Photo: KTM
After a hard, crash-sprinkled Argentine MotoGP round, there were only four factory motorcycles that crossed the finish line; two Yamahas and two KTMs, which earned the Austrian bike maker its first points in the Premier class. It also got its first podium in the Moto2 Championship.
Red Bull KTM MotoGP Factory Racing Team on Sunday celebrated earning their first-ever premier-class points at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina in only their second appearance of their debut season. Pol Espargaro (ESP) finished in 14th place on the KTM RC16 and teammate Bradley Smith (GBR) 15th both of which was an improvement on the opening round in Qatar.
“What is the most important for the guys and the whole team is that this is the first time in history that KTM has taken points in MotoGP," Espargaro said after the race. “We must be happy. But on the other side, I think we had the opportunity to do a little more. We are missing some speed in the straight to overtake the two guys I was fighting with, (Hector) Barbera and Tito (Rabat)."
The result in Moto2 was reason to celebrate for Red Bull KTM Ajo coming in only their second race in the class. Miguel Oliveira set the tone of the weekend in qualifying to start on pole and he got away well at the start.
He got nudged out of the lead in the first corner but managed to quickly settle in the third place. Then, in the final lap, when eventual winner Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez were locked in a last-minute duel, Marquez crashed out and handed Oliveira the second place.
Last but not least, the top KTM rider in the Moto3 at Argentina’s Termas di Rio Hondo circuit was German rider Philipp Oettl who finished fourth but was squarely in podium contention up until the final lap.
“What is the most important for the guys and the whole team is that this is the first time in history that KTM has taken points in MotoGP," Espargaro said after the race. “We must be happy. But on the other side, I think we had the opportunity to do a little more. We are missing some speed in the straight to overtake the two guys I was fighting with, (Hector) Barbera and Tito (Rabat)."
The result in Moto2 was reason to celebrate for Red Bull KTM Ajo coming in only their second race in the class. Miguel Oliveira set the tone of the weekend in qualifying to start on pole and he got away well at the start.
He got nudged out of the lead in the first corner but managed to quickly settle in the third place. Then, in the final lap, when eventual winner Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez were locked in a last-minute duel, Marquez crashed out and handed Oliveira the second place.
Last but not least, the top KTM rider in the Moto3 at Argentina’s Termas di Rio Hondo circuit was German rider Philipp Oettl who finished fourth but was squarely in podium contention up until the final lap.
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