Successful First Test for Red Bull KTM Ajo Team

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The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 Factory Team came away from the first official Moto3 tests in Valencia, Spain well satisfied with their performance and that of the new 2013 KTM Moto3 bike.

Team manager Aki Ajo who also had his riders at the Almeria circuit in Spain last week for private tests and what he described as the team roll out said he was pleased with his three riders in the three days of tests just concluded.

“I am very happy with the first tests and I’m really impressed with the bike,” Ajo said. “Our lap times were not the main thing. We were here to try many different things, to find the right direction and to get a feeling for the new bike. Already we have the impression that it is much improved on the 2012 bike.”

Ajo said he was pleased with the performance of his three riders. Luis Salom, who has replaced Sandro Cortese, Moto3 World Champion in 2012 in the team, put in fast lap times on all three days. Zulfahmi Khairuddin of Malaysia was both fast and consistent and Ajo also said he was positively surprised by the good performances of his junior team member, Australia’s Arthur Sissis.

Apart from the official factory team, riders on other KTM-driven bikes were also impressive on the Valencia circuit. Overall fastest over the three days was Spanish talent Maverick Vinales who clocked a lap time of 1.39.299 on Day Three in the second session. Alex Rins of Spain was second fastest at 1.39.585 with Salom third overall fastest with 1.39.669.

Ajo’s son, Niklas Ajo, who this year rides a KTM for the Avant Tecno Team did well to be on the bike completing all three days of tests despite very recent surgery following a skiing accident. Ajo said Niklas was not expected to be on the bike for several months but had toughed it out despite still being in pain from his injury. 

Red Bull KTM Ajo Press Release

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Maverick Vinales on Top FP2 Assen Moto3

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Maverick Vinales leads the day 1 final practice at Assen circuit today, 1'44.312. Miguel Oliveira is the second fastest 1'45.049, while Niklas Ajo on third fastest. The FP1 leader Sandro Cortese on fourth fastest.

1 Maverick VIÑALES Blusens Avintia 1'44.312

2 Miguel OLIVEIRA Estrella Galicia 0,0 1'45.049

3 Niklas AJO TT Motion Events Racing 1'45.299

4 Sandro CORTESE Red Bull KTM Ajo 1'45.306

5 Luis SALOM RW Racing GP 1'45.480

6 Alan TECHER Technomag-CIP-TSR 1'45.504

7 Jakub KORNFEIL Redox-Ongetta-Centro Seta 1'45.525

8 Danny KENT Red Bull KTM Ajo 1'45.641

9 Alex RINS Estrella Galicia 0,0 1'45.716

10 Romano FENATI Team Italia FMI 1'45.733

11 Alberto MONCAYO Bankia Aspar Team 1'45.797

12 Niccolò ANTONELLI San Carlo Gresini Moto3 1'45.891

13 Louis ROSSI Racing Team Germany 1'45.925

14 Alexis MASBOU Caretta Technology 1'45.938

15 Arthur SISSIS Red Bull KTM Ajo 1'45.959

16 Hector FAUBEL Bankia Aspar Team 1'45.971

17 Brad BINDER RW Racing GP 1'46.126

18 Julian MIRALLES MIR Racing 1'46.392

19 Zulfahmi KHAIRUDDIN AirAsia-Sic-Ajo 1'46.653

20 Danny WEBB Mahindra Racing 1'46.693

21 Jasper IWEMA Moto FGR 1'46.775

22 Isaac VIÑALES Ongetta-Centro Seta 1'46.856

23 Alessandro TONUCCI Team Italia FMI 1'47.060

24 Adrian MARTIN JHK Laglisse 1'47.371

25 Simone GROTZKYJ Ambrogio Next Racing 1'47.400

26 Giulian PEDONE Ambrogio Next Racing 1'47.402

27 Jack MILLER Caretta Technology 1'47.418

28 Efren VAZQUEZ JHK Laglisse 1'47.419

29 Toni FINSTERBUSCH Cresto Guide MZ Racing 1'47.601

30 Bryan SCHOUTEN Dutch Racing Team 1'47.645

31 Ivan MORENO Andalucia JHK Laglisse 1'48.033

32 Kenta FUJII Technomag-CIP-TSR 1'48.054

33 Jonas FOLGER IodaRacing Project 1'48.508

34 Luigi MORCIANO Ioda Team Italia 1'48.516

77 GER Mahindra 

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Niklas Ajo Disqualified from 2012 Estoril Moto3 Race

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Niklas Ajo will miss the Estoril Moto3 race after the race direction give him a punishment related to Jerez race insident with Jerez's marshals last Sunday.

Gran Premio bwin de España: decision of the Race Direction 

"On Sunday 29 April during the Moto3 Race, rider Niklas Ajo (FIN) didn't obey the instructions given by the track marshals and push down one of them. The Race Direction has decided to impose on the rider a disqualification from the next event in Estoril, Portugal on 4, 5, 6 May. An appeal has been lodged to the FIM Steward. The FIM Steward confirmed the decision of the Race Direction. The Decision of the Race Direction is final.”

Niklas Ajo's explanation from his Facebook page:

“Due to a wet spot on the track the rear end of my bike swang out from under on the third lap and I ended up to sand where I fell. However, the bike was just fine and all I needed to do was to shake the sand off and then I would have been ready to continue the race. But the clerk of the course didn’t allow me to do that and tried to take my bike away. At that situation I lost my temper a bit but there was nothing special. Ok, I need to suffer my punishment but it does feel quite hard one. One should remember that riders are full of adrenaline during the competition. When I saw that the bike was fine I really wanted to continue the race."

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