Veijer places third at Spanish Grand Prix

26.04.2026

The Dutch rider claims his first rostrum of the season with an impressive showing at Jerez. Jose Antonio Rueda finishes 20th.

Collin Veijer earned his first podium of 2026 at the Spanish Grand Prix, starting from pole and leading for over half of the race. Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Jose Antonio Rueda finished 20th at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.

After two somewhat unstable days in terms of weather and temperatures, Sunday brought sunshine and heat, with track temperatures reaching 31°C for the Moto2 race and humidity at 48%.

Veijer got off to a practically perfect start from pole, and although he dropped to second place at the end of the straight, he regained the lead before the first lap was completed. After the second lap, the Dutchman began to stretch out the group, forcing the rest of the field to push hard. In the space of just four laps, he had broken away along with two other riders, making the battle for victory a three-way fight until the very end. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider put in an exceptional performance, maintaining the lead until Lap 14, when he was overtaken by the two Intact GP riders. From then on, despite never dropping to more than a second behind either of them, he was unable to retake control. Veijer came home third for his first podium of the season -his second in Moto2- and is now ninth in the overall standings with 29.5 points.

Rueda got off the line well and, despite being last heading into the first corner, managed to recover five positions in just two laps, moving up to 23rd and fighting for a Top 20. As the laps progressed, following retirements for several other riders, he climbed to 20th, battling with Taiyo Furusato for a 19th place that he eventually captured after the Japanese rider crashed. From then on, the rookie rode alone until the end of the race, when he was overtaken by a rival. His 20th place finish was his second-best result in the class. Rueda remains 21st in the overall standings with 1 point and continues to lead the Rookie of the Year ranking.

All in all, it was a great weekend for Red Bull KTM Ajo, who leave Jerez with a Pole Position and a third-place finish in the race. Now, the team has 30.5 points in total, placing them seventh in the Team standings. The pair enjoy a week off before heading to France to compete in the fifth round of the World Championship, held at the Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans from May 8-10th.

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 59.5 points
2. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 50 points
3. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 45 points
4. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 43 points
5. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 38 points
9. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 29.5 points
21. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1 point

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“We’re really happy with Collin’s performance. This was his best weekend in Moto2 so far, and he was even fighting for the victory. It wasn’t his time yet, but it will definitely arrive soon. He needs to keep this momentum up, keep working as he has been doing since the beginning of the season, and I’m sure we will enjoy a lot more great moments during the year. Jose Antonio suffered quite a lot with arm pump during the race today. This is something we need to get fixed. He will undergo some tests on Monday and we will see if he needs some surgery to fix the problem as soon as possible. As he did in the last few rounds, he showed progress during the entire weekend, but this arm pump prevented him from showing his full potential and we need to find a solution.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“Today I had nothing left to give. I’m very satisfied with what we achieved, after coming back from the United States GP with nothing to show for it. I decided to push hard at the front, but when I was overtaken, I realised that the podium had to be the ultimate goal. The weekend has been very positive, and we also regained the momentum we had in the first two rounds, so I’m very happy with how we managed the race and this Grand Prix at Jerez. Now it’s time to build on that in the upcoming European rounds.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“The race wasn’t all bad for us, but the conditions were much tougher than I imagined, and I struggled more than I expected. The start wasn’t great, but we managed to recover positions until, in the second half of the race, I started losing steam and couldn’t finish as well as I would have liked. I hope these problems disappear soon and we can get back to riding the way we like best.”

Carpe earns fourth Top 5 finish of 2026 at Jerez

26.04.2026

The Moto3 Spanish rider finishes fifth and maintains his second place in the Moto3 overall standings. Brian Uriarte places eleventh.

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Alvaro Carpe took a fifth place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, giving him a fourth consecutive Top 5 placing. Teammate Brian Uriarte came home eleventh, after battling in the chasing pack from start to finish at Jerez.

After two days of mixed conditions, Sunday saw heat and sunshine at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. By the time of the Moto3 race at 11am, the track temperature was already at 27°C with 49% humidity -the latter the lowest of the weekend.

Carpe had a good start, maintaining his third place from the grid going into the first corner. With Maximo Quiles leading the pack and setting a strong pace, the first lap unfolded cleanly, although as the first few laps progressed, the top two riders began to open up a gap. That left a five-man chasing pack, with Carpe in fourth place. However, the strong pace in the race and a relentless battle with Valentin Perrone meant that both were eventually caught by those behind them, increasing the group to eleven riders. In the second half of the race, Carpe managed to establish an advantage and fought for fifth place with one other rival. After a well-executed overtake on the final corner, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider secured fifth place and earned 11 points, keeping him second in the Moto3 World Championship with 53.

Uriarte did not get off the line well, dropping from fifth to tenth on the opening corners. With the strong pace at the front of the field, the group just ahead of him stretched out, forcing him to work hard to stay with them. Following the first two laps, Uriarte moved up to seventh, trying to catch the leaders. Near the halfway point, he was part of the group that latched onto the battle for fifth position, in a group that remained compact until the final third of the race. Everything was decided on the last lap, as Uriarte placed eleventh, just 2 tenths of a second off seventh. Claiming 5 points, he climbs to ninth in the overall standings with 29.5 points.

Another positive weekend for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3, which keeps alive a perfect record of points-scoring finishes with both riders so far in 2026 and, with 83 points, they remain third in the Team standings. The fifth round of the World Championship will take place in two weeks’ time at the Circuit Bugatti at Le Mans (May 8-10th), with the French Grand Prix.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“It was a little bit of a disappointing Sunday. We started quite well on Friday and Saturday, but unfortunately, today the result was not what we were hoping for. On the one hand, Alvaro finished in the Top 5, but we hoped for something more today, so we will work hard to be at the same level we were in Austin. Brian had a good weekend overall, but unfortunately, he had a problem at the start with the lights. He could have fought at the front, but he had to manage things in the middle pack. His final position didn’t really reflect his potential this weekend. We’re happy with him, but obviously, just like with Alvaro, we need a strong test on Tuesday to find some extra speed for the rest of the season.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We fell just a little short of being at the front fighting for the win, but we had a good race in front of the home fans. At the start, everything went more or less as expected, but little by little things got more difficult. Even so, we were able to handle the situation during the second half of the race and get the Top 5 finish, which continues to give us consistency and important points. Now it’s time to focus on the test, to try and find those tenths of a second we need to fight for the win.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“Today’s race was very difficult. The start wasn’t good for us, and that affected us for the rest of the race. I was stuck in the middle of the group, and the battle lasted from start to finish. I was able to enjoy it in front of so many fans, but we would have liked to have been a bit closer from the start to have things a little easier. We learned a lot, as always, and scored important points for the overall standings. I want to thank my team for all the work they did over the weekend.”

First Pole Position for Veijer and the Netherlands in Moto2

25.04.2026

The Dutch rider will start from Pole at the Spanish Grand Prix. Jose Antonio Rueda finishes 25th in Qualifying.

Collin Veijer took a career first Pole in Moto2 at the Spanish Grand Prix, also becoming the first rider from the Netherlands to achieve the feat in the class. Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Jose Antonio Rueda finished 25th in qualifying, on a positive day at his home Grand Prix.

Saturday began with some initial confusion in Jerez, as rain returned just before the start of FP2. With track temperatures at 17°C and 92% humidity, conditions were somewhat tricky for the Moto2 field.

Veijer started cautiously, avoiding taking unnecessary risks. However, the Dutchman still felt comfortable, positioning himself near the Top 10 during the first part of the session. After his pit stop, he was able to maintain his spot and even close the gap to the leading riders, finishing in 10th place with a best time of 1:55.536 after 15 laps. Rueda had a good feeling despite the challenging circumstances. He also made a pit stop, and across two stints consistently ran in the Top 20 until the final minutes of the morning practice, finishing 21st with a best time of 1:57.790 from 15 laps.

In the afternoon, the sun came out, allowing the intermediate class riders to contest Q1 and Q2 in much more favourable conditions than in the morning: Over 30°C track temperature and less than 60% humidity.

Rueda took part in Q1, working alone. The Spaniard managed to improve on his best time from Friday, even though the asphalt wasn’t as conducive to fast laps, and finished in 25th with a 1:40.691, 6 tenths of a second shy of qualifying for Q2. Rueda completed eight laps, and will start from the 9th row on Sunday. Veijer had gone straight into Q2. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider placed third on his first run then, after his pit stop, put together a series of several masterful laps, reaching first place with a minute remaining and coming very close to the circuit record set on Friday. With a time of 1:39.101, he had to wait for his rivals’ times to make sure of pole, which eventually went his way for the first time in Moto2.

In conclusion, it was a great Saturday for Red Bull KTM Ajo in Moto2, securing pole position for the first time in a long while. All in all, Collin Veijer will lead the starting grid tomorrow in a bid to bring some joy to the team, which will be aiming for another strong result with the local hero, Jose Antonio Rueda. The 21-lap Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix will start at 12:15pm (local time) on Sunday.

Qualifying Results
1. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:39.101
2. Alex Escrig (Forward) | 1:39.158 (+0.057)
3. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 1:39.196 (+0.095)
4. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 1:39.255 (+0.154)
5. Alonso Lopez (Kalex) | 1:39.256 (+0.155)
25. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.691 (+1.590)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“It was a great day today. This morning, the feeling was quite strange because the track was slippery and it difficult to ride, but then the sun came out and we could have a good Qualifying. In Q2, we managed to set some good laps and finally we claimed our first Pole Position in the intermediate class. I felt great and the team worked very well to give me the best possible bike, so I want to say thank you to all them. Now is the moment to focus on the race, which is not going to be easy. We want to fight at the front, so we’ll try to get a good start and enjoy the experience to the maximum.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“This second day comes to an end with better feelings than yesterday. We were able to take another step forward, and that’s important for tomorrow’s race. In FP2, we had to deal with the wet conditions, something I’ve hardly had to do with the Moto2 bike, so I had to get a feel for things more than the rest of the field. In the afternoon, Q1 went better for us; we improved our best lap, although we didn’t quite manage to put together a clean lap to move further up. Now we need to think about the race and give our best performance in front of our home crowd.”

Third and fifth positions for Carpe and Uriarte in Jerez Q2

25.04.2026

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders will be on the first and second rows of the grid at the Spanish Grand Prix.

For the first time this season, Red Bull KTM Ajo will start from first and second row with their two riders, with Alvaro Carpe third and Brian Uriarte fifth, at Jerez. Earlier in the day, both had to deal with wet conditions in FP2.

As predicted, rain arrived early on at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. Fortunately, it stopped before FP2 began, although the track remained damp, with track temperatures at 17°C and 92% humidity.

Uriarte once again demonstrated his talent under adverse conditions, leading the session from the start for a considerable spell and stringing together five consecutive fastest laps. After a pit stop in the final stretch, he went back out for the final five minutes. Despite dropping to fifth place, the Moto3 rookie put in another great lap on his penultimate attempt, lowering his best time to 1:56.517, which placed him second after 13 laps. Carpe took a more conservative approach, waiting ten minutes before heading out onto the track. From then on, without taking excessive risks, he gradually built up his feel for the track, reaching the Top 10. However, in the closing minutes, he dropped to 15th place. His top time from ten laps was a 1:58.422.

By Q2, the situation had completely changed. The sun had appeared mid-morning and the surface had dried out, with favourable conditions of 29°C track temperature and 68% humidity.

Carpe led a large group on his first run, unable to get a tow or any reference points, which relegated him to sixth before he came in to change tyres. However, he was able to make progress on his second run, managing to reach third place. With a best time of 1:44.655 from his six laps, he earned a spot on the front row of the grid for the third time this season. Uriarte found himself in a small group on his first run, alongside Maximo Quiles, one of the fastest riders of the weekend so far. After a strong first stint, he moved up to fifth, a position he maintained until the end of Q2, achieving his best qualifying result of the season. His fastest time of 1:45.049, from seven laps completed, put him on the second row of the grid.

All in all, it was another successful day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, which secured the best combined result in Q2 so far this season thanks to Álvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte. The 19-lap Moto3 Spanish Grand Prix gets underway at 11:00am (local time) on Sunday.

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“This morning we tried to get a good feeling with the bike, although the conditions were tricky. This afternoon, qualifying went a bit better and we managed to put together some clean laps to get on the front row, which is one of our main goals every weekend. Now it’s time to fine-tune some details so we can fight hard tomorrow. We’ll try to enjoy ourselves and give our best performance in front of these great fans.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“Today was another good day in Jerez. In the morning, I felt very comfortable in the rain and we did a good job. In qualifying, we didn’t quite manage to put together a perfect lap, but the result was good, and starting from the second row always helps to avoid extra work at the beginning of the race. Now it’s time to work towards tomorrow and fine-tune the setup so we can have a great race in front of the fans.”

Veijer finishes fourth in Spanish GP Practice

24.04.2026

The Dutchman makes a strong start at Jerez, with teammate Rueda 28th.

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Collin Veijer got the Spanish GP started with a fourth place in Practice on Day 1, earning him a place in Q2 at the first European round of the season. Teammate Jose Antonio Rueda was 28th on Friday and will go into Q1 on Saturday.

Initial temperatures on track for the Moto2 class were a relatively low 19°C, with 75% humidity.

Veijer got things underway slowly but steadily improved during the first session, taking a cautious approach due to the track conditions. Growing in confidence with each lap, the Dutchman moved into the Top 10 after his first run, and was just 8 tenths of a second off the pacesetter. When he went back out on track for the final part of the session, Veijer made another leap up the order with a penultimate flying lap, climbing to fifth place with a 1:39.643. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was only 1 tenth of a second off the fastest time and 2 tenths off his previous best lap of the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.

Rueda had a slightly trickier start, although he made the lap-by-lap progress that has been typical from him during the early part of the season. After a first run that was somewhat shorter than his teammate’s, the reigning Moto3 World Champion went back out for his second stint, in which he managed to lower his time again to 1:41.905. Still chasing the times he achieved on the second day of the Official Test in February, Rueda finished FP1 in 28th position after completing 19 laps.

In the afternoon, temperatures rose slightly at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, to 26ºC, with 66% humidity for Moto2 Practice.

Veijer was inside the Top 8 from the beginning of the session. Dividing Practice into three runs, the Dutchman climbed to sixth place after his second stint, and went on to take the top spot briefly with a new circuit record. On his final run, Veijer also improved slightly, securing a place in Q2. His time of 1:39.194 put him fourth, just under 2 tenths of a second off the top spot and 3 tenths quicker than his best lap ever at Jerez, achieved at the Official Test in February. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider completed 18 laps.

Rueda’s 18 laps were distributed differently, but he also quickly improved his morning time, getting off to a good start. Across two slightly longer runs, he focused on continuing to understand the Moto2 bike at his home circuit, where he had already ridden during preseason testing. The 1:40.752 that he clocked in the final part of the session was a tenth quicker than his best lap of the track with a Moto2 bike, and continued his progress from 2026. He placed 28th, less than two seconds off the pacesetter.

All in all, it was a positive Friday for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, which faces another important day tomorrow in order to prepare Sunday’s race. Both riders will take part in Free Practice 2 on Saturday, starting at 9:25 a.m. (local time). Later in the afternoon, Rueda will be the first to take to the track at 1:40 p.m. for Q1, followed by Veijer at 2:05pm for Q2.

Practice Results
1. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 1:38.973
2. Alonso Lopez (Kalex) | 1:39.052 (+0.079)
3. Barry Baltus (Kalex) | 1:39.102 (+0.129)
4. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:39.194 (+0.221)
5. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 1:39.214 (+0.241)
28. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.752 (+1.779)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m happy about how the first day here in Jerez went. I felt very comfortable from the beginning and we enjoyed ourselves a lot riding here, so we want to follow this path the rest of the weekend. We worked very well with all the tyre compounds and we found a good base, so we’ll try to take another step tomorrow to see how far we can go. This afternoon we will work with the team to find something else for the rest of the weekend. I’m enjoying it here, so we’ll try to keep the momentum going.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today it was a matter of gradually building momentum, improving little by little and trying to get a better feeling in both sessions. Things didn’t quite go according to plan in the morning, but we managed to take a step forward in the afternoon and achieve our best time to date here in Jerez. Now we have to work hard to be a little closer to those ahead of us tomorrow and be able to approach Sunday’s race with the best possible chance of success. I’m motivated and eager to keep improving in front of the best fans in the world.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders place inside Top 10 in Practice at Jerez

24.04.2026

Brian Uriarte secures seventh place in the afternoon session, with Alvaro Carpe ninth.

The Spanish Grand Prix got underway on Friday at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, with Brian Uriarte and Alvaro Carpe finishing inside the Top 10 on Day 1 of the weekend’s action.

Before the first European round of the season got underway, Friday began with overcast skies and a cold track. Conditions for FP1 saw 18°C track temperature and 80% humidity.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders were among the first out at Jerez. Carpe started calmly, gradually finding his pace. The Spaniard strung together an initial run of nine laps, setting his fastest time on the last of them to momentarily place in second position. After returning to the garage, he opted to work alone on his second stint, managing to improve his time immediately. In the final minutes, as his rivals improved, Carpe dropped to seventh position, but recovered with a final lap that put him in third with a time of 1:45.370. He put in a total of 16 laps.

Uriarte had a good start to the day, riding amongst the Top 5 on the timesheets at a track he knows very well from other series. Like his teammate, he also ran an initial 9-lap stint, improving his lap time on several occasions, and was in 11th before heading to the pits. Back on track after making adjustments to his bike alongside his team, in the final 10 minutes the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie surprised everyone on his first flying lap, briefly moving into second place. However, as things tightened up in the final stages, other riders relegated him to ninth. Over the course of his 16 laps, the Spaniard posted a best time of 1:45.547, 7 tenths of a second off the top spot.

In the afternoon, track conditions improved substantially, although without sunshine. Track temperatures reached 24°C and humidity was at 69%, as the Moto3 riders came close to breaking the circuit record.

Uriarte was inside the Top 5 right from the beginning of Practice. The Spaniard, with a time of 1:45.074, improved on his morning lap straight away in the afternoon. However, in the final third of the session his rivals applied the squeeze, forcing him to push even harder to secure his place in Q2. He bettered his time to 1:44.504, finishing seventh, less than 4 tenths of a second off the fastest time of the session. He completed 17 laps.

Carpe put in three laps fewer and had a more mixed feeling during the afternoon session. He had started well in the morning, but in the afternoon had to fight hard to clinch his spot in Q2, after a first run that left him in 13th position. Following his pit stop, Carpe made a solid step forward, reaching the Top 10 with several solid laps and ultimately finishing in 9th position with a best time of 1:44.587.

In conclusion, it was a successful first day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo, who comfortably secured direct qualification for Q2. Uriarte and Carpe will take part in the Free Practice 2 from 8:40 a.m. (local time) on Saturday, before Q2 for both of them at 1:10 p.m.

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’ve finished the first day here very satisfied. Our position isn’t the best, but we’ve made a lot of progress with the team. It’s been a very productive day, in which we’ve found some details to work with for the rest of the weekend, so we’re looking forward to the second day here at Jerez. I feel good on the bike, we’re on the right track, and we’re eager to give our best performance in front of so many people who will be cheering us at our home Grand Prix.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“This was a good first day in Jerez, with two very productive sessions and a good feeling for us. We started the day well and we felt fast and comfortable. In the afternoon, things also flowed smoothly and we were able to safely get into Q2. Now it’s time to analyse what we can improve for tomorrow and try to take another step forward to achieve a good grid position. I’m definitely satisfied and eager to continue improving in front of our fans.”

Veijer and Rueda kick off European rounds in Jerez

21.04.2026

After a month-long break, Red Bull KTM Ajo resume the Moto2 season with the Spanish Grand Prix.

Following races in Thailand and the USA, the Moto2 World Championship returns to Europe to end a month-long hiatus caused by the postponement of the Qatar Grand Prix. The Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto hosts the fourth race of the season this weekend, as Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda return to action.

Veijer comes into the Spanish Grand Prix after a strong weekend in Austin that ended with a crash. However, his solid results in Thailand and Brazil (5th and 8th, respectively) mean that 2026 has begun well for him, and he has ample experience of Jerez: The Dutchman finished 14th there last year in his first Moto2 season, plus one of his two victories as a Moto3 rider in 2024. He also won a JuniorGP race at the circuit in 2021, the only season he competed in that series. Viejer comes to Jerez in 12th place in the overall standings with 13.5 points.

Rueda arrives on home soil having scored his first points in the Moto2 class last time out. The reigning Moto3 World Champion, who finished 15th in Austin, has made significant progress throughout the three races held so far. This improvement was also evident two months ago at the same Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, where the intermediate class held the Official Test in preseason. Rueda has fantastic memories of Jerez, winning last year in Moto3 by a considerable margin, becoming the first Andalusian rider to achieve victory at his home track. In addition to this, amongst previous successes at the circuit are wins in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and JuniorGP series. He is currently in 21st position in the overall standings with just one point.

Highly motivated after this long break from racing, Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda are heading to the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto in the hope of getting off to a good start on European soil. Red Bull KTM Ajo hold six podium finishes at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Pedro Acosta (2023), Tetsuya Nagashima (2020), Jorge Martín (2020), Miguel Oliveira (2018 and 2019), and Johann Zarco (2015) all on the rostrum.

All in all, the Spanish Grand Prix starts this Friday with Free Practice 1, beginning at 9:50 a.m. (local time). The Moto2 21-lap race takes place on Sunday at 12:15 p.m.

Circuit information – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
Length: 4.423 m. / 2.748 miles
Width: 11 m. / 36.09 ft.
Left corners: 5
Right corners: 8
Longest straight: 607 m / 0.377 miles
Built: 1986
Modified: 2002

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m very happy to be back in a Grand Prix week after nearly a month without any racing. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to ride in Qatar, but we’ve managed to train a lot during these weeks off to be as prepared as possible. I’m very glad to be back with my team again this week and very excited to be going to Jerez. We’re arriving there with no expectations, so I just want to enjoy the Grand Prix to the maximum and give it 100% to close the first European round with a good base to build on.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“I’m really looking forward to starting the weekend in Jerez, which is a very special place for me. I want to put on a good show in front of the fans and be a bit more consistent, especially in terms of my pace and fastest lap -which is what I’ve been struggling with the most so far. I hope everything goes well, that everyone enjoys it, and that we can have a positive weekend so we can approach the rest of the European rounds with extra motivation. I think we already took a small step forward in the United States, so we need to keep going in the same direction.”

Carpe and Uriarte face first European round of 2026 in Spain

21.04.2026

Red Bull KTM Ajo move on to Jerez aiming for a second consecutive podium finish in Moto3.

Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte return to action at their home circuit this weekend, in what is the first European event of the season. After a month-long break due to the postponement of the Qatar Grand Prix, the Moto3 World Championship heads to Spain and the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. Building on the positive memories from last year, the team is already gearing up for a great weekend and hoping to follow up on the podium finish achieved in Austin.

Carpe has experienced a strong start to the season, culminating in Austin with his first podium finish of 2026. The Spanish rider, who had previously earned two fourth-places in Thailand and Brazil, managed third place at the US Grand Prix after battling for the win until the final corner. He had also claimed his first Pole Position of the year on the Saturday, making it a successful weekend. Now, after nearly a month off, he competes at his home circuit, where he dominated proceedings on the first day of the Official Test in February. With victories there in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and podium finishes in JuniorGP, Carpe was eighth at last season’s Spanish Grand Prix. He currently sits second in the overall standings with 42 points.

Uriarte is aiming for a spectacular first Spanish Grand Prix. The rookie, in his first full Moto3 season, has meticulously prepared for his European debut with weeks of intensive training. After three races in the points, two of them in seventh place – his best result in Moto3 – Uriarte is looking to take another step forward this weekend in Jerez. It’s a track he knows very well, as last year he secured three victories there: Two in JuniorGP and one in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. With more wins and podium finishes to his name in previous editions and former classes, he is currently ninth in the Moto3 World Championship with 23 points.

In conclusion, Jerez has typically been a fruitful source of podiums for Red Bull KTM Ajo, with wins for Jose Antonio Rueda (2025), Pedro Acosta (2021), and Brad Binder (2016), plus rostrums for Miguel Oliveira (second) and Binder (third) in 2015, and for Jaume Masia (third) in 2022.

The action at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto will begin on Friday at 9:00 a.m. (local time) with the first Moto3 Free Practice session. The race 19-lap race will start on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“I’m really excited to be racing at Jerez again. It’s the first European round of the season, so starting out in Spain is always a bonus for those of us who are from here. We’ve been very consistent during this first part of the season, so I hope we can do well here too. We’ll try to bring a good result back to dedicate to the team, my family, and the fans. We’ve worked hard during these weeks off, so we’re ready to give it our all during the three days of the Grand Prix.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“We’ve taken advantage of the absence of the Qatar Grand Prix to prepare very well during this last month. I think I’m in good shape and I feel very comfortable with all the bikes I’ve been training with, so I’m relaxed, as I’m doing everything I can to continue improving. We’re approaching Jerez with great enthusiasm. This is our home race and I’m really looking forward to getting to the circuit and reuniting with my whole team to face the Grand Prix with the best possible outlook.”

Rueda comeback earns first Moto2 point in Austin

29.03.2026

The rookie climbs 13 positions in a chaotic race, while Veijer is unable to finish due to a crash while running in 10th.

Jose Antonio Rueda earned points for the first time as a Moto2 rider in Sunday’s Moto2 United States Grand Prix. After two starts to the race, due to an incident on the first lap, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie climbed from 28th to 15th in Austin. A more unfortunate fate befell Collin Veijer, who was unable to finish due to a crash with seven laps remaining.

Slightly warmer conditions than on Saturday greeted the Moto2 riders, with a track temperature of 42°C. However, the first lap of the contest had to be aborted due to several crashes for nine riders.

Veijer was one of the riders close to one of the bigger incidents, and later narrowly avoided a collision in a crash for a number of riders at Turn 11. He ended up suffering a highside by himself, but the red flag allowed him to return to the pits and take the restart. This time, the Dutchman got off the line well, maintaining eighth position. After settling into the Top 10 positions after the first three laps, Veijer then had a fast crash at Turn 7, which took him out of the race. Fortunately, he escaped without injury, and with 13.5 points finds himself 12th in the overall standings.

Rueda put in a great performance, managing to avoid the chaos of the frequent crashes in the race. In the second start, with three riders less, he started in 25th position, and was able to move up the field thanks to a series of such incidents for other riders. In a race reduced to ten laps, the rookie worked his way up the order to finish 15th, leading the group he was riding amongst. So, having won last year’s Moto3 United States Grand Prix, the Spaniard has secured another great memory in Austin and moves up to 21st in the Moto2 overall standings with 1 point.

In conclusion, it was a bittersweet Sunday for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, with great news from Jose Antonio Rueda and a difficult day for Collin Veijer after a good weekend. Red Bull KTM Ajo have already accumulated 14.5 points this season, placing them 10th in the Team standings. Now they have almost a month off, before a return to Europe at the Spanish Grand Prix on April 24-26th.

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 39.5 points
2. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 36 points
3. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 33 points
4. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 32 points
5. Daniel Muñoz (Kalex) | 26 points
12. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 13.5 points
21. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for. On Friday, we started well, but in today’s race, Collin wasn’t able to maximise his performance and crashed. We know this class is incredibly hard, so we just need to keep working to get back into the Top 5. Jose Antonio’s race was very positive. He learnt more than ever about the intermediate class today, and also scored his first point in Moto2. From now, I think everything will be much easier for him, going back to a lot of tracks he knows very well. Also, he has three weeks to prepare for the Spanish round in terms of fitness -something essential in this class. We’re very much looking forward to seeing him progressing throughout the year”.

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“It was not the best day. I’m disappointed and angry with myself. Firstly, I want to apologise to the team and to everyone involved. Today we finally made a good start, so we can take that as a positive from the race. Unfortunately, my performance wasn’t the best, and we can’t really afford to make these mistakes if we want to show our true potential. This wasn’t my best race, but we need to keep our heads up and work hard to get to Jerez with plenty of motivation. We have a lot more potential than what we have been showing at the moment, so we will work stronger these next few weeks to be better in the near future.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We’ve finished the weekend with a very good feeling. We still need to get used to the first few laps with new tyres, but scoring our first point in the class is a great start. It’s true there were a lot of crashes in the race, but we did our job well, so we have to focus on that. It was a crazy race, just like the previous two, so I’m looking forward to Europe and to competing against the rest of the grid under normal circumstances. I hope to put on a good show ar Jerez in front of our fans and get in the points there too.”

Third place for Carpe in frantic United States Grand Prix

29.03.2026

The Spanish rider narrowly misses out on his first victory on the final corner. Uriarte makes a great comeback to finish seventh.

It was a great Sunday for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 at the United States Grand Prix, as Alvaro Carpe secured third place. The Spaniard tried to overtake for the win on the final corner, but had to settle for earning his first podium of the season, the sixth in his career. Meanwhile, Brian Uriarte climbed seven places to finish seventh -his best result so far in Moto3, as he did in Thailand.

Whilst overcast, the conditions for the Moto3 race saw track temperatures reaching 42°C, with relatively lower humidity than during the rest of the weekend. It meant a cautious choice of tyres for the lower cylinder class riders.

Carpe made a magnificent start, taking the holeshot from 1st on the grid and avoiding any potential trouble at Turn 1. After the first sector, he pushed hard to try and stretch out the group, before relinquishing the lead to Maximo Quiles a few laps later. With the first third of the race completed, and two riders crashing on the entry to the back straight, the battle for victory was narrowed down to five riders, one of them being Carpe. Initially unable to contend Quiles’s strong pace, he had to fight his way back to catch up with him, finally managing to do so with three laps remaining. A four-way battle ensued, with Carpe snatching the lead at the final corner. However, his move on Valentin Perrone sent him slightly wide, and he eventually finished third. It was his first podium of the season and the sixth of his career, moving him up to second place in the Moto3 World Championship standings with 42 points.

Uriarte had a perfect start, overtaking four other riders to move from 14th to tenth before the end of the first lap. Aiming to prevent the leading group from pulling away, he continued to climb through the field and had a spell in the lead of what became the chasing pack. As the laps progressed, two crashes at the front allowed him and seven other riders to battle for sixth place. As the rookie approached the finish line, his bike and that of Adrián Cruces made contact, nearly ending up in a crash. He ultimately secured seventh place, matching his best result to date -achieved at the ThaiGP a month ago. Uriarte is now ninth in the Moto3 World Championship with 23 points.

After a great weekend overall, Red Bull KTM Ajo are joint-second in the Team standings with 65 points, and now face a break lasting almost a month. They return to action at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto for the Spanish Grand Prix, on April 24-26th.

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“Overall, it was a positive weekend here in Austin. The conditions were quite good, and Alvaro especially really found himself this weekend. The first couple of weekends were quite good, but maybe he wasn’t at his best, and here he was very strong from the beginning. He found his rhythm and he was able to push alone, as we saq yesterday in Qualifying, where he was incredible. During the race he was also great. There was a moment when he was near to losing the front group, but he managed to recover in the end to fight for the victory until the last corner. The result wasn’t what he was hoping for, but it’s still a very positive weekend. Brian also had a great weekend at one of the hardest tracks for a rookie. Qualifying wasn’t the best, but he managed to fight for the first position in the second group today, so that’s a big thing. We’re looking forward to continuing with this progression with him.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We finally got our first podium of the season. I’m a little disappointed with how the race here in Austin ended, as I not only lost two positions, but Perrone also missed out on a podium finish, and I feel bad for him. The race went well, although we struggled at times, but luckily, we managed to turn things around in the final stages. We have to focus on the positives; it’s been a very complete weekend. We led the race, secured a Pole Position, and finally got that podium finish we were hoping for. Now it’s time to switch off, keep working, and start thinking about Jerez.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“This was an important result today. The goal was to learn, knowing that with my grid position it would be difficult for us to be in the leading group. I think we managed the race well, and battling with so many other riders allowed me to learn things from all of them. We’ll try to put all that into practice at the next few rounds. The work this weekend has been very good, so I’m leaving Austin with a very positive feeling from my first time here. We could have gained one more position, but I’m happy with my performance and the process we’ve been through with my team, to whom I’m extremely grateful. I’m really looking forward to getting back to Europe.”

Partners