Thirteenth place for Collin Veijer in Q2 at Phillip Island

Collin Veijer secured thirteenth place on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix during Saturday’s qualifying session. After a difficult Friday and a challenging second free practice session, the 21-year-old Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 rider successfully progressed from Q1 into Q2, where he eventually finished just 0.360 seconds off the fastest lap time.

The second day of action at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit began in difficult conditions. Following heavy overnight and morning rain, the track remained wet and treacherous during Free Practice 2. With low track temperatures and several crashes in the opening stages, Collin Veijer’s main priority was to complete his programme safely.

After his heavy crash during Friday’s first free practice session, the Dutchman was determined to avoid taking unnecessary risks. He used the session to gain valuable mileage and experience in the challenging conditions, eventually finishing twentieth with a lap time of 1’47.738.

Conditions improved significantly for qualifying. On a dry but still cold track, Veijer made a cautious start to Q1. During his second run, he posted a lap time of 1’30.762 to secure fourth place, progressing to Q2 by a margin of just 0.021 seconds. In doing so, he extended his impressive streak to seventeen consecutive Q2 appearances.

In Q2, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider continued to make progress. During his first run, he featured inside the top ten on several occasions, but was unable to improve his lap time further in the closing stages. With a personal best lap of 1’30.482 at Phillip Island, Veijer eventually qualified thirteenth, just 0.360 seconds away from pole position.

Collin Veijer: “This morning was very difficult for us. We struggled more than expected, so we need to keep focusing on improving our performance in wet conditions. Fortunately, qualifying went much better. In Q1, I managed to make it through to Q2 with a good lap that I completed entirely on my own. I was really on the limit. In Q2, I had a pretty good first run and was inside the top ten, but during the final laps I couldn’t find much more speed. It is what it is. We are much closer than we were yesterday, and now we can look at the details to improve further for tomorrow. Hopefully, we can take another step forward and have a good race.”

Sunday’s Moto2 race at the Australian Grand Prix will be contested over 23 laps. Veijer will start from the fifth row of the grid, with the race scheduled to get underway at 02:15 Dutch time (CEST). The Dutchman will be aiming to turn his improved pace into a strong result and add more valuable World Championship points to his tally.