Red Bull KTM Factory Racing obtained two points-scoring performances to close the MotoGP season in fine style at the twentieth and last round of the year at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Brad Binder raced the KTM RC16 to a brilliant 6th place from P18 on the grid and finished top five for 2024. Jack Miller scored 13th as KTM is confirmed as the second-best Constructor. Meanwhile the KTM GP Academy sealed the campaign with a best result of 4th by Jose Rueda Antonio in Moto3™ and with Celestino Vietti 7th in the Moto2™ championship for Red Bull KTM Ajo. Binder rounds-out the year with 5th in the championship and a total of five top-five finishes Miller ends a two-season term with the crew with a hard push to 13th and is 14th in the standings Jose Antonio Rueda scores 4th the KTM RC4 in Moto3™ to claim 7th in the championship as Alvaro Carpe makes his debut and Celestino Vietti is also 7th overall in the Moto2™ standings Sunshine blanketed the 14-corner layout outside the Catalan capital and the Grand Prix arranged in solidarity for the flood victims of the Valencia region; home of the last round that was cancelled just over two weeks ago. Binder and Miller both had their work cut out with grid slots of 18th and 19th but Brad had already made a nine position gain to grasp the last Sprint point on Saturday and edge to within two points of 5th in the championship standings. The Grand Prix ran for 24-laps on Sunday afternoon and both Binder and Miller could rely on the usual starting prowess of the KTM RC16 package. Grip and traction were issues that had to be managed across the notoriously slick Catalan asphalt. Binder ended the first lap already inside the top ten. Miller gained ground to 15th. Brad fought hard and grabbed more positions as he extended his race pace while others suffered with grip. He reached 6th and was just 7 seconds away from the winner. Jack also combed the limits and banked 3 points for 13th. Red Bull KTM drew a line under their eighth year in the premier class with a podium trophy and a top five finish in the championship as well as standing P2 in the Constructor’s contest. 2025 testing begins on Tuesday with Pedro Acosta stepping into the crew alongside Binder. Brad Binder, 6th : “I was happy with today’s race. I knew it was really important to get the tire until the end so I tried not to get too carried away at the beginning. I was quite pleased; I would have liked to have been a bit further forward but coming from 18th it is hard to ask for much more. Thank you to my team. It’s been challenging this year but we always tried to make the best of every situation and to finish 5th in the championship is cool.” Jack Miller, 13th: “I had a good start, settled in there and the tires stayed good but I just couldn’t push much and got stuck behind some guys. We signed-off by finishing the race and putting some points on the board. I think both KTM and I wanted more but I gave my all from the first laps of testing until the last laps today. Onto the next chapter.” Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager : “A strong way to finish the season: 6th place in the race and 5th in the championship. Our initial target was different but we have to be happy. Jack had good race pace today but starting from the back of the grid meant it was hard to recover and gain more. I would like to thank the riders, the technicians and all the team staff for the season. It was a challenge, but we made some progress and we’re looking to Tuesday to start the next one.” Results MotoGP Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona 1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 40:24.740 2. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati +1.474 3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +3.810 6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +7.081 10. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +10.618 13. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +14.560 19. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS +29.145 Final World Championship standings MotoGP 1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 508 points 2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 498 3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 392 5. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 217 6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS, 215 14. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 87 20. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS, 27 KTM GP Academy Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza were joined on the KTM RC4 in Barcelona by 2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion Alvaro Carpe as the young Spaniard made his Grand Prix debut. Rueda was trying to lock away a top-seven championship finish (in a second Moto3 season that has included his maiden Grand Prix victory) and bustled his way into the group during the first stages of the 18-lap race. Two seconds split the first ten runners and Jose Antonio was firmly in the mix. After the bumping and barging, Rueda passed the line in 5th and was elevated to 4th after post-race penalties. The points ensured P7 for the season. Zurutuza finished 22nd and closed a debut year with 23rd place for the season and a best result of 8th. Carpe, who will join the team next to Rueda for 2025, was 19th. In Moto2 Celestino Vietti has qualified only a few tenths from Pole Position and lined up on the third row in 8th. Deniz Öncü could not escape out of Q1 and started 20th for the 21 laps and with hopes of bringing a bright but eventful first season of progress in the intermediate class to the flag. Vietti probed for possibilities with the leaders on the first lap but was hit by another rider while braking for Turn 1 at the start of lap two and was sent out of the race. Öncü was lucky to stay onboard in the same incident but then ran wide of track limits and was penalized with a Long Lap. The Turk kept going and took the flag in 22nd, later raised to 21st upon an infringement from another rider. Vietti and Öncü confirmed 7th and 20th positions in the championship. Results Moto3 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 32:27.723 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.147 3. Angel Piqueras (ESP) Honda +1.210 4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.352 8. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +2.025 10. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +2.713 13. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +10.823 19. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +13.437 22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +16.645 Final World Championship standings Moto3 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 421 points 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 256 3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 242 7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 157 14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 91 15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 66 17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 45 23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 13 Results Moto2 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona 1. Aron Canet (ESP) 36:29.282 2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.091 3. Diogo Moreira (BRA) +1.124 7. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +5.647 12. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +14.733 15. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +16.476 21. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +29.727 DNF. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo DNF. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO Final World Championship standings Moto2 1. Ai Ogura (JPN), 274 points 2. Aron Canet (ESP), 234 3. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP), 195 7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 165 8. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 155 17. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 69 18. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 67 19. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 55 20. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 49
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MotoGP project will count on the expertise and excellence of MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa for 2025. The Spaniard has extended his critical role in the process and the progress of development related to KTM’s RC16 machinery at the peak of Grand Prix motorcycle sport. Pedrosa’s connection with KTM stretches back to 2019 when he retired from full-time world championship competition and had an immediate input into the evolution of the KTM RC16. Dani has made four wildcard appearances from his test rider status and as his influence in the technical evolution of the MotoGP has deepened and become more significant. The 39-year-old will continue to provide his unique insight along with the rest of the testing program and R&D efforts in Austria as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing look to make more forward steps for MotoGP 2025 and 2026. Dani Pedrosa : “It’s a pleasure to take our journey into another year. We know where we need to make improvements, and the effort of the whole factory has not eased at all in making the best bike for the riders to perform on track. I’m looking forward to what we can do for 2025 and the ideas that will come along.” Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director : “This was a straightforward decision for both parties and that’s a good sign of a strong relationship and trust. We really believe in what Dani brings to our MotoGP program on different levels, not only in the saddle of the next generation of the KTM RC16, and this contribution is vital. We know the turnaround we are seeking will come and with Dani as part of the team it will only arrive quicker.”
Promising French youngster Marc-Antoine Rossi will wear Red Bull KTM Factory Racing colors in 2025 and is set to steer a KTM 250 SX-F in the FIM MX2 World Championship. The 18-year-old comes into the works outfit for what will be his second attempt at the MX2 series. He has spent much of his fledgling racing career on KTM SX machinery as he ascended through EMX European Championship competition. Rossi made his Grand Prix debut at his home round in 2023 and impressed with 7th position overall at Villars sous Ecot. That same season Rossi confirmed 7th place in the EMX250 Championship despite missing three rounds. He shone with three moto wins among a total of six top three finishes. That form, style, speed and determination took him into MX2 for 2024 where he posted a sequence of top ten results in the first four Grands Prix of 2024 until a knee injury halted his progress. #28 will come under the guidance of Joel Smets and the rest of the Red Bull KTM structure for the next step in his career path. He will follow in the footsteps of countrymen like Marvin Musquin, Jordi Tixier and Tom Vialle to try and excel in the orange. The full Red Bull KTM Factory Racing line-up for 2025 in both MXGP and MX2 classes will consist of Jeffrey Herlings and Lucas Coenen riding the KTM 450 SX-F and then Andrea Adamo, Sacha Coenen, Simon Lägenfelder and Marc-Antoine Rossi with the KTM 250 SX-F. Marc-Antoine Rossi: “I’m really happy to be back in orange and to join this crew. I’m already excited for 2025 and will be back on a bike soon and working with Joel. I’ll give everything I have for what will be a long year. I hope I can make the podium at some point next season.” Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Team Manager : “For many years France has had this reputation of bringing up young, skilled riders and Marc Antoine Rossi can be added to this list. He’s only 18 but has already shown great potential in EMX125 and EMX250. He then displayed bright flashes of speed and strength this year. Marc-Antoine is still so young and reminds me a lot of Tom Vialle. He not only has the same number but he has that same laidback attitude which camouflages a real ambition to work and to achieve. He is a good listener and is very keen to learn. He has time to grow and we don’t want to rush things. We believe he has a great future.”