The best Saturday of the season for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 sees Veijer on the front row and Rueda on the 9th position.

Collin Veijer will start second at the Catalan Grand Prix after a near-perfect lap in the final moments of Q2. He made a late surge to claim a spot on the front row of the grid for the second time this season. Jose Antonio Rueda, after his best day of the season by far, made it into Q2 for the first time, with a commendable ninth position on the grid.

The day began well for the Moto2 field, with a slightly warmer track temperature than on Friday (14ºC) and lower humidity (57%), plus clear skies, for Free Practice 2.

Rueda quickly climbed to fourth position, continuing to make steady progress towards his goal for the day of making it into Q2. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie completed a single stint as a race simulation, racking up 18 consecutive laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. His best time was a 1:42.142, achieved on his fifth lap, which placed him seventh. This performance by the reigning Moto3 World Champion improved upon his best result to date in a practice session for the intermediate class. Veijer made a similar run to his teammate, placing himself in the Top 10 during his initial flying laps and completing only one stint in the entirety of FP2. The Dutchman also achieved his best time on his fifth lap, clocking a 1:42.424 to finish 12th on the timesheets.

Later in the afternoon, the intermediate class enjoyed 37°C track temperatures and 39% humidity, optimal conditions for qualifying.

In Q1, Rueda made it through to the fight for pole position for the first time in the intermediate class. The Spaniard placed seventh on his first run, amidst a tightly packed timesheet. On his second stint he had to make a save to avoid a crash, then comfortably made it through to Q2 with a 1:41.846, placing him third after eight laps. In Q2, the series rookie got off to a bad start, with all his flying laps from his first run cancelled out. However, after a tyre switch, he moved his way into sixth position with a 1:41.655. Unfortunately, due to the pace of his rivals, he ended up dropping to ninth, which will see him start from the third row of the grid –still his best ever qualifying result in Moto2.

Veijer sprung a surprise with a phenomenal finish to Q2. Having set a good base time initially that put him in the middle of the pack after his first run, a change of tyres came with an improvement in his speed. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, running alone, managed to conjure up a 1:41.338, improving his front row time from the 2025 Catalan Grand Prix by some 4 tenths of a second. This time around, it wasn’t enough to secure pole position, but it did earn him second place after eight laps in Q2. Veijer will have to complete a Long Lap penalty during the race itself, due to an infraction at the French Grand Prix last weekend.

In conclusion, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team has had a very successful second day in Barcelona. With Collin Veijer on the front row and Jose Antonio Rueda on the third, the team will aim tomorrow to round off the weekend with two strong results, allowing them to finish this double-header of Grand Prix races on a high note. The 21-lap Moto2 Catalan Grand Prix will take place at 12:15 p.m. (local time) on Sunday.

Qualifying Results
1. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 1:41.076
2. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:41.338 (+0.262)
3. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 1:41.436 (+0.360)
4. Ivan Ortola (Kalex) | 1:41.455 (+0.379)
5. Alonso Lopez (Kalex) | 1:41.521 (+0.445)
9. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:41.655 (+0.579)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m pleased with how the day went. We worked well from the start, and finally we achieved a great result in Q2. During the morning, the pace that we showed was quite good, whilst in the afternoon, Qualifying was really nice and we managed to set a great lap riding alone. It’s a little bit of a different situation from Jerez, with the long lap to do, but we will push to the maximum to see what we can take away from here. We know it won’t be easy, but we’re happy to be here again with riders at the front. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“I’m very happy with the work we did today. I’ve been feeling great since France; we’ve taken a step forward, and it’s showing day by day. Qualifying went brilliantly, we achieved our goal, and now it’s time to focus on the race. The start of the season has been a bit tough, but it’s all a process, and it seems we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have a good pace, but it’s sure to be a tough race where the tyres will degrade a lot, so we need to prepare as best as possible to put on a good show and enjoy ourselves to the fullest.”

With a third-place finish in Q2, the rookie secures his first-ever Top 3 on Saturday. Carpe will take off from 13th at the Catalan Grand Prix after making the cut from Q1.

It was a remarkable Saturday for Red Bull KTM Ajo at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as both of their riders made it into Q2 and Brian Uriarte placed third, marking his maiden appearance on the front row and the team’s fourth of the season. Alvaro Carpe will start 13th in Sunday’s race after going through Q1 and and classifying to fight for the Pole Position.

Although the sun was shining on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the morning was colder than expected, at just 11ºC and with 66% humidity. The Red Bull KTM Ajo team took to the track for FP2.

Uriarte was the first rider out, working alone throughout the session. Focused on his race pace, the rookie didn’t push for a fast time at any point in the early going. After a trip to the garage and several adjustments to his bike’s setup, he went out for the final five minutes of the session for his Time Attack, which saw two consecutive fast laps and second place in FP2. He clocked a best time of 1:47.436, just 24 thousandths of a second off the top spot. Carpe started well, regaining confidence and making up for lost time from Friday afternoon. However, after a stint consisting of both laps within a group and solo runs, the Spaniard tried to follow several riders, but lost the front end of his bike entering Turn 2. Fortunately, he escaped unharmed from the crash, although he was unable to go back out and had to settle for 20th position, with a best time of 1:48.566. Carpe completed only 7 laps in the session.

Later in the afternoon, conditions improved significantly, with an ambient temperature of 19°C, track temperature of 33°C, and only 35% humidity.

In Q1, Carpe immediately shaved a second off his best lap of the weekend on his first flying lap, taking the top spot. He then changed tyres to go out alone and leave all his rivals without a tow. Although he did not improve his lap time on his second run, he managed to secure second place with his 1:47.382 after eight laps completed, making it through to Q2. In Q2, he couldn’t put together a clean lap on his first run, having to delay his Time Attack until the final minutes of the session, where he worked together with his teammate. After initially giving Uriarte a tow, Carpe then took advantage of his fellow Red Bull KTM Ajo rider’s slipstream to set a 1:47.171, his best time at the Catalan GP to date and his best ever in Barcelona. He will start from 13th, with his lap just under 5 tenths of a second off pole.

Uriarte completed seven laps, the same as his teammate, and secured his first front-row start as a Moto3 World Championship rider. The rookie, who had made a great start to the weekend previously, finished Saturday in third place on the grid with a 1:46.698, and had even topped the timesheets on two separate occasions during Q2. He was only 19 thousandths of a second off pole position, with what was his fastest lap of the weekend by a considerable margin.

All in all, it was a very positive day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, which not only managed to get both of its riders into Q2 but will also have one of them starting from the front row of the grid. The 18-lap Moto3 Catalan Grand Prix will take place on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. (local time).

Qualifying Results
1. Valentin Perrone (KTM) | 1:46.679
2. David Muñoz (KTM) | 1:46.684 (+0.005)
3. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:46.698 (+0.019)
4. David Almansa (KTM) | 1:46.815 (+0.136)
5. Marco Morelli (KTM) | 1:46.927 (+0.248)
13. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:47.171 (+0.492)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“Saturday was a success. We’re feeling strong and I’m convinced we can be up there at the front tomorrow. From the outside, I understand how it might look like a disastrous weekend, but it’s definitely less so than it seems. The race will be very competitive and there will be a lot of fans, which is good for our chances of being able to finish strongly. Obviously, we haven’t been able to fine-tune some details, but that’s due to the lack of laps we’ve done. The crashes we’ve had happened at the beginning of sessions, which left us with very little track time. I’m ready to fight, give it my all, and above all, enjoy myself in front of the fans.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“My feeling was very good throughout today. This morning we were able to take another step forward and I felt very comfortable with my race pace. In Q2, things went very well and we came close to achieving our first pole position, although third place is also very good. It’s our first time on the front row, so I’m very happy with the result and really looking forward to having a good race tomorrow. We’ll try to get a good start, be strong, and fight as hard as we can through to the end.”

The Dutchman finishes ninth on a strong Friday in Barcelona, ​​while Rueda misses out on his first Q2 by just 7 thousandths of a second.

Collin Veijer enjoyed another consistent start to a weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, earning ninth place in the Practice session for the Catalan Grand Prix. Meanwhile, teammate Jose Antonio Rueda had his best Friday of the season to date, finishing 11th in the morning and 15th in the afternoon, only 0.007 away from the Top 14 positions.

Under cloudy skies at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Moto2 riders took to the track for the first time at the CatalanGP amidst temperatures barely reaching 15°C and 60% humidity.

Veijer made a positive start and steadily improved his position on his initial laps, quickly moving into the Top 10. He finished his first stint in sixth place, just ahead of his teammate. The Dutchman made two pit stops to divide the session into three parts, testing out different settings, but couldn’t up his pace on the final laps, leaving him with a best time of 1:43.168 that put him 10th at the end of the session. He completed 17 laps overall. Rueda was on the pace from his very first flying lap. The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rookie quickly established himself in the Top 15, rising to seventh place before the end of his first run. Just 0.5 seconds behind the fastest rider in the session, the Spaniard pitted to fine-tune several aspects of his setup, before heading out again in the final minutes. Struggling with a slight lack of grip, he tried to improve his time with a different tyre, and finished in 11th place, his best result so far in FP1 as a Moto2 rider. His fastest lap of a session-high 20 was a 1:43.187.

In the afternoon, the two Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders had a similar experience to the morning session, facing track conditions of 16°C ambient temperature and 53% humidity.

Veijer had a positive session, maintaining a spot worthy of making Q2 from start to finish. After a reflex save to avoid a crash just before the end of his first stint, the Red Bull KTM Ajo man significantly improved his pace during his Time Attack, securing his place in the fight for pole position for the sixth consecutive time this season. Veijer finished ninth with a 1:42.088 after completing 19 laps. Rueda had a bittersweet session. He managed to stay in the Top 10 during his first run, but after a pit stop his Time Attack left him just 7 thousandths of a second shy of the Top 14, in 15th place. Whilst it was his best result in a Practice session, it means he will have to go through Q1, although he will start as one of the favourites to advance to Q2. The Spaniard set a best lap of 1:42.224 after 19 attempts, and was just 6 tenths of a second off the session’s fastest time.

After a Friday in which both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders improved by almost a second compared to FP1, the team is optimistic for the second day of the CatalanGP. On Saturday, the pair will take part in Free Practice 2 at 9:25 a.m. (local time). Rueda will be part of in Q1 at 1:40 p.m., with Veijer straight into Q2 at 2:05 p.m.

Practice Results
1. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 1:41.611
2. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 1:41.625 (+0.014)
3. Alonso Lopez (Kalex) | 1:41.637 (+0.026)
4. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 1:41.815 (+0.204)
5. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 1:41.827 (+0.216)
9. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:42.088 (+0.477)
15. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:42.224 (+0.613)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“The morning was good for us. On the first stint we tried different things to see which direction was best to take here, and we saw that the pace was ok. During the second stint we had some issues, but in the afternoon it all went well and we managed to have a good Practice. The first run was ok, but we were capable to improve again on our last Time Attack, so I’m happy to have secured another Q2 appearance for this year. We will try hard again tomorrow, as we need to work more to achieve a good position on the grid.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today went well, and we came very close to making it into Q2 -which is clearly the goal for tomorrow. I felt very comfortable in both sessions, and since France we seem to have taken a solid step forward that will allow us to have a much better time of it from now on. Now we need to analyse what we can improve and put it into practice tomorrow. I really like this circuit and I think we can enjoy ourselves a lot here, as well as finishing the weekend well.”

The rookie achieves his best Friday result in Moto3 to date. Alvaro Carpe will go through Q1 after suffering a crash at the start of Practice.

Friday at the Catalan Grand Prix featured an excellent start for Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Brian Uriarte. After finishing tenth in FP1, he achieved the second fastest time in the afternoon Practice session, in his best Friday result in the Moto3 World Championship. Teammate Alvaro Carpe was unable to advance to Q2, despite being third in the morning, due to a crash at the start of Practice.

The morning opened with cloudy and cold conditions in Barcelona, with an ambient temperature of just 13°C and 63% humidity. However, on track the start was very consistent for both Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders, with both running in the Top 10 from the outset.

Carpe rode alone during his first stint, improving his time lap after lap until he provisionally moved into third place. After returning to the pits, the Spaniard went back out to put in another very positive run, setting a time of 1:47.708 which kept him in third place, just 2 tenths of a second behind the fastest rider. In total, he completed 15 laps in FP1. Uriarte also worked alone, making a good impression on his first outing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In provisional fourth position, he rode another stint as part of a group in the final minutes, but was unable to improve significantly, finishing in 10th place with a best time of 1:48.584 after 17 laps.

In the afternoon, the conditions remained largely unchanged, with grey skies and the threat of rain. There was a 15ºC ambient temperature and 57% track humidity.

Once again, Uriarte looked sharp, initially leading the way with a 1:47.826 -some 7 tenths faster than his morning time. After his pit stop, he changed tyres for the Time Attack, in which he further improved his time in the final minutes while riding completely alone. Uriarte placed second in Practice after completing 17 laps, for his best result to date on a Friday afternoon. Carpe suffered a minor crash on the entry to Turn 5, which affected the rest of the session for him. Running in sixth position at the time of the incident, the entire team -including the Moto2 mechanics-, worked to fix his bike, but they were unable to do so before time expired. Consequently, the Spaniard dropped to 18th position, meaning he will have to go through Q1 on Saturday. He put in just 4 laps, with the quickest a 1:48.117.

In conclusion, Friday ended on a positive note for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, although there is still work to be done ahead of tomorrow’s sessions. The team will fine-tune adjustments during Free Practice 2 on Saturday, which begins at 8:40 a.m. (local time). From there, Carpe will compete in Q1 at 12:45 p.m., while Uriarte will start in Q2 at 1:10 p.m.

Practice Results
1. Hakim Danish (KTM) | 1:46.943
2. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:47.042 (+0.099)
3. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) | 1:47.146 (+0.203)
4. David Almansa (KTM) | 1:47.362 (+0.419)
5. Valentin Perrone (KTM) | 1:47.501 (+0.558)
18. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:48.117 (+1.174)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re really disappointed to have crashed at the start of Practice, as we had made a great start with FP1. Even with the tricky track conditions, we felt fast from the beginning, but we couldn’t finish it off in the afternoon. Of course, I’m a bit frustrated that we couldn’t fight for a place in Q2, but I know that if we improve what we need to improve tomorrow, things will work out. Now we must stay focused and keep confident that we can finish the job tomorrow and get a good grid position.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“We started well this morning, although I wasn’t able to do my last few laps completely clean. In the afternoon, things went much better and I felt very comfortable throughout. We worked on our own and things went well, so we’ll see how it goes tomorrow. It’s important to manage the tyres well here, so we have to keep that in mind when preparing for Sunday’s race. I know it’s just Practice, but it’s always nice to see yourself up there at the top.”

After a weekend with many positives at Le Mans, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 duo are looking to finish their first European double-header on a high note.

Red Bull KTM Ajo move on to Barcelona for the sixth round of the 2026 World Championship this weekend. With both riders in good form, the team will be looking to achieve a good result in Catalonia after a very positive weekend at Le Mans, despite having a bittersweet Sunday.

Collin Veijer suffered a tough blow in France. Despite a positive weekend overall, and him starting from 10th in the race, he was unable to complete the contest. On his first start, a mistake relegated him to the back of the field, while in his second, he crashed out, incurring a Long Lap penalty for Barcelona in the process due to contact with another rider. The Dutchman -who resides close to the Circuit- has competed at this weekend’s venue stretching back to his time in JuniorGP. On his last two visits, Veijer finished fourth in 2024 (in Moto3) and ninth last year in his rookie Moto2 season, after achieving his first ever front row start in the intermediate class. He heads to the Catalan GP with 29.5 points, occupying 11th position in the overall standings.

On the other hand, Rueda will be visiting Catalonia in a situation that is somewhat different from that of his team-mate. Rueda underwent surgery two weeks ago to treat compartmental syndrome in his right arm, and showed clear improvement in his condition at the French GP. He achieved his best results in Free Practice so far this season, as well as securing a Top 20 grid position for the first time in Moto2. After a good race on Sunday amidst difficult circumstances, he came home in 18th, his second-best result of the season and only one second behind the points. Barcelona is the only circuit on the calendar where he achieved podium finishes in three of his four Moto3 World Championship appearances: He was third both in 2023 and 2024, and second last year, even after serving a Long Lap penalty. The only time he was off the rostrum in this run was at the 2024 Solidarity GP, when he finished fourth. Previously, in JuniorGP, he also achieved podium finishes and victories during 2020 and 2021. Rueda is 23rd in the overall standings, with 1 point, and is the series’ top rookie.

Red Bull KTM Ajo have 30.5 points and occupy ninth place in the Team standings. In Barcelona, they have previous wins for Johann Zarco (2015 and 2016) and Remy Gardner (2021), as well as the podium finishes for Miguel Oliveira (2017 and 2018), Raul Fernandez (2021), Augusto Fernandez (2022), Albert Arenas (2023), and Daniel Muñoz (2025).

The action kicks off at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this Friday at 9:50 a.m. (local time) with Free Practice 1. Sunday’s 21-lap race will take place at 12:15 p.m.

Circuit information – Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya
Length: 4.657 m. / 2.894 miles
Width: 12 m. / 39.37 ft.
Left corners: 6
Right corners: 8
Longest straight: 1.047 m. / 0.651 miles
Built: 1991
Modified: 2021

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“We arrive in Barcelona with mixed feelings. Racing here is almost a home round for me, because I’ve been living really close to the circuit, but we’re coming into this one after a difficult weekend, so we need to take it as motivation to be at our best. Of course, it won’t be an easy round, as we have to serve a Long Lap penalty in Sunday’s race, but we will try to work as best as possible during the whole weekend to arrive at the race well prepared. This Grand Prix will be a good opportunity to improve my mentality, so we’ll focus on doing our job and give 100%.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“We’re coming off a very solid performance in France, although the results didn’t reflect it as much as the feeling we had. I’m eager to get started in Barcelona, a circuit I like, one that suits me well, and where I have great memories, so we’re going to try to start off strongly from the first session on Friday. Racing there is like racing at home, so that will also give us some extra motivation that we need to take advantage of throughout the weekend. We’ll try to enjoy ourselves and continue progressing after the injury.”

After a difficult Sunday at Le Mans, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo are looking to turn things around at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The first European double-header of the season will come to a close this weekend with the Catalan GP, providing another home round for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte. The pair arrive in Barcelona for the sixth round of the season after a tough Sunday at Le Mans, aiming to get back on course at a circuit where they have both had good results.

Carpe will attempt to put his first DNF of the season behind him. His weekend at the French GP had been promising, but the Spaniard ran out of luck in the race, crashing out when running in fifth place. That ended his streak of eight consecutive Top 5 finishes, and conceded points to his main rivals in the championship. In addition to racing at home, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is competing at the circuit where he made his Moto3 World Championship debut in 2024, and where he also secured a JuniorGP victory that same year en route to the title. Last season, starting ninth on the grid, he placed 13th in Barcelona. This season, Carpe is currently third in the overall standings with 53 points.

Uriarte will make his first Grand Prix appearance at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but by no means will it be his first experience of the track: He has not only competed there in several feeder series, but has also achieved great results. A victory in the European Talent Cup (2022) and two podium finishes in last year’s JuniorGP are the pick of his performances in Barcelona. In a chaotic race at the French GP, the rookie extended his points-scoring run, finishing in the Top 15 for the fifth consecutive race and setting the fastest pace of the Moto3 field in the closing stages. He currently sits ninth in the overall standings with 29 points.

In conclusion, Red Bull KTM Ajo are third in the Team standings with 82 points, and in recent years have achieved four podium finishes at this weekend’s venue: Brad Binder’s second place in 2016 and podiums for Jose Antonio Rueda in the last three seasons. He was third in 2023 and 2024, and second in 2025, after a remarkable comeback and a Long Lap penalty.

The Catalan GP gets started this Friday at 9 a.m. (local time) with Moto3 Free Practice 1. The 18-lap Moto3 race will take place on Sunday at 11 a.m to finish the weekend in the best possible way.

Circuit information – Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya
Length: 4.657 m. / 2.894 miles
Width: 12 m. / 39.37 ft.
Left corners: 6
Right corners: 8
Longest straight: 1.047 m. / 0.651 miles
Built: 1991
Modified: 2021

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“We’re approaching the second part of this double-header eager to bounce back from last Sunday’s race. The crash was a heavy one, but luckily we arrive in Barcelona at 100% in terms of fitness, so we’re keen to do well on a circuit I really like and consider one of my home tracks. We’re focused on performing well, just like we did in France overall, and getting back to where we want to be. We’re confident, and I’m sure racing in front of our home crowd will give us that extra boost.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“We move on to Barcelona after a bittersweet weekend in France. The showing was very positive, but Sunday’s race didn’t quite go as planned, so we’re eager to turn things around at the Catalan Grand Prix. We know we’re strong in both the dry and the wet, as we demonstrated at Le Mans, so we just need to fine-tune the details and be a bit more precise in specific situations. We learn from everything, so we’re sure we’ll capitalise on that here and it will give us an extra edge.”

The Spaniard has a solid performance in a race shortened to 9 laps by a red flag. Veijer is unable to finish due to a crash.

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 experienced a strange Sunday at the French Grand Prix. The track conditions, still somewhat damp due to overnight rain, shortened the Moto2 race to 14 laps initially. This was followed by a subsequent red flag reducing it to 9 laps, turning it into a true sprint race. Jose Antonio Rueda managed to finish in a commendable 18th place, just one second outside the points. Collin Veijer suffered a minor crash on the restart and was unable to take the chequered flag.

The sunshine of Friday and Saturday gave way to unfavourable weather on Sunday, although the Red Bull Rookies Cup and Moto3 races helped dry the surface. The Moto2 field went out on slicks in 17°C temperatures, with 69% humidity.

Rueda had a good start in the first race, managing to hold his position through Turns 2 and 3 and even gain three places on the first two laps. However, a crash brought out the red flag, which stopped the race. This forced the Moto2 riders to recover their starting positions, although the second race was reduced to just 9 laps. After the restart, Rueda wasn’t able to make as much progress as in the first run, holding 18th place and battling with nine other riders for a Top 13 finish. He crossed the line in 18^th, just one second shy of the points. Rueda is now 23rd in the overall standings with 1 point, and remains the top rookie in the class.

Veijer got off the line poorly. Despite initially holding tenth place, he made a mistake, dropping to last position. Fortunately for him, after recovering three positions, the red flag came out, forcing the race to be stopped and reverted to the original starting grid order, which allowed him to regain 10th place. He managed to hold his position for the first lap of the restart, but whilst in a large group, the Dutchman lost control of his bike and crashed, taking Daniel Muñoz with him. Muñoz was forced to run wide to avoid the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider. Veijer escaped injury but received a Long Lap penalty, which will be applied at the Catalan Grand Prix. He was unable to finish the race and drops to 11th in the overall standings with 29.5 points.

All in all, it was a bittersweet Sunday for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team, where the two riders were unable to cap off a strong weekend with a finish in the points. The team is ninth in the Team standings with 30.5 points. Next up is the Catalan Grand Prix, from May 15-17th at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Race Results
1. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 14:14.987
2. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | +0.566
3. Ivan Ortola (Kalex) | +2.969
4. Alonso Lopez (Kalex) | +3.949
5. David Alonso (Kalex) | +5.165
18. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +14.791
DNF. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +8 laps

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 79.5 points
2. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 70 points
3. Senna Agius (Kalex) | 59 points
4. Celestino Vietti (Boscoscuro) | 53 points
5. David Alonso (Kalex) | 48 points
11. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 29.5 points
23. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1 point

Moto2 Teams World Championship Standing 2026
1. Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP | 138.5 points
2. CFMoto Inde Aspar Team | 91 points
3. BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 | 70.5 points
4. Folladore SpeedRS Team | 53 points
5. Italtrans Racing Team | 44 points
9. Red Bull KTM Ajo | 30.5 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“It was a bit unfortunate for us on race day, as I believe that especially Collin had potential to fight more at the front today, but bad starts in both races made him lose a lot of places -and then a contact with another rider ended his race. Jose Antonio took another step forward this weekend and was finally able to reach his full potential after the arm pump operation. He’s getting closer to the top every weekend so I’m sure he’ll be fighting for better positions in the next few rounds.”

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“There’s not much to add today. The starts weren’t good and I was too careful maybe in the first laps. I couldn’t get my head straight and made a mistake which completely ruined my race and that of another rider, so I’m quite disappointed with the situation. We have to accept the penalty for next weekend and move on. We need to make sure that we only go upwards from this and take it as a motivation to improve my headspace for the next few rounds.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today’s race was a bit strange. We didn’t quite show the pace we had done throughout the rest of the weekend, as the race was very short and a lot happened in a short amount of time. Also, the conditions were somewhat different, and it wasn’t easy. However, I’m very happy with how the weekend has gone overall. We’ve made several solid steps forward, I’ve felt good, and I’ve really enjoyed it, so I see this as a turning point for the upcoming races.”

The rookie is one of the fastest in wet conditions despite suffering two crashes at the start of the race. Carpe crashes out while running fifth.

An unpredictable Sunday at Le Mans saw rain appear at the end of an otherwise ideal weekend. A downpour overnight left the track wet for the Moto3 French Grand Prix, and the treacherous conditions led to 11 crashes in just 13 laps. Brian Uriarte, who crashed twice at the start of the race, finished fifteenth after being the fastest rider on the last three laps. On the other hand, Alvaro Carpe was unable to finish the race after crashing at Turn 10 when he was doing a good race in 5th.

With the race declared wet, the Moto3 riders were able to complete a series of extra laps before the Grand Prix began, with the race distance also reduced to 13 laps as a precautionary measure due to the track conditions. The ambient temperature was 14°C, with 81% humidity.

Uriarte got off the line excellently, moving from seventh to fourth on the main straight. However, the rookie’s overeagerness led to a crash at the first corner. Nevertheless, he was able to remount and, from 26th place, began his comeback, riding with composure and a solid pace. By the end of the first third of the race, he had already climbed to 18th. In a cruel twist, Uriarte crashed again at Turn 3. He was once again able to rejoin the race, in 20th position, and set about closing the gap to the riders ahead, reaching the Top 15 with three laps to go. He was the fastest rider on track during the last three laps, and took the chequered flag just one second behind those in 13th and 14th. Despite this setback, he maintains his perfect record of Top 15 finishes this season, and remains 9th in the overall standings with 29 points.

Carpe started cautiously, looking to avoid making mistakes, and was able to gain several positions whilst in the middle of the pack. Seeing seven crashes around him in just three laps, he did not want to take any unnecessary risks, and held fourth position after the first third of the race. All of this hard work was undone, however, as unfortunately a crash at the exit of Turn 10 took him out of the race. The Spaniard managed to return to the pits, but after analysing the condition of his machine with the team, the option of going back out on track was ruled out. The DNF ends Carpe’s streak of eight consecutive Top 5 finishes, and he drops to third place in the standings with 53 points.

All in all, it was a tough and demanding Sunday at Le Mans for the Spanish Moto3 duo. Although both had a chance to put in a strong performance, luck wasn’t on their side, and they were only able to score one point for Red Bull KTM Ajo, which remain third in the Team standings with 82 points. The Moto3 World Championship now moves on to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Catalan Grand Prix, held on May 15-17th.

Race Results
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 24:41.640
2. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) | +1.888
3. Matteo Bertelle (KTM) | +4.227
4. Veda Pratama (Honda) | +7.659
5. Joel Esteban (KTM) | +10.916
15. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +34.968
DNF. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | +9 laps

Moto3 World Championship Standing 2026
1. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 115 points
2. Adrian Fernandez (Honda | 69 points
3. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 53 points
4. Valentin Perrone (KTM) | 52 points
5. Veda Pratama (Honda) | 50 points
9. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 29 points

Moto3 Teams World Championship Standing 2026
1. CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team | 163 points
2. Leopard Racing | 115 points
3. Red Bull KTM Ajo | 82 points
4. Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 73 points
5. Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP | 65 points

NIKLAS AJO – Team Manager

“It was a difficult Sunday today with the weather being how it was. We all know that Le Mans is very tricky in wet conditions, and unfortunately both of our riders were victims of that today. Overall, the weekend and our performance in the dry was very promising, so we just have to look forward and bounce back in Barcelona next week.”

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“It had been a good weekend until the crash. We weren’t entirely comfortable with the rear grip, but at least I was near the front and not taking too many risks. I escaped unharmed, which is the important thing, but today the big thing was to stay on the bike for the entire race and score valuable points. We have to focus on the positives, which were everything that happened until that incident, and we’re already thinking about next week, where we have another big challenge ahead in Barcelona -our second home race of the year.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“The race was tough. I had a few scares on the formation lap, but I knew I could do well in these conditions. However, my initial eagerness got the better of me, and I’ll take that experience with me for the future. Luckily, I was able to pick the bike up and continue -not only there, but also after the second crash. It’s a shame because I was going really fast, but with the bars slightly broken, it made things more difficult. I’m proud to have fought hard, to have gotten back up both times, and to have had a good feeling in the rain. We got a point that we might need in the future”.

The Dutchman places tenth in Q2, while Jose Antonio Rueda takes his best Moto2 Qualifying result with 19th.

For the fifth time in five races in 2026, Collin Veijer managed to qualify in the Top 10 in Q2 at the French Grand Prix. The Dutchman will start from 10th place at Le Mans, with teammate Jose Antonio Rueda claiming his best qualifying result in 19th -just 16 thousandths of a second away from making the cut for Q2. Before, during the FP2 session, he achieved his best result in a Moto2 practice session: 16th.

The sun was out at Le Mans in the morning for the second consecutive day in Moto2 Free Practice. With an ambient temperature of 16°C and 63% humidity, the riders took to the track for the 30-minute FP2 session.

Veijer focused on developing his race pace for Sunday’s race, leaving the Time Attack section of his work for the final laps. Initially running in the Top 15, he made a leap up the order with three minutes remaining, approaching his best time from Saturday and moving into the Top 10. Ultimately, the Dutchman secured 9th place with a best time of 1:34.615, completing 16 laps in total. Making a significant leap forward at the start of the second day was Jose Antonio Rueda, even coming close to the Top 10. Having improved his best Practice time by up to 4 tenths of a second on his seventh lap, he continued working to fine-tune aspects for Sunday’s race during the rest of the session. The Spaniard finished 16th, his best placing so far in a practice session, with a time of 1:35.054, just 1 second behind the leader. He completed 19 consecutive laps of the French circuit, the longest run of any Moto2 rider.

After the midday break, Qualifying began with track temperatures exceeding 35°C and 47% humidity.

In Q1, Rueda made another solid start, and was on his way into Q2 on his first run. With a lap time of 1:34.783 in his pocket, set riding by himself and 3 tenths of a second faster than his morning time, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie headed to the pits for a tyre change. However, improvements from his rivals dropped him from third place to seventh. Rueda, once again on his own, strung together two even faster laps, with a superb 1:34.456 leaving him just 16 thousandths of a second shy of his first Q2 appearance. His time was just five tenths off the lap that eventually earned pole position. In total, he completed nine laps.

In Q2 Veijer had to fight his way back from 17th place after his first flying lap. The Dutchman recovered immediately, rising to seventh on his second attempt. After returning to the garage, he then managed to improve his time, achieving his best lap at Le Mans so far by more than 3 tenths of a second (1:34.171). However, despite being just 2 tenths of a second off pole, he was tenth on the grid -in a session where the circuit record was broken once again.

All in all, things are looking promising ahead of Sunday’s race for both Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda, who will be aiming to finish the French Grand Prix on a high note. The 22-lap Moto2 French Grand Prix takes place on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. (local time).

Qualifying Results
1. Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro) | 1:33.910
2. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) | 1:33.996 (+0.086)
3. Filip Salac (Kalex) | 1:34.020 (+0.110)
4. Barry Baltus (Kalex) | 1:34.076 (+0.166)
5. Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) | 1:34.076 (+0.166)
10. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:34.171 (+0.261)
19. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:34.456 (+0.546)

#95 COLLIN VEIJER

“I’m not very happy with today. This morning, we worked with the used tyre, but it was a little bit difficult with the cold. Later, I tried my best in Qualifying, but we couldn’t get a better result in Q2. The first stint wasn’t very good, so I needed to give it 100% on the second one, but I encountered some riders on the gravel and I couldn’t push if I wanted to avoid a penalty. It’s a little bit unfortunate, but this is what it is. I’ll  try my best from 10th position tomorrow because we’re able to achieve a good result here.”

#98 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“Today we took a big step forward. I’m very, very happy with what we achieved today and I really enjoyed being on the bike. We’ve worked hard with tomorrow’s race in mind, so we’ll try to put on a good performance and be as close to the front as possible. Let’s hope we have good weather conditions, and if not, we’ll have to adapt, give it our all, and finish this French Grand Prix on a high note.”

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo came close to securing the front row, but they were a little bit unlucky on the final metres of the last flying lap.

Brian Uriarte and Alvaro Carpe’s Saturday at Le Mans saw the pair take places on the third row of the grid. After a strong FP2, Uriarte almost took provisional Pole Position during his final flying lap, but it was ruled out for him exceeding the track limits. Similar story for Carpe, who, having secured a place in Q2, managed to move into first place in the final moments, but the Spaniard ran into traffic in the final sector and had to settle for eighth place.

In contrast with the forecasts, the sun once again shone brightly at Le Mans on Saturday morning, with track temperatures very similar to Friday’s FP1 session (14°C, with 70% humidity), allowing the Moto3 riders another session in favourable conditions.

Carpe had a good start to the session, and was among the three fastest riders without needing any references to follow. As the laps progressed, he gradually dropped down the order, focusing on his race pace until the end of FP2, which he completed in two runs. With two minutes remaining and his tyres showing some signs of wear, Carpe set his best time of the weekend across two consecutive fastest laps, climbing to second position with a 1:40.507, 6 tenths faster than his quickest time from Friday. The Spaniard completed 15 laps in total. Also putting in 15 laps was Uriarte, who took another step forward in his adaptation to the French circuit. After an initial run to adjust some setup details on his bike, he went back out on track to try and push harder, riding alone and reaching the provisional top spot with four minutes remaining. His 1:40.583 ultimately positioned him in fourth place, just 3 tenths off the fastest time and slightly quicker than his previous best.

In the afternoon, conditions remained stable, and once again, the Moto3 riders were able to complete Qualifying without any adverse weather: Ambient temperature was at 22°C, with 50% track humidity.

In Q1, Carpe used his first run to set himself up in fourth place -albeit without improving on his time from FP2. After a quick trip to the pits, he went on to make a statement on his first flying lap. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider pushed hard, lowering his time to 1:40.890 to provisionally take the top spot. After several of his rivals lowered their lap times, he dropped to fourth place, but with a great final lap, Carpe clocked a 1:40.688 to lead Q1 and secure his place in Q2. He put in a total of eight laps. The Spaniard started out behind Maximo Quiles at the beginning of Q2, managing to match his best time from the first session on his first flying lap and moving up to ninth. After another tyre change, he challenged for Pole, but ran wide at Turn 10 while overtaking another rider and had to settle for eighth on the grid. With six laps completed, Carpe’s best was a 1:40.419, his fastest of the weekend to date.

Uriarte had a good first run in Q2. With two consecutive flying laps, he rose to fifth place, improving his best time from Saturday by 2 tenths of a second. After this positive first attempt, he switched tyres and prepared for the final stretch of the session. Following several unsuccessful attempts, he managed to put together a great lap behind several riders, which put him in first place initially. Unfortunately, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider also ran wide at the finish line, and as such his time was invalidated. That left his 1:40.341 as his best time, putting him seventh on the grid.

All in all, it was a good Saturday for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team, who came close to turning Q2 into a great result ahead of tomorrow’s race. The 20-lap Moto2 French Grand Prix takes place on Sunday at 11 a.m. (local time).

Qualifying Results
1. Adrian Fernandez (Honda) | 1:40.044
2. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 1:40.184 (+0.140)
3. Joel Kelso (Honda) | 1:40.204 (+0.160)
4. Marco Morelli (KTM) | 1:40.260 (+0.260)
5. David Muñoz (KTM) | 1:40.280 (+0.236)
7. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.341 (+0.297)
8. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:40.419 (+0.375)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“I’m happy on one hand, as I felt quite fast today and we managed to get into Q2. However, it’s a shame about the last lap in Qualifying, as I was aiming for pole, but I encountered another rider on my line and it wasn’t to be. I hope I have some luck at the start tomorrow and get through the first three laps without any problems. From there, I’m convinced we can enjoy a good race and try to fight for a solid result here at Le Mans.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“I’m very happy with today overall. I think we did a good job, especially in qualifying. It’s a shame about that small mistake on the last corner, as we could have been second on the grid, but we’ll have to make a good start to turn that around. There are plenty of overtaking opportunities here, so I’m feeling confident. I’m looking forward to the race and enjoying it to the fullest in front of these fans, who are known for their passionate support, just like ours in Spain.”