Collin Veijer snatches second row for the Portuguese Grand Prix

With grid position six on row two, LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP rider Collin Veijer has a good chance of scoring points in the second Grand Prix of the year.

The breathtaking Autodromo Internacional do Algarve near the coastal town of Portimao is known for its up- and downhill sections surrounded by picturesque landscapes. But the weather can also be a little capricious from time to time, and overnight rain on Thursday night not only meant wet tarmac in the morning but also a lot of sand that was washed onto the track from the air. As a result, the Moto3 free practice session had to be cancelled without replacement due to precautionary measures.

This had little effect on Dutch rider Collin Veijer, as the 19-year-old adopted his usual strategy. During the first qualifying sessions, Veijer was still in the midfield due to precise set-up work on his Husqvarna, with his 1’48.147 being enough to move straight into Qualifying 2. On Saturday afternoon, in Q2, the youngster was well in the mix and ultimately achieved a strong starting position for the 19-lap race on Sunday with sixth place on row two. The rider with start number 95 was just 0.495s off pole man Jose Antonio Rueda.

Collin Veijer, P6 (Q2) – 1’46.874 (+0.495): “This morning, we started with a different tyre, which I struggled with a bit. Maybe it was because of the temperatures. But in our second exit, we were able to improve slightly, so we were in the top 14, even if the lap wasn’t perfect. In qualifying I felt quite good, apart from a few problems with the setup, which I’m sure we can solve for tomorrow. P6 for today, I think that was the maximum and we’ll see what we can achieve in the race.”

The goal for the Portuguese Grand Prix is to finish in the points, so it is now a matter of making the final preparations together with the crew of the German racing team and then focusing fully on the start of the race on Sunday at 12:00 (CET).