekend at Le Mans, next challenge for Öncü and Veijer is the British Grand Prix, the seventh round of the season, held at Silverstone from May 23rd-25th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

““Unfortunately, today was a very difficult Sunday for both riders. Collin made good progress again through all the sessions, but unfortunately he missed out on Q2 by a few thousandths of a second. As always, starting from the back of the grid is always risky and he made contact with another rider during the first lap and crashed. Deniz was very fast yesterday morning in FP2 with a circuit record, but finally in Qualifying and especially in the race he couldn’t find the best feeling to stay at the front. We will keep pushing and we are focused on improving in two weeks time at Silverstone.”

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“Honestly, this is not the result we were looking for here at Le Mans. I’m a little bit annoyed with the race we had, so we need to analyse all the aspects that didn’t work as we wanted with my crew. The first part of the weekend went more or less well, but today things took a turn. So the only thing we can do now is reset and work harder to be stronger in the next few race weekends, starting with Silverstone -where I want to give my team the result they deserve.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“Today’s race ended very early for me. The start was a little chaotic, with a lot of contact on the first few corners. I tried to be aggressive on the first lap, but then at Turn 8 I had contact with another rider and I suffered a highside. Fortunately, I’m OK. It’s a pity to end the weekend like this, but we made a lot of progress and we’re looking forward to arriving at Silverstone and trying to forget this result here at Le Mans.”

Rueda takes fourth win of 2025 after thrilling final lap

11.05.2025

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider opens a gap in the overall standings with victory at the French Grand Prix. Alvaro Carpe finishes fourth at Le Mans.

Jose Antonio Rueda took a thrilling win at the French Grand Prix, snatching the lead at the final corner to take his fourth victory of the Moto3 season and consolidates his position at the top of the overall standings after taking advantage of the fall of his closest rival. His teammate, Alvaro Carpe, finished fourth, making a great comeback from 13th to enter the fight for the podium positions.

Rueda made a cautious start from 8th on the grid and settled into seventh place. After analysing the drying track conditions on the early laps, he set a strong pace as the front group reduced to fifteen riders. He then began to recover positions, moving into the Top 5 after the first third of the race.

A crash for Angel Piqueras broke up the group, allowing Rueda to escape alongside Joel Kelso, David Muñoz, and Guido Pini. In the closing stages of the race, another crash for Pini enabled Rueda to make up ground, and on the final three laps he tried to overtake Muñoz on several occasions. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider eventually benefitted from another crash, as Muñoz and Kelso collided in the final sector and left him with a clean path to the chequered flag. The win leaves Rueda top of the Moto3 World Championship standings with 116 points, 29 points ahead of Piqueras.

Carpe, 13^TH on the grid, also rode a very intelligent race at Le Mans. From the back of the main group, he was careful not to make any mistakes due to the unpredictability of the surface. After the early stages, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie gradually gained positions within the leading group and took advantage of his rivals’ hesitation to make a push towards the podium. He set the fastest lap of the race in pursuit of the leading trio of riders, and was only 7 tenths of a second behind his teammate before tyre wear eliminated him from the fight for the Top 3. He eventually came home in fourth place, after one of his best showings of the season. Carpe is 6th in the overall standings, and top of the Rookie of the Year ranking with 56 points.

After finishing the French Grand Prix in the best possible way, the Red Bull KTM Ajo closes the sixth round of the season with a bang in all the class standings. In the Team’s one, Red Bull KTM Ajo climb to 172 points, extending its lead considerably. The next round of the MotoGP World Championship will be the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, on May 23rd-25th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“It was not an easy weekend in general, especially with Jose Antonio, who was struggling a little during the first sessions, but yesterday we took a big step with the setup and also with his riding. Alvaro felt good since the beginning, but a bad Qualifying yesterday forced him to start quite far back today. I’m very happy because we managed to turn the things around today and the result was really, really good for both riders. Jose Antonio was very clever on the last lap to wait on what happened in front, and managed to win the race. Alvaro impressed me a lot today, starting from 13th but nearly catching the front group, which isn’t easy, especially in Moto3, so we’re very happy for both of them.”

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“I’m very happy with today’s win, especially for the team, who worked really hard over the weekend to ensure we had the pace at the front today. I didn’t expect the race to be so fast, but Kelso’s pace was very high. I also didn’t expect to win after being in third until the last corner, but for me today’s performance is a real motivation booster. I really enjoyed every lap, and in the final stages I tried to get into second to see what result we could get, but in the end, luck was on our side. It was about time, as we had the opposite luck in Qatar, but that’s how racing is, and sometimes it works out for you. I want to thank my family and my sponsors for all their support, and I’m getting ready for Silverstone.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“The work this weekend was reflected in today’s race. We’d been making a lot of progress with my technicians to ensure today’s setup was the best possible, and the result shows it. At first, it was a bit tricky as the track conditions were still somewhat delicate, but little by little, we overtook riders to keep chasing the leading group. From there, I managed to break away and came very close to making contact with them, but my tyres had nothing left. All in all, it was a very valuable experience. We’re satisfied with the result, and we scored our first fastest lap in the race. So, it was a very positive weekend, and I’m looking forward to continuing this trend, as we’ll ultimately aim for more.”

Thirteenth on the grid for Öncü, with Veijer 27 thousandths of a second away from Q2

10.05.2025

The two Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders will start from the fifth and eighth rows at the French Grand Prix.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders completed Saturday’s French Grand Prix action with mixed results. Deniz Öncü was unable to finish in Q2 a Saturday that he had started leading in FP2, with an absolute track record included, and he will start from P13. His teammate, Collin Veijer, improved his best time in both sessions but missed out on Q2 by just 27 thousandths of a second.

FP2 for the Intermediate class was held in better conditions than Friday’s FP1, where the cold limited their lap times. With both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders focused on their race pace during the first part of the session, it was Öncü who surprised everyone in the final stretch, breaking the track record on his 14th and penultimate lap. The Turkish rider set a 1:34.693 to top the session, repeating his achievement from Jerez exactly two weeks ago. Veijer, meanwhile, employed a Time Attack in the final part of the Practice, setting his best time on his final lap of a total of 18. With a 1:35.562, which shaved more than 3 tenths off his fastest time from Friday, the rookie finished in 17th, completing the morning with a very positive feeling.

In Qualifying, track temperatures rose to some 35°C at the start of Q1. Veijer took part in the session, and despite a slower first attempt at a hot lap with new tyres, he ended up being one of the clear contenders to make it into Q2. Two consecutive laps put him more than 3 tenths faster than his previous best time from the weekend, and the Dutchman clocked a 1:35.218 on his eighth and final flying lap. Provisionally placed second, but he was relegated to fifth when several of his rivals improved their times, leaving him just 0.27 thousandths of a second away from making the cut for Q2.

In Q2, Öncü suffered slight misfortune. Whilst he got off to a strong start, several of his rivals managed to improve their morning times, and the Turkish rider was not entirely comfortable with the slightly higher track temperatures. Having set a 1:34.983 during his first runout of the session, he went back out on track with the aim of getting closer to the leading positions, but it was not to be. Thus, after nine laps completed, he earned 13th place, leaving him on the fifth row of the starting grid for the race.

With the sixth Saturday of the season completed, Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer are already preparing for tomorrow’s race, where they will both try to bring points back to the pits for the third consecutive race. The 22-lap Moto2 French Grand Prix is scheduled for 12:15pm (local time) on Sunday at Le Mans.

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“The second day finished with mixed feelings. In the morning I felt great on track and we were able to lead the session with a circuit record, but in the afternoon things didn’t work out well at all. The goal was to qualify as well as we had on the last two race weekends, but we will start from 13th here at Le Mans. Tomorrow I will try my best to bring home the maximum number of points possible, but let’s see how the weather is, because the race could change a lot if it rains. We will be ready in both cases.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“This morning the feeling was quite good during the long run. In the end, we were able to set a decent pace; my fastest lap was with a heavily used tyre, so we’re happy and confident because of that. In Q1, we were very close to making it into Q2. The first stint wasn’t great, but in the second I just switched my brain off and just tried to push with everything I had. We missed out on Q2 by less than a tenth of a second, so we can take the positives from today. The feeling was good, we improved during all the sessions, so I’m ready for tomorrow.”

Third and fifth rows for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 at Le Mans

10.05.2025

Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe will start 8th and 13th at the French Grand Prix.

Saturday’s action at the French Grand Prix leaves Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe in eighth and thirteenth positions on the grid for Sunday’s race. Despite it being one of the toughest Qualifying’s of the season for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team, both riders are confident for the crucial moment of the weekend. Jose Antonio Rueda feels comfortable in terms of his race pace, and Alvaro Carpe also demonstrated plenty of speed, even breaking the previous track record at the French track in the morning’s FP2 session.

Although the track temperature for FP2 was very similar to Friday’s FP1, the morning sun at Le Mans reduced the humidity on the asphalt significantly, and the Moto3 riders were able to put in much faster laps. Rueda was the first to demonstrate this, becoming the first to break the 1:40 mark this weekend. After leading the first part of the session, the Moto3 World Championship leader focused on making a long run to prepare for the race. He set his best time of 1:40.602 on his sixth lap of a total of 18, without the need for a Time Attack, and placed seventh.

Carpe had a somewhat different session to his teammate. Initially, he focused on making a longer run with an eye on Sunday, but in the final minutes, he decided to use new tyres to push harder. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie posted his fastest time on his 13th lap of a total of 15, with a 1:40.085 which placed him third, just 2 tenths off the top spot. He not only lowered his best time from Friday by 6 tenths, but also managed to go quicker than the previous Moto3 track record at Le Mans.

In Qualifying, the asphalt was at its highest temperatures of the weekend so far. Rueda got off to a strong start, but failed to complete a perfect lap in the crucial minutes of the session, dropping him to eighth place by the time the chequered flag fell. He completed eight laps, with the fastest a 1:40.477 -his best time of the weekend and just a few thousandths of a second away from his all-time top lap at Le Mans. Carpe had a more difficult time, finishing his first runout with no hot lap recorded, after exceeding the track limits on his only real attempt. After a trip to the pits, another yellow flag left him with no chance of setting a solid time. That forced him to push on his final opportunity, in which he clocked a 1:40.669, slightly off his FP2 time. After eight laps completed, Carpe qualified 13th for the race.

The two Red Bull KTM Ajo riders will try to bring home as many points as possible from the third and fifth rows of the grid, in the 20-lap Moto3 French Grand Prix that will start at 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Sunday.

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today we took a step forward, although I would have liked to have been a little closer in terms of our grid position. The important thing is that we’re comfortable with the bike and have the speed to fight in the race, so we’re going to work to find something extra and be even better prepared for tomorrow. We also have to see how the weather turns out, but whether the conditions are dry or wet, we’ll have to give it our all to fight for the top positions.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“This morning I felt very comfortable on used tyres, but we couldn’t set a hot lap on fresh rubber. The strategy we were looking to use in Q2 with my teammate didn’t work out, but we’re happy because the work is good and we’ve made progress compared to yesterday. I think tomorrow could be a good day if the conditions are right for us. It looks like it’s going to rain, so we have to stay calm, stick to our plan, and fight as hard as we can in the race, which is sure to be entertaining.”

Öncü makes Q2 for French Grand Prix and Veijer comes close again

09.05.2025

Despite suffering a crash, the Turkish rider secures his third consecutive spot in Q2 directly from Practice. Teammate Veijer will enter Q1 on Saturday at Le Mans.

Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer completed their sixth Friday of the season in Moto2. The two Red Bull KTM Ajo riders had a difficult start at Le Mans, but they picked up the pace with encouraging results for the rest of the weekend. The Turkish rider finished eleventh in Practice, despite a crash and will once again be present in Q2. Veijer, on the other hand, was close to Q2 positions until the Time Attack, but he will attempt to move out of Q1 after placing 22nd in Practice.

The intermediate class riders completed the first session of the weekend in France with temperatures heating up. Öncü was competitive from start to finish, and inched closer to the lead in the final stretch. With 19 laps under his belt, he clocked his best lap on his 17th attempt, setting a time of 1:35.562, to secure seventh place and continue his strong performance in Free Practice sessions this season. He was 4 tenths quicker than his top time from 2024 at this track. Veijer completed his first kilometers at Le Mans on a Moto2 bike, making progress throughout Free Practice 1. Despite starting far behind the frontrunners, the Dutchman managed to improve on his final lap to set a time of 1:36.674, less than two seconds behind the fastest rider. After 17 laps Veijer closed the session in 22nd place.

The track offered much more optimal conditions in the afternoon, with temperatures as high as 27 degrees Celsius -some 13 degrees above those in FP1. Moto2 Practice saw several red flags, caused by crashes at the final corner which left gravel on the track. Öncü also crashed at the start of the session, at Turn 7, forcing him to remain in the pits for an extended period while his mechanics repaired his bike. Fortunately, he had already set a good lap before the crash, allowing him to come out in the final minutes slightly more relaxed. Finally, with 13 laps under his belt, he finished 11th with a best lap of 1:35.464. Veijer also held a good position throughout Practice. Just under a tenth separated him from the Q2 spots in the Top 14 before the final stretch of the session. However, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie failed to put together a perfect lap on his final Time Attack, leaving him 22nd with a fastest time of 1:35.917. The Dutchman completed a total of 18 laps.

After a busy Friday at Le Mans, Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer will be looking for a good place on the grid tomorrow. On a track with some tricky first corners, it will be key to get the best position in Qualifying in order to avoid as many problems at the start of the race as possible. So, tomorrow, both will run FP2 in the morning from 9:25 a.m. (local time), before moving on to the key moment of the day: the FrenchGP Qualifying. Veijer will take part in Q1, starting at 1:45 p.m., with Öncü already through to Q2 (2:10 p.m.).

Results Practice
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 1:34.744
2. Diogo Moreira (Kalex) | 1:35.079 (+0.335)
3. Filip Salac (Boscoscuro) | 1:35.127 (+0.383)
4. Jake Dixon (Boscoscuro) | 1:35.189 (+0.445)
5. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 1:35.291 (+0.547)
11. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1.35.464 (+0.720)
22. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:35.927 (+1.173)

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“The first day at Le Mans finished with a good feeling overall. We once again got into Q2 through Practice, and that’s positive, but I made a mistake on my eighth lap. I can only say thank you to my team for fixing my bike so fast, because I was able to go back out in the final minutes after a great job by them. I didn’t get a very clean lap after the crash, but we will keep working in order to be more competitive tomorrow. It’s important to understand why we made this mistake and to get a better position on the grid.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“Today’s feeling was good, so let’s try to improve more tomorrow. This morning we just adapted a little bit to the feeling and it was quite okey. In the afternoon, the feeling was also fine and we did quite a consistent job, especially during the first part of the session, when I did my fastest lap with the used tyre. In the second stint we had a red flag on the last minutes and we decided to take the pits out again as the latest riders, so we caught a lot of yellow flags that didn’t allowed to improve our time. But we learn learn from this and we move on.”

Rueda and Carpe make Q2 for sixth consecutive race

09.05.2025

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders finish ninth and eleventh in Practice for the French Grand Prix.

The first day of practice at the French Grand Prix took place on Friday, and the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders had a successful two sessions. Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe, despite not having the same feeling as on previous Fridays, comfortably secured a spot in Q2. They finished ninth and eleventh, respectively, in the afternoon Practice session.

With lower-than-usual temperatures on track, the Moto3 riders started FP1 slightly late after two morning red flags, in MotoE and Moto3 also. Rueda completed a total of 18 laps, focusing on finding his groove lap by lap under tricky conditions. The current World Championship leader made steady progress, achieving sixth place and a best time of 1:41.450 on his final lap. Carpe was the rider who completed the most laps at Le Mans in the morning, with 21, and did not make any pit stops during the session. He focused on understanding the track and the bike, as well as working on his race pace to minimise tyre wear. Finally, Carpe finished fourteenth with a best time of 1:42.085, just over a second off the top spot.

By the afternoon, both the asphalt and ambient temperatures rose, and the track was some 14ºC warmer than in FP1. Practice once again saw a significant number of crashes, prompting another red flag that interrupted the session. The break was beneficial for Rueda, who had not gotten off to a good start. He came from outside the Top 14 to turn things around with a positive final run, that allowed the three-time race winner to string together several consecutive fastest laps. Ultimately, with a best time of 1:40.592 that was one tenth slower than his all-time best time at Le Mans, Rueda finished ninth after 18 laps.

The same number of laps was completed by Carpe, who began the session better than his teammate, remaining in the Q2 positions throughout. Although most of his rivals pushed hard in the final stretch to try to break into the Top 14, the rookie held his spot and finished with a best lap of 1:40.604, almost a second and a half faster than his morning time. Despite finishing 11th in Practice, only 0.368 seconds separated Carpe from the session’s best time.

In conclusion, a difficult Friday, but solved with a place into Q2 for Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe, who were able to close the day close to the Top. The two Red Bull KTM Ajo riders will try to secure a good grid spot in Q2, which starts at 1:15 p.m. (local time) on Saturday at Le Mans. Before, in the morning, both will run the Practice at 8:40 a.m. in order to work on their race pace and to continue their progress ahead of the Qualifying.

Practice Results
1. David Muñoz (KTM) | 1:40.236
2. Ryusei Yamanaka (KTM) | 1:40.341 (+0.105)
3. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) | 1:40.379 (+0.143)
4. Angel Piqueras (KTM) | 1:40.387 (+0.151)
5. Maximo Quiles (CFMoto) | 1:40.475 (+0.239)
9. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40:592 (+0.356)
11. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.604 (+0.368)

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“It wasn’t the best Friday of the season for us. I struggled a bit to get a steady pace going, but at least we know what we need to work on for tomorrow and Sunday’s race. Now we have to focus on the setup, to be more precise on the long corners and be more comfortable on the bike. This track has never been my favourite, so I don’t think we’re that far off the pace for the opening day. Tomorrow we’ll take another step forward, I’m sure.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“I felt very good today. In the afternoon, I improved both my feeling and my time, so we’re very happy with today’s result. Although it seems like we’re far behind, only 3 tenths of a second separate us from first place, which is the most important thing. The work was good and we rode alone, and we also found a good pace, so it’s been positive. I hope the weather continues to be kind to us, although it’s true that it’s quite cold here in the mornings, and we still have to improve in that. We’re more comfortable when it’s warmer, but we’ll adapt to whatever happens -both tomorrow and on Sunday.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo go into French GP in best form of the season

07.05.2025

After strong results in Qatar and Spain, Öncü and Veijer aim to score points for a third consecutive race.

The Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans will host the sixth round of the Moto2 calendar this week, as Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer try to build on the strong results they achieved in recent rounds of the series. The former, at a circuit that is not one of his favourites, wants to continue to prove that he can be among the strongest in the category, while the latter will be looking for his fourth consecutive Sunday in the points.

Öncü arrives at Le Mans in his best form in the intermediate class, having picked up consistency in Qatar and Spain. In those events, he took consecutive Top 5 finishes -including a podium in Lusail- and broke the track record at Jerez last time out. So Le Mans will be a perfect thermometer to see how it has grown the Turkish rider during the last weeks. At the French GP, his best result to date is a sixth place in Moto3 (2023). Last year, the Turkish rider placed 18th after qualifying 22nd. For the current season, he will look to improve on this and move up the standings, in which he is in 6th place after five rounds of the 2025 campaign.

Veijer is also on a high in Moto2 after finishing in the points at three consecutive rounds, nothing easy for a rookie rider, and will aim to continue this run at the French Grand Prix. Most recently, he was 14th at Jerez in the Spanish Grand Prix a fortnight ago, having started from 17th on the grid. Although Collin has not raced in France in other competitions such as JuniorGP or the Red Bull Rookies Cup, he has scored points in his two visits as a World Championship rider, achieving a third position in last year Moto3 race. The class rookie lies 16th in the Moto2 standings, with 11 points.

After securing top five positions in the Moto2 team standings for the first time this season for Red Bull KTM Ajo, Deniz Öncü and Collin Veijer will be looking to repeat the results in France. The team have achieved two wins and two podium finishes in French Grands Prix over the last ten seasons: Wins for Raúl Fernández (2021) and Augusto Fernández (2022), second place for Remy Gardner (2021), and third for Johann Zarco (2015), respectively. Both will take part in the first Free Practice of the French Grand Prix from 9:50 (local time) next Friday.

#53 DENIZ ÖNCÜ

“This weekend we travel to France for the sixth round of the year. We expect to have the same speed and also feeling with my bike this time. The goal is to continue with the same drive that we showed during the last two Grands Prix. We’re doing a very good job, so we need to keep working hard at Le Mans. The Free Practices will be important, but again we need to get things right during the Qualifying sessions in order to have a chance on Sunday during the race.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I feel ready for this weekend in France. We will need to push all weekend in Le Mans if we want to get a good result there. We have a lot of expectations for Sunday’s race, so we need to work in the best possible way during the three days. Let’s see what we can do and of course what we can improve from Jerez. We will try to get a good feeling from the first session on Friday morning. The team have been working great during the start of the season, so we will try to make some progress again.”

Rueda and Carpe arrive at Le Mans confident of extending their podium streak

07.05.2025

After the victory in Jerez, Red Bull KTM Ajo will defend all Moto3 class leads in France.

The historic Bugatti circuit at Le Mans hosts the sixth round of the Moto3 World Championship season. Red Bull KTM Ajo come into the event in rude health: Top of the Rider, Team and Rookie of the Year standings, and with Jose Antonio Rueda having been victorious in Jerez last time out. Alvaro Carpe will ride at another familiar track this weekend, where he has already been on the podium in other competitions.

After a stellar Spanish Grand Prix, in which he won from Pole Position and also set the fastest lap of the race, Rueda visits France as leader of the Moto3 class. His season so far has seen him claim three wins and a third place in five races, Rueda arrives at Le Mans convinced of being able to extend the good start of 2025. His previous results at Le Mans are ninth and eighth place in 2023 and 2024, respectively, although in 2024 he was able to qualify on the front row.

For Carpe, the visit to Le Mans means the second consecutive track at which he has previous experience. After a full and exciting weekend for him at Jerez, the young Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is looking to make further strides in the overall standings, as well as in the rookies’ one, where he continues being the leader after an eighth place finish in the Spanish Grand Prix. Whilst this is his first time at the French track in the Moto3 World Championship, he has been there in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, where last year he took third place and also achieved fifth and sixth place finishes in 2023 and 2024.

So far in 2025, Red Bull KTM Ajo have three wins, a second place, and a third to their name. The team have taken two wins at Le Mans in the last ten seasons, with Brad Binder in 2016 and Jaume Masia in 2022. The action at the Bugatti Le Mans track kicks off next Friday from 9:00 (local time) with the first Moto3 Free Practice.

Circuit information – Le Mans
Length: 4.19km / 2.6 miles
Width: 13m / 42.65ft.
Left corners: 5
Right corners: 9
Longest straight: 0.674km / 0.418 miles
Built: 1965

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We’re coming into the French Grand Prix eager to defend our lead in the series. I haven’t had easy weekends on my two previous visits, but it’s a track I like, so we’re confident of achieving good results if we continue the work we’ve been doing since preseason. We want to enjoy it and avoid putting too much pressure on ourselves, so we’ll take things day by day to try to achieve my best result so far at Le Mans.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re very motivated for Le Mans, a track I’m already familiar with. Let’s hope the weather holds out, as it’s a circuit that often sees some rain. I think it’s a track I can do well at. I like short, twisty circuits, so we’ll have to keep working the same way we have so far to benefit from that. We still need to improve in the final stretch of the races, as we’ve struggled a lot with tyre wear, so we’ll focus on working on that aspect.”

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.”

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