Martin makes Moto2™ move with KTM

The Spaniard joins the Red Bull KTM Ajo team for the 2019 and 2020 seasons

Moto3™ title challenger Jorge Martin will make the step up to the Moto2™ class in 2019 after signing a two-year deal with Red Bull KTM Ajo. 

Martin secured nine pole positions and nine podiums in 2017, earning his first win in the lightweight class at the final round in Valencia. This season, the 20-year-old has continued to impress, winning three races so far in Qatar, Austin and Italy to confirm his strong title credentials. Now, the 2014 Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup Champion has ‘reconnected’ with KTM to further progress in the Grand Prix paddock.

Jorge Martin: "I think this is an important move for my career and I'm really happy to have found this agreement with KTM and Red Bull. It is such a competitive brand and I already cannot wait to start working this winter to attack next season. I want to learn as much as I can in the first year and fight to be at the top in the second. Obviously, I have good memories of KTM from the Red Bull Rookies Cup. It is important to be together again and I hope we can get the same sort of results we managed last time!"

Pit Beirer - KTM Motorsports Director commented: "We are proud and happy to get this rider 'back'! He was growing up in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and I think our philosophy is now clear to everybody. Having Jorge [Martin] in Moto2 is another milestone for us because he really is one of the upcoming talents in this paddock; it underlines the effort we are making. Together with Aki [Ajo] we are trying to have this combination of experience and adding one of the youngsters in Moto2. I think it is important that we have opened a cool line to show how a rider can make steps with us through the categories. I'm really happy to have Jorge on our side; he is too strong to be one of our competitors out there!"

Team Manager Aki Ajo added: "We can see that many riders can be quick when they move from Moto3 to Moto2. We have a lot of experience with this and there are many examples; so, I get very excited when we have a top guy from Moto3 coming again into our Moto2 structure. I feel that Jorge is one of the biggest talents coming up and especially in Moto3. I'm really enthusiastic to welcome him into the KTM family."