Tag: KTM Ajo

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Spanish Delight: Rueda Dominates for Home Victory at Jerez

Winning at Jerez is the dream for every Spanish rider. This year, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) turned that dream into reality, making the leap from passionate spectator to home hero. Dominating the Moto3™ race from start to finish, Rueda delivered an emotional victory in front of a raucous Andalusian crowd that was no doubt packed with his family, friends, and fans.

Starting from pole, Rueda wasted no time seizing the holeshot, leading the field into Turn 1 with the determination of a rider racing not just for points, but for pride. Early chaos, however, unfolded behind him: at Turn 6 on the opening lap, Ruche Moodley (DENSII Racing – BOE) clashed with David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), two separate incidents converging into one messy moment. Muñoz, already facing a back-of-the-grid penalty for riding slowly on the racing line during qualifying, remounted and rejoined but was left with a mountain to climb.

Image Credit: PirelliMoto press release

The drama didn’t stop there. Lap 2 saw more casualties as Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team), Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA), and Cormac Buchanan (DENSII Racing – BOE) all crashed out separately — underlining just how dirty the track was offline. Buchanan was able to remount and continue, but the early attrition was already reshaping the race.

Out front, Rueda was untouchable. Setting a relentless pace, he began to edge away from the chasing duo of Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), the three riders creating a clear gap back to Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), who rode lonely races in fourth and fifth.

Just past the halfway mark, Rueda fired in the fastest lap of the race, daring his rivals to keep up. Piqueras responded, launching a move on Kelso into Turn 1 on Lap 13. However, in his haste to close the gap to the leader, the #36 ran wide, handing second place straight back to Kelso and allowing Rueda to extend his lead to over 1.5 seconds.

Image Credit: PirelliMoto Press release

From there, the race was Rueda’s to lose — and he showed no signs of cracking. Calm and composed, he ticked off the final laps and crossed the line to achieve a lifelong dream: a dominant, emotional victory on home soil at Jerez.

The battle for second wasn’t over, though. On the final lap, Piqueras made another attempt, attacking Kelso at Turns 5 and 6. This time he made it stick, securing a Spanish 1-2 and sending the home crowd into celebration. The pair enjoyed a special moment together on their slow-down lap, saluting the fans at Turns 9 and 10.

Kelso claimed third — his second podium of the season — while Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) produced a strong second half of the race to snatch fourth from Yamanaka. Furusato finished a solid sixth, followed by a career-best result for rookie Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) in seventh. Fellow JuniorGP™ graduate Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished eighth, while Jacob Roulstone and Valentin Perrone (both Red Bull KTM Tech3) completed the top ten, overcoming Long Lap penalties received for qualifying infractions.

Feature Image Credit: PirelliMoto Press release

 

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Moto3: Öncü Wins Down Under

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) snatched glory away from pole sitter Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) on the last lap to win the Australian Grand Prix. Aussie crowd favourite Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) took a brilliant 3rd place, rounding off the podium.

There was heartache for Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) after such a commanding performance at the front. Fernandez crashed out of the lead with 6 laps to go. Teammate Jaume Masia finished down in 8th place, with Masia now with just a 4 point lead to Sasaki in the championship as we head to Thailand next weekend.

Image Credit: Red Bull KTM Ajo

AS IT HAPPENED

The conditions were the worst they have been all season for the race at Phillip Island. On the sighting lap, Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and last week’s winner Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) all crashed en route to the grid. Spare parts were rushed to the grid to make sure they all started the race.

Fernandez could not of dreamt of a better start, moving from 9th on the grid to almost take the lead from Sasaki during the first lap. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), from 6th, also had a great start and was up into 3rd after turn 2.

Championship leader Masia and Öncü were both sat behind, watching the battle in front. Masia was up into 6th place from 13th on lap 1.

We crossed the line with pole sitter Sasaki leading from Fernandez in 2nd, Veijer 3rd and Kelso in 4th. Into turn 1 and Fernandez took the lead for the first time in his career, up 8 places as we started lap 2.

Yellow flags lit up at turn 4, as David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) lost it under the brakes. He was 4th in the Moto3 championship and 29 points behind Masia before the race. Alonso was ok though, as Fernandez looked to break away at the front.

On lap 4, Alonso re-joined the race as Öncü went by Sasaki and up into 2nd. Fernandez had a 1.189 second lead at the front. Home favourite Kelso was in 4th. Title contenders Holgado and Masia were in 11th and 13th respectively as we approached a quarter of the race distance.

With 14 laps to go, Öncü set the fastest lap of the race. The rain seemed to ease off at this point, as Öncü led the group behind to catch Fernandez, now just 0.434 seconds ahead as they crossed the line.

With 10 laps to go, Fernandez was just 0.388 seconds ahead of Öncü in 2nd. Fernandez was inch perfect at this point in the race and seemingly in full command at the front. Special mention should also go to Lorenzo Fellon (CIP Green Power) who started the race in 24th place and, with 10 laps to go, was running in 8th. Championship leader Masia was unable to make any progress in the race and was seemingly stuck in 10th, with fellow title rival Holgado running way down in 16th at this stage.

Down the start straight and Sasaki blasted by Kelso to go back up into 3rd. Only 8 laps to go now and still any of the leading group could take the victory here in Australia.

Öncü then gifted Sasaki 2nd place coming out of Miller corner, and nearly lost the rear. Öncü, only a few corners later, had another scare and lost a place to Kelso. Öncü went from 2nd to 4th on lap 15.

As we headed into the final part of the Grand Prix, Fernandez continued to dominate, posting the fastest lap of the race. Fernandez now had a 1.043 seconds gap to Sasaki in 2nd.

Disaster struck for Fernandez with 6 laps to go. He went down at turn 11 which was a huge blow after such a superb performance. Sasaki was then promoted into the lead of the race and the top of the championship standings as things stood at this point.

5 laps to go, Öncü and Kelso exchanged fastest laps as Sasaki led at the front. Sasaki was keen to pull away as Öncü was back up into 2nd place passing Kelso into turn 1.

With 3 laps to go and Sasaki and Öncü pulled away from Kelso who looked to settle for 3rd place. Kelso is 9.918 seconds clear of Veijer in 4th. Title contender’s Masia was running in 8th and Holgado in 13th place.

THE LAST LAP

Öncü was not giving up the fight for the win and was right up behind Sasaki as we started the last lap of the race.

Down the hill where Andrea Iannone head butted a seagull in 2015, Öncü barged his way into the lead of the race into turn 10. It was a brilliant block pass on Sasaki and yet another last lap winning opportunity squandered for the Husqvarna rider.

It was heartache for Sasaki but a brilliant performance. Home favourite Kelso finished on the podium in 3rd. The front group were outstanding in the conditions today. The leaders finished over a minute ahead of Holgado who finished down in 13th place.

We continue this triple header in Thailand next week at the Chang International Circuit. The Moto3 championship standings are all change once again, with Masia leading the championship by just 4pts to Sasaki in 2nd.

Race Classification

Image Credit: MotoGP

Championship Standings

Image Credit: MotoGP

Feature Image Credit: Red Bull KTM Ajo

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Raul Fernandez Believes he is “Moral Champion”

In an interview with Spanish Autosport, Raul Fernandez claimed that he is the “moral” Moto2 champion in 2021. He believes his team placed “stones and obstacles” in his way, preventing him from taking the title.

Raul Fernandez is the Moto2 rookie who burst onto the grid in 2021, claiming a phenomenal 12 podiums, 7 pole positions and 8 race wins. The latter surpasses the previous record held by Marc Marquez, who won 7 races in his rookie Moto2 season.

These results saw him clinch 2nd in the Moto2 championship, eventually won by his KTM Ajo teammate Remy Gardner. He missed out on the title by just 4 points.

When speaking to Spanish Autosport, Fernandez stated that “no one knew how to guide” him and his team of “inexperienced” mechanics. He believes this played a role in him failing to secure the title in his maiden Moto2 season.

“The problem we had is that my whole team – and when I say my team I mean my mechanics, who I was very lucky to find such a special group – were inexperienced and nobody knew how to guide us. And that is why today we don’t have the championship crown. But morally it has been proved by the result that I am the strongest rider, with more wins, poles, fastest laps.”

“Remy is the champion, he has scored more points, but really with the speed we had and being a fish that swims against the current, I honestly feel morally champion. What we have done, being all new and getting to know each other this year, it’s impressive.”

Image credit: MotoGP

Fernandez then stated that he felt “stones and obstacles” had been placed in his way by his team, handing the championship to his teammate. He claimed that having a “figure” in the team to guide and support himself and the mechanics would have helped them secure the title.

“I have lacked a hand to guide us, a hand to tell us, like little children before they trip over a stone, to be careful. A figure that would guide us and open the way for us, a figure that would want to help us to win, not a figure that would put stones and obstacles in our way so that we wouldn’t succeed. That was the key.”

“It has cost us sweat and tears. In the middle of the year we talked and all of [my mechanics] were having a hard time. We were all looking forward to the end of the season.”

Their strong performances across the 2021 season mean that both Fernandez and Gardner will be moving up to MotoGP, joining the Tech3 KTM Factory Team for 2022. Back in August, when his promotion was confirmed, Fernandez stated that “it’s the dream of any rider to arrive to this class”.

Feature image credit: KTM Press.

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