Red Bull KTM Ajo will increase their presence in MotoGP™ paddock in 2017, with a new team in Moto2™ - and a new KTM bike. This means KTM are set to become the first manufacturer to have a presence in all three classes: Moto3™, Moto2™ and MotoGP™. The new Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2™ outfit will run their Moto3™ 2016 title contender Brad Binder in the class, alongside their 2015 Moto3™ World Championship runner-up Miguel Oliveira.
Red Bull, KTM and Ajo Motorsport now count on five years of collaboration to date, and the team have taken a World Championship (2012), two runner-up spots (2014 and 2015) and have a current lead of 106 points in the overall standings in the Moto3™ world championship, courtesy of South African Brad Binder. With the move, Red Bull KTM Ajo will be the only team using the new KTM Moto2 bike on its debut in the category. For Ajo Motorsport, this will be their third season in Moto2; last year they achieved the title, while this year they lead the standings with 3 points in the overall standings.
The rider lineup will consist of familiar faces who have come up through the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3™ team: Binder, currently the Moto3™ leader with 106 points, and Oliveira, who returns to the structure with which he was named Moto3™ runner-up in 2015. The riders will get onboard the new KTM for the first time on November 16th.
Brad Binder: "First of all I want to say I am very grateful for this new opportunity given to me by the team in Moto2. I want to thank Aki Ajo and all the people and partners who have been helping so I could take this step up. After how this year has been, there is nothing that could excite me more than staying at Red Bull KTM Ajo and competing in Moto2. I really like this team; I like the respect between all the members and I know that the decisions they make are always the best to keep the team and riders on top. I know it will be very difficult, but I'm very motivated for this and I am already looking forward to it. It will be nice to start in a new class, with everything new and a lot to learn. My goal is to go out each day and give 110% to learn as quickly as possible. I am very happy to be back sharing a garage with Miguel [Oliveira], I learned a lot from him in 2015 and sure we will push each other; we will have fun. Everyone knows that if Red Bull KTM Ajo make a motorcycle, it will be good."
Miguel Oliveira: "I'm very happy to be returning to the Red Bull KTM Ajo family, and to a very professional team that brought me a lot of success. In fact, my most successful season to date came with them. I'm very happy and grateful to Aki [Ajo] and KTM for choosing me and for trusting in me to start this ambitious project with the KTM Moto2. I believe a lot in this new project, that I will have a very strong team alongside me, and that we will be able to get the best results possible. I will give my all in this new venture. I will be back sharing a garage with Brad [Binder], a very good person and rider, and I am sure that we will work very well together to gather the best data possible and take the KTM to the top."
Aki Ajo - Team Manager: "Firstly, I am very happy to continue the cooperation with Red Bull and KTM and make this move together in Moto2. Now we will all be much closer to each other, working together in two classes and with the whole Red Bull KTM family in all three classes, which is something historic. We are very grateful to be part of this great project with KTM and Red Bull. It is also nice to start out with a pair of riders who we already know well. Brad [Binder] has spent two seasons with us and Miguel [Oliveira] had an incredible season last year in the team. Both have won races with us, so I cannot be more expectant than this: We have two riders who we know, who are young, eager, and with a positive attitude for this project."
Pit Beirer - KTM Motorsport Director: "We've now enjoyed five years of successful collaboration with Aki Ajo in Moto3. We are very happy that he and our main sponsor Red Bull are offering us the perfect structure to move into Moto2 so we can have a presence in all classes of Grand Prix Racing in 2017. We see the intermediate class mainly as a platform for keeping riders in the KTM Family, which begins with the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and will run right through to MotoGP. The WP motorsports department has been fully integrated into KTM, and just as it is in Moto3 and MotoGP, the new Moto2 bike is being developed and built completely in-house. Brad Binder has had a very successful season this year and hopefully he will wrap up the championship. Now we're happy that he can step up into the new Moto2 team. Also, we're very pleased to welcome Miguel Oliveira back into the Orange Family after one year in Moto2."