Second place on the Grid for Collin Veijer in Barcelona

Collin Veijer secured a place on the front row for the Moto2 race in Barcelona on Saturday. The 21-year-old Red Bull KTM Ajo rider set an impressive second-fastest time in the closing stages of Q2, earning a spot on the front row for the second time this season.

The day began under favourable conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. With a slightly higher track temperature than on Friday and clear skies, Collin Veijer completed a strong second free practice session. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider immediately placed himself inside the top ten during his first flying laps and eventually set a fastest lap of 1’42.424. That time saw him finish the session in twelfth place.

In the afternoon, conditions for qualifying were optimal with a track temperature of 37 degrees and humidity at 39 percent. In Q2, Veijer managed to improve once again. After a solid first run and a tyre change, the Dutchman posted an impressive 1’41.338 during his final attack. With that lap time, Veijer secured second place on the grid for the Catalan Grand Prix. His fastest lap was also more than four tenths quicker than his qualifying time during the 2025 Catalan Grand Prix.

The rider from Staphorst faces an additional challenge on Sunday. Due to a penalty received during last weekend’s French Grand Prix, Veijer will have to serve a Long Lap penalty during the race.

Collin Veijer: “I’m pleased with how the day went. We worked well from the start, and in the end we achieved a nice result in Q2. Our pace was already strong this morning and this afternoon the qualifying session felt really good. We managed to put together a strong lap while I was riding alone on track. It is a different situation compared to Jerez because of the long lap penalty, but we will give everything to take a good result from here. We know it won’t be easy, but it’s great to be fighting at the front again.”

The 21-lap Moto2 race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will get underway on Sunday at 12:15 local time.