Collin Veijer to start 13th on the grid in Malaysia

Collin Veijer will line up 13th for Sunday’s Moto2 race at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia, as he continues adapting to the Sepang International Circuit aboard his Moto2 machine.

As on Friday, the intermediate class escaped the unstable weather that has affected much of the weekend. For FP2, riders were greeted with track temperatures of 29°C and a sweltering humidity level of 81%.

Collin Veijer completed twelve laps in the session, beginning on used tyres and using the time to fine-tune his race setup. After a cautious start that left him well adrift of the frontrunners, the Dutchman switched to fresh rubber and immediately improved by 1.1 seconds on his first flying lap, finding a further two tenths on his next attempt. A yellow flag following a crash cost him his final lap time, which would likely have moved him higher, leaving his best effort of 2:04.916 good for 22nd position.

Qualifying offered far better conditions, with track temperatures climbing to 48°C and humidity dropping to 58% — the most favourable numbers of the weekend so far.

In Q2, Veijer continued to make progress, improving his best lap in both of his stints. Initially sitting 15th with a time already much quicker than on Friday, he smartly placed himself within a group to pick up valuable references. On his final two flying laps, he broke into the low 2:04s before setting his best time of 2:03.980 — almost nine-tenths faster than his previous benchmark — to secure 13th on the grid.

Collin Veijer: “I wasn’t very confident today. I think we could have done better. The feeling isn’t amazing and the change from Moto3 to Moto2 is bigger than I expected. I really enjoy the track — it’s a great one — but we still need to find the key points to be faster. For tomorrow, we just need to focus on scoring points and maintaining our pace, which isn’t too bad. This afternoon we’ll keep working to understand where we can improve.”

The 17-lap Moto2 Malaysian Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday at 1:15 pm local time.

Twelfth place for Collin Veijer at Australian Grand Prix

Collin Veijer claimed twelfth place in the Moto2 race at the Australian Grand Prix thanks to a strong second half and excellent tyre management.

Collin Veijer got off to a good start, holding onto 15th place and then gaining a position before the end of the second lap. However, the middle of the pack was very tight, and kept the Dutchman reigned in. He gradually found his pace and was very competitive in the second half of the race, gradually breaking away from the group he was in and climbing into the Top 15. He needed two laps to catch Ayumu Sasaki and Adrian Huertas as his superior tyre management paid off, and eventually crossed the line twelfth. Less than a second away from a Top 10 finish, he took four points to climb to 57 overall. He is 19th in the standings.

Collin Veijer: “I’m happy with today’s result. Finally, we managed to start a little bit better and maintain the position during the opening laps, so I’m satisfied with that -because it is something that hindered us before. From there, I tried my best to gain as many places as possible, but it was not easy with such a big group in the first part of the race. My pace was quite good and we had a strong second part of the race to finish very close to the Top 10. Now it’s time to focus on Malaysia and try our best again there.”

Next up is the Malaysian Grand Prix on October 24-26th, which will be the 20th round of the season for the intermediate class.

Highly competitive Q2 leaves Collin Veijer 15th at Phillip Island

It was a bittersweet Saturday for Collin Veijer at the Australian Grand Prix. The Dutch rider showed solid pace in Free Practice 2, but faced adversity during Q2, ending the session in 15th position after yellow flags disrupted his early flying laps.

Collin Veijer was among the first to head out on track to assess the conditions and quickly climbed into the Top 10. Opting to stay on wet tyres rather than switching to slicks in the final stages, he focused on building confidence and collecting valuable data. His best time of 1:41.489, set on his 13th lap out of 17, placed him 15th overall.

Conditions for Q2 were similar to those of Friday’s practice, with track temperatures around 28°C and humidity at 59%. Unfortunately, Veijer’s opening two flying laps were affected by yellow flags following crashes from other riders, turning the final three minutes of the session into a decisive shootout.

He took advantage of his first clear lap to climb to 11th, and although he managed to improve his lap time by over four tenths of a second on the next attempt, he couldn’t better his position. On his final attack, a small mistake prevented him from delivering a perfect lap, ultimately placing him 15th on the grid — rounding off the fifth row. With a best time of 1:30.536, Veijer improved by three tenths compared to his previous best, completing eight laps in a consistent solo run.

Collin Veijer: “I felt quite good today. This morning we had to deal with strange conditions in FP2, but we managed well with the wet tyres and a soft setup to get the right feeling. In Qualifying, I tried to do the first stint behind other riders, but there were a lot of yellow flags from crashes, so some of my flying laps were cancelled. In the second stint, I struggled a bit to put together a perfect lap, so we ended up 15th. Of course, I think we could have done better, but that’s racing. We’ll analyse everything and try to be stronger tomorrow in the race.”

Saturday ends with a clear goal for tomorrow’s Moto2 Australian Grand Prix: make a strong start and fight for a solid points finish. Veijer will line up for the 23-lap race at 1:15 pm (local time) on Sunday.

Collin Veijer finishes eighth at Mandalika

Collin Veijer secured an eighth-place finish at the Indonesian Grand Prix, recovering from a tough start to climb back through the field and achieve his fifth Top 10 result in the last six race weekends.

Track temperatures soared to 60°C, with humidity reaching 75% — the most extreme conditions of the weekend. Starting from seventh on the grid, Veijer struggled off the line and dropped to 13th. After briefly losing another position, he rode a lonely race to gradually make up ground and chase the group battling for the Top 5. However, by the time he had a clear track to establish his rhythm, the gap to the pack ahead was already too large.

Managing his pace well despite the punishing heat, the Dutchman reached the final laps in good shape. He closed in on the rider ahead in seventh place but ran out of time to complete the overtake. With another solid Top 10, Veijer now has 53 points and remains 19th in the overall standings.

Collin Veijer: “It wasn’t the best start from me once again. I let the clutch out too much and lost a lot of time there. After that, I tried my best to recover, and eighth place was the maximum we could achieve today. I’m happy with the work we did this weekend. We made a big overall improvement, and the only mistake came at the start. We just need to put everything together to see where we can be in a perfect race, but it was a good Sunday anyway. I’m confident about how things are going right now, and I’m looking forward to Australia. It will be interesting to ride there, and I’m very motivated to keep the momentum going.”

After a one-week break, the next flyaway double-header begins at Phillip Island with the Australian Grand Prix, taking place from October 17–19.

Seventh place for Collin Veijer on the Indonesian grid

Qualifying for the Indonesian Grand Prix took place on Saturday at the Mandalika International Circuit, where Collin Veijer experienced a mixed day in the Moto2 class. Despite an early setback, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider secured a solid seventh place on the grid.

With slightly cooler conditions than on Friday — 43°C on track and 74% humidity — the intermediate class riders headed out for FP2 in the morning.
Veijer’s session got off to a difficult start after a crash at Turn 16. Fortunately, the Dutchman escaped uninjured and quickly returned to the garage to have his bike repaired. Once back on track, he steadily improved his pace, climbing from 27th to 17th by the end of the session. He finished less than a second off the fastest time and just a tenth away from his own weekend best, setting a 1:33.506 on his final lap of the 15 completed in FP2.

In the afternoon, temperatures rose to 55°C on the asphalt with 71% humidity for the Q2 session. Veijer initially struggled to find a strong rhythm in his first run but regrouped for one final push at the end. On his very last lap, with the chequered flag already out, the Dutchman delivered a perfect effort — cutting more than six-tenths from his previous best to secure seventh on the grid. His 1:32.825 lap marked his third-best Q2 result in Moto2, finishing less than half a second from pole position.

Collin Veijer: “This morning wasn’t easy with the crash at Turn 16. Fortunately, once I got back on track, the pace was really good and the feeling kept improving. In the afternoon, we struggled a little during the first laps of Qualifying, but finally I managed to return to Pit Lane and set a great lap on our last attempt. Seventh on the grid is a very good position, so we’ll see what we can do in the opening laps tomorrow — they will be the key part of the race.”

The 22-lap Moto2 Indonesian Grand Prix will take place on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. local time at the Mandalika International Circuit.

Top 10 finish for Collin Veijer in Japan

The Japanese round at Motegi delivered another positive result for Collin Veijer, who crossed the finish line in tenth to continue his steady progress in the second half of the season. With his 10th place, the Dutchman has now placed inside the top ten in four of the last five races.

Cloudy skies and higher humidity than on the previous two days set the scene for the Moto2 race, with track temperatures reaching 35°C. Veijer made a strong start but was unable to hold onto his ninth position through the opening corners, ending the first lap in twelfth place. He then settled into a solid rhythm at the front of the chasing group, quickly climbing back into the top ten.
From there, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider showed consistent pace, lapping in the low 1:50s for much of the race. In the closing stages, he closed in on Albert Arenas and pushed hard for ninth, but ultimately missed out by just a few thousandths of a second at the chequered flag.

With his 10th place in Japan, Veijer now has 45 points overall and sits 19th in the Moto2 World Championship standings.

Collin Veijer: “It was a positive ending to a good weekend. The race was good and we took some points for the championship. I struggled a little at the start, but then we managed to keep a consistent pace when riding alone and chasing the first group. Maybe we could have gained a few more positions if the start had been better, but we’re happy with the result and also with the weekend. We’re keeping up the momentum in this second part of the season, so we’ll try to do the same again at Mandalika next weekend.”

The Moto2 World Championship continues next week at the Mandalika International Circuit, with the Indonesian Grand Prix taking place from October 3rd to 5th.

Collin Veijer takes third row start at the Japanese Grand Prix

Qualifying at Mobility Resort Motegi on Saturday saw Collin Veijer secure a third-row start, taking ninth position on the grid for the third time this season.

After a Friday with ideal conditions, Saturday brought slightly lower temperatures for FP2 compared to FP1, with 35ºC recorded on track. It was a somewhat unusual session for Veijer, who concentrated on testing different race setups. The Dutchman completed just 12 laps and remained near the back after his initial run. Following adjustments made with his team, he returned to the track in the closing minutes for a short Time Attack consisting of only two laps. With it, he climbed to 18th with a best effort of 1:49.322 – one second off the leader and just three tenths slower than in Practice.

Track temperatures reached 45ºC for Moto2 Qualifying, the hottest of the weekend so far. Veijer had to bide his time until the final minutes of Q2 to set a competitive lap. His first two flying laps were cancelled, forcing him to pit without a valid time on the board. On his second run, he was sitting 15th until the very last lap, when he pushed through to ninth as the chequered flag fell. His 1:48.561 lap was half a second quicker than his previous best of the weekend, completed over eight laps.

Collin Veijer: “This morning was a bit difficult. We tried some things on the bike that didn’t work the way we wanted. Finally, our overall feeling was very good in qualifying. Two first laps were ruled out, but we finished with three decent laps that put us on the third row. I’m very happy with my performance, so we’ll try to continue with this hard work tomorrow. We want to get some valuable points here, so we will see what we are capable of in Sunday’s race.”

The 19-lap Moto2 Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday at 12:15 p.m. local time.

Red Bull KTM Ajo confirms Moto2 rider line-up for 2026

Collin Veijer will be joined next season by current Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider José Antonio Rueda as his new teammate.

Collin Veijer: “I’m very happy to be continuing with Red Bull KTM Ajo and very pleased that Aki, Niklas and the factory believe in me. I’m also going to be very happy to have a friend next to me in Jose Antonio. We’ve known each other for a long time, because I’ve raced against him since I was a kid, and it’s very nice to share a box after so long. We fought against one another for the title in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, so it’s something very useful for Red Bull and for KTM to have two young guys coming up through this rookies program. I want to thank all my sponsors, my family and also my friends for always being by my side. A fun and competitive year awaits us in 2026.”

Collin Veijer fights back to 21st place at San Marino GP

Collin Veijer showed impressive pace in the second half of the Moto2 race at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli but was forced to fight back from deep in the field, eventually finishing 21st in the San Marino Grand Prix.

A dry weekend at Misano concluded with track temperatures reaching 30ºC for the Moto2 race. Veijer made a strong start, gaining two positions in the opening three laps and joining the same group as teammate Dani Muñoz. However, a mistake at Turn 3 on lap four sent the Dutchman into the gravel. Rejoining in 28th place and over eight seconds behind, he set about mounting a recovery with consistent pace, climbing back up the order to cross the line in 21st. Just a tenth of a second behind the riders directly ahead, Veijer demonstrated a competitive rhythm in the second half of the race, comparable to that of the Top 10. He remains 19th in the overall standings with 39 points.

Collin Veijer (Race P21, +27.786 | Championship P19, 39 points):
“The pace was there today, but we made a big mistake entering Turn 3 on the fourth lap and I ended up in the gravel. After that, I was in 28th position, so I had to start the comeback again. The feeling was great, but it was impossible to recover that much time, so we could only make it to 21st. It’s a shame, because after the first three laps we were 18th and in the main group, but that’s racing. The most important thing is that the feeling was good and that we showed a very competitive pace during the second half of the race, so we remain confident for the flyaway rounds just around the corner.”

The Moto2 World Championship continues in 15 days’ time in Japan, with the seventeenth round of the season taking place at Twin Ring Motegi from September 26 to 28.

Collin Veijer to line up on the eighth row at Misano

Collin Veijer made solid progress on the second day of the San Marino Grand Prix, although his starting position does not fully reflect his performance. The Dutchman narrowly missed out on advancing to Q2 by just two tenths of a second and will line up 20th on the grid.

In cooler conditions than Friday’s FP1, Moto2 FP2 got Saturday underway with track temperatures of just 19ºC. Collin Veijer needed to make the most of the session to recover the time lost the previous day and focused on a long run with used tyres to fine-tune his race pace. He quickly improved on his Friday benchmark, moving into the Top 20. Switching to new tyres in the final minutes, he climbed to eleventh with a 1:35.110 – almost a full second faster than his best lap from Friday. In total, he completed 15 laps.

Q1 took place in conditions similar to Friday’s Practice session, with track temperatures rising to 36ºC. After a steady start, Veijer gradually lowered his times and produced his best lap on the final attempt. His first two sectors were the fastest of all, but a costly loss of time in the third sector left him with a 1:34.944 – not enough to progress into Q2. Despite this, his lap time would have been quicker than several riders who did qualify for the Pole Position shootout, underlining the Dutchman’s potential. Veijer will therefore start from 20th on the grid.

Collin Veijer: “Today went quite well. We had a good feeling in the morning – both when working on our pace and in the Time Attack. In the afternoon we tried to get into Q2, but in the end it wasn’t possible. Our flying laps were strong, but I lost a lot of time in the third sector, exactly where I had the big crash yesterday. We still put in a good lap, but Moto2 is a very tough class and missing yesterday’s session definitely had an impact. For tomorrow, we’ll try to fight back. Our pace is good, so I’m looking forward to a strong Sunday and to enjoying it to the fullest here at Misano.”

The 22-lap Moto2 San Marino Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. local time.

Collin Veijer finishes ninth to complete a strong Catalunya weekend

Collin Veijer secured his third consecutive Top 10 result with a ninth-place finish in the Moto2 race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the Catalan Grand Prix.

The Dutch rider completed the opening lap in seventh place as part of a leading group that quickly established a gap over the rest of the field. From the second lap onwards, he remained consistent, rounding out the chasing pack while keeping something in reserve for the closing stages. In the final third of the race, Veijer began to suffer from tyre wear, and over the last five laps he was caught by the pursuing group. Despite the pressure, he mounted a strong defence to secure ninth position at the chequered flag. The result gives him seven more points, bringing his tally to 39, as he remains 19th in the overall standings.

Collin Veijer (Race P9, +9.668 | Championship P19, 39 points):
“Today the start wasn’t so bad, and overall we had a solid weekend. The race was a bit difficult as the front tyre was in quite a critical state in the end. I struggled with the general feeling in the closing stages and wanted to attack a little more. But we gained experience once again and we know what to do for the next few races. Our tyre choice might be different next time, but overall we had a very good weekend. We take a lot of experience away from this round and will carry it over to Misano.”

Next up is the San Marino Grand Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, from September 12–14.

First front row of the season for Collin Veijer in Barcelona

Saturday at the Catalan Grand Prix was one to remember for Collin Veijer. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider secured his first front-row start in Moto2 since moving up to the intermediate class.

With an ambient temperature of 19ºC, conditions were slightly cooler than on Friday during Free Practice 2. Veijer focused on race pace, completing a long run of almost 20 minutes to work on consistency and endurance. After placing 24th in his first stint, he returned to the track for the final eight minutes on fresh tyres to fine-tune his preparation for Q2. He improved lap after lap, eventually shaving more than a second off his previous best. His 1:42.329 lap was two thousandths quicker than his Friday effort, putting him seventh overall after 15 laps.

In qualifying, Veijer continued to improve. Initially climbing to 17th place in his first run, he was hampered by heavy traffic and a few small mistakes. On his final three laps, however, he took a decisive gamble — and it paid off. First moving up to 14th, then to fifth, and finally to third, his best lap of 1:41.738 earned him a well-deserved place on the front row for Sunday’s race in Barcelona.

Collin Veijer: “Today was really good. We had a very strong day. The morning wasn’t easy: we started on used tyres and just tried to keep the pace. With new tyres I felt confident, and we showed good speed ahead of qualifying. The first run in Q2 was difficult without much of a slipstream, and I couldn’t really find the pace, but in the second stint I just went flat out and gave it everything. In the end, we made it onto the front row, so I’m very happy. Tomorrow will be interesting — it’s going to be a long race, so let’s see what happens.”

With his first front-row start of the season secured, Veijer heads into Sunday’s Moto2 race highly motivated and determined to fight for a strong result. The 21-lap race gets underway at 12:15 p.m. (local time).