Ajo: Peiliin katsomisen paikka Niklas Ajo päätyi 17:nneksi Jerezin radalla Espanjassa ajetussa Moto3-luokan kauden neljännessä MM-osakilpailussa. Kierrosajat lupailivat paljon parempaa, mutta yksi ratkaiseva virhe vaati raskaan veronsa. - Otin huonon startin kisaan, mutta pystyin saavuttamaan ison 18 kuskin kärkiryhmän. Ajaminen tuntui siinä vaiheessa tosi hyvältä ja rentouduin ehkä jo vähän liikaakin. Jarrutin normaalia aikaisemmin viimeisessä mutkassa ja keula lähti alta avatessani kaasun. Kaato oli täysin oma moka. Nyt pitää katsoa peiliin ja pyytää myös anteeksi. Harmittaa ja tosi paljon. Virhe maksoi hetkessä 12 sijaa, eli Ajo putosi 30:nneksi, kun kisaa oli ajettu vasta kuusi kierrosta. Uusi nousu oli väkevä, mutta pistesijoja haarukoivat kuljettajat olivat menneet jo menojaan. - Ajoin lopun samaa vauhtia ja samalla hyvällä fiiliksellä kuin alun ja pystyin voittamaan oman ryhmäni. Tulokset eivät sitä kerro, mutta kyllähän me menimme tänä viikonvaihteena hirveästi eteenpäin niin pyörän kuin ajamisenkin osalta, painottaa RBA Racing-tiimin KTM:llä kilpaileva Ajo. Kausi jatkuu kahden viikon kuluttua Le Mansin radalla Ranskassa. - Treeneissä on vain pystyttävä ajamaan enemmän hyviä kierroksia ja saatava niiden kautta rutiini tekemiseen. Se on juuri nyt se suurin juttu ennen seuraavaa steppiä. Kyllähän minulla olisi ollut Jerezissäkin kaikki mahdollisuudet kymmenen nopeimman joukkoon, mutta aivan turha sitä on jossitella. Virheistä on otettava opiksi ja kaivettava kovalla työllä esiin se taso, että ne eivät enää toistu. Ajo odottaa jo malttamattomana revanssin paikkaa. - Eihän tässä olla suinkaan heitetty kirvestä kaivoon, vaan päinvastoin, alleviivaa Ajo. NIKLAS AJO www.niklasajo.com
Spanish Grand Prix - Race www.ajo.fi Double podium for Red Bull KTM Ajo at Jerez Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder place on Jerez podium in second and third, respectively. Karel Hanika finishes 22nd after a crash. 05/03/2015 - Jerez Circuit, Spain
The first European event of the Moto3 season came with a first podium for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team, an honour doubly celebrated by rostrum finishers Miguel Oliveira -second- and Brad Binder -third. The young riders managed to play their cards right in a rousing finale to the Spanish Grand Prix. Karel Hanika crossed the finish line in twenty-second place, after suffering a crash on lap five. Oliveira, who started from third on the grid, made his way up to the lead positions by the first corner and took over at the head of the group. It was a pack rounded off by Binder, who managed to latch on to those contesting the rostrum spots. Oliveira, Kent, Quartararo and Binder all took turns to lead the race, battling for the podium right up to the final corner of the 23-lap race. Oliveira and Binder emerged from the fight with their first podium finishes of the season. Unfortunately, Karel Hanika could not cap off a great weekend in similar fashion. The Czech rider suffered a highside on the fifth lap when up in fifth position, pulling away from the second group. Despite being able to get back on track, Hanika completed the race in twenty-second position. In the overall standings, Binder lies fifth with 44 points, Oliveira seventh with 33 and Hanika twelfth with 18. The next round is the French Grand Prix, held on May 15th-17th at the legendary Le Mans circuit. Race - Results 1. Danny Kent (Honda) 41:19.552 2. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +0.097 3. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +0.296 4. Fabio Quartararo (Honda) +0.882 5. Efren Vazquez (Honda) +2.906 22. Karel Hanika (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +37.021 Moto3 World Championship Standing 2015 1. Danny Kent (Honda) 91 points 2. Efren Vazquez (Honda) 60 points 3. Fabio Quartararo (Honda) 52 points 4. Enea Bastianini (Honda) 47 points 5. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 44 points 7. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 33 points 12. Karel Hanika (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 18 points
44 MIGUEL OLIVEIRA "I am very happy with this podium, for both the team and for myself, because we did a great job. From the opening laps I felt pretty good about my pace and thought that I could lead, although when the grip began to drop it was a bit difficult in the two fast righthand corners. At the end I tried to protect my position on the last lap, which I was able to do but it was not enough to win. I was confident that the podium would come, because we have been doing a great job. It gives me confidence and peace of mind to face the coming races. I am pleased. On Tuesday we have a test, in which we will try to further improve the bike, and then we will try to cut the points gap in the championship." 41 BRAD BINDER "It was a good race. Early on it went very well, and on the first three laps I had to fight but felt strong. Throughout the entire race I tried to stay with the group. When there were five or six laps remaining, I saw that the front end was totally spent, and also that the tyre was stepping out at full lean. That meant that on the last few laps I had to fight hard. I gave everything, right to the end, and am very happy to get on the podium." 98 KAREL HANIKA "I am a little disappointed because I could have had a good race. I got a good start and was in eighth or ninth place, but I was comfortable with the bike, so I pushed hard to reach the front group. I tried to close in on the group ahead of me, but I made a mistake and suffered a highside. It's disappointing, because after the crash I was able to get back on track and had the same pace as the riders at the front. We will take away the good points about this race, and focus on the next round."
AKI AJO - Team manager "We have to be very happy this weekend, because we seem to have taken a step forward. The preseason was difficult for us, as the bike was completely new. Now, race by race, I feel we understand the bike much better. KTM are giving us their support the whole time and I'm grateful for their backing. There is still a lot of work to do and we are not quite completely ready, but this weekend has been a boost with all our riders in the Top 6 in the qualifying. Karel [Hanika] unfortunately crashed in the race, but demonstrated his potential. We have three very strong riders and I am very happy with them. Miguel [Oliveira] and Brad [Binder] have done a great job in the race; in Moto3 a lot can happen -right up until the last corner as we saw today- so we should be happy. I also want to mention how grateful we are to Red Bull for running the Red Bull Rookies Cup Program, because people should remember that these three riders [Oliveira, Binder and Hanika] up at the sharp end at races were Red Bull Rookies Cup riders -and our Moto2 rider Johann Zarco was the first winner of the Red Bull Rookies Cup." More information: Pol Bertran Phone: +34 639 580 423 press@ajo.fi
Spanish Grand Prix - Race www.ajo.fi Valuable second place for Johann Zarco in Jerez Ajo Motorsport rider makes comeback during race for third consecutive podium finish, increasing his lead in the overall standings. 05/03/2015 - Jerez Circuit, Spain
The Spanish GP weekend ended very positively for Ajo Motorsport and rider Johann Zarco. Hindered in his quest for the best setup for his Kalex by high temperatures on track, the Frenchman placed second in the race after having started from ninth on the grid. It was his third consecutive podium of the year. Aware of the difficulties posed by the early laps, Zarco made a discreet start that relegated him to eleventh position after Lap 1. The Frenchman soon started to recover positions, and his rapid progression led to him occupying fifth place after just five laps. With a fast and steady pace, the Ajo Motorsport rider knew he could reach the leading group. After an intense fight with Thomas Luthi, Zarco began to close the gap to the leading group -entering the fight for the podium on the penultimate lap. Attentive to all movements around him, he reached the final corner in a prime position to capitalise on a mistake by Alex Rins and snatched second place. The former champion of the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2007 will head into his home race, the French Grand Prix, as Moto2 series leader by 16 points. The race will be held from May 15th-17th at Le Mans. Race - Results 1. Jonas Folger (Kalex) 45:01.873 2. Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) +1.931 3. Tito Rabat (Kalex) +2.222 4. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) +6.833 5. Xavier Simeon (Kalex) +11.086 Moto2 World Championship Standing 2015 1. Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) 73 points 2. Jonas Folger (Kalex) 57 points 3. Alex Rins (Kalex) 49 points 4. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) 43 points 5. Franco Morbidelli (Kalex) 43 points
5 JOHANN ZARCO "It was a good race, because I did not start very well and the first few corners were difficult. My pace was good and I was able to overtake riders from then until the end. I got up to the front group and wanted to stick with them, because I knew that until the last corner anything was possible. Rins made a mistake -we were all on the limit- and I had good speed coming out of the turn, so I kept second place and it feels great. Starting from ninth and finishing with 20 points is great for the championship, as we head to Le Mans as leaders." AKI AJO - Team manager "After not a very good qualifying session, Johann [Zarco] had an excellent race. The weekend has been difficult, because the track temperature changed a lot during the sessions and it didn't make it easy for the tyre choice. On the podium there were riders with both hard and soft compounds. In the end everything went well and I am happy that Johann remained calm and focused on his own race, without making any mistakes, and that he achieved this result." More information: Pol Bertran Phone: +34 639 580 423 press@ajo.fi