VEIJER AND RUEDA STAY WITH RED BULL KTM AJO FOR 2027
24 Sept 2026·
Red Bull KTM Ajo will keep its Moto2 pairing of Collin Veijer and Jose Antonio Rueda for next season, giving both riders another year with the factory-backed team as they continue their development.
For Veijer, the deal is also a chance to move closer to his ambition of reaching MotoGP with KTM. The 21-year-old Dutchman joined Ajo for his Moto2 debut in 2025 after winning twice in Moto3. He has since scored three podiums and sits 10th in the current standings.
“I’m very happy to continue with the team and very grateful to KTM and Red Bull for continuing to believe in me for next year,” Veijer said. He also thanked team manager Niklas Ajo and Aki Ajo for giving him the opportunity to remain with the group, adding that he would make the most of every chance and keep pushing to his limit.
“My aim is to move closer to my goal of eventually becoming a MotoGP rider,” he said. “I hope that one day we can make that dream a reality — and I hope it happens with KTM.”
A Dutch rider has not started a MotoGP race since Michael van der Mark in 2017. The last Dutchman to contest a full season was Jurgen van der Goorbergh in 2002.
Rueda, the reigning Moto3 champion, is in his rookie Moto2 season after suffering life-threatening injuries at Sepang last year. His best result so far is eighth, and he said adapting to the category has meant learning a different way of working across the board.
“I’m very happy to be staying at the team of my dreams,” Rueda said, describing Ajo as a team that has seen him grow over the past four seasons. He called his progress in Moto2 steady and said he was confident 2027 would bring further success. “Continuing our journey together was my priority, so I’m delighted to confirm that I’ll be competing in my fifth season with the team.”
Niklas Ajo said Veijer had developed with the team over the past two years and had demonstrated the potential to take a further step towards the front of the class. He acknowledged that Rueda’s first Moto2 campaign had been difficult, but said the team could already see signs that the Spaniard could become a leading contender in the category.
Rueda is set to begin his fifth season with Ajo, a milestone previously reached at the team only by Brad Binder, according to Niklas Ajo. The pair will also take on a reshaped Moto2 field, with current race winners Izan Guevara, Senna Agius, Dani Holgado and David Alonso all moving up to MotoGP next year.