Arena and Acosta say emotional goodbye to Red Bull KTM Ajo with 10th and 12th in #ValenciaGP

The Circuit Ricardo Tormo closed the curtain on an intense 2023 season. The duo of Pedro Acosta and Albert Arenas were riding for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team for the last time in the class. Albert Arenas finished in tenth position after a demanding race, while Pedro Acosta was twelfth. The 2023 MotoGP World Champion signed off a three-year spell with the team as he moves up to MotoGP.

Acosta started his last Moto2 race from sixth position and, after a great start, moved up the order and tried to reach the top positions, although the race pace was very high. He took a gamble on this occasion, although with the objective for the season fulfilled, his main target was to enjoy his last race with Aki Ajo’s team. Acosta did not have the best feeling with his bike and began to lose positions, crossing the finish line in twelfth position. A double World Champion and the new king of Moto2 with the team, he leaves them at the end of 2023.

Arenas was also in his last race with Red Bull KTM Ajo, and took off from ninth. A consistent ride over the 22 laps kept him in the Top 10, and he had enjoyed a good feeling all weekend and wanted to finish the year in the best possible way. He took the chequered flag in tenth, keeping up his pace and demonstrating the progress he has made in the final stretch of the season.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo thus concluded a great season in which they were also proclaimed Moto2 Team World Champions. The team thank Pedro Acosta and Albert Arenas for their effort and dedication, and wish them all the best for the future.

ALBERT ARENAS

It was a tough race from the beginning. There was a lot of contact on the opening corners that held me back, but I managed to overcome it and my pace was good. We could have fought for the podium but it wasn’t to be. We are happy because during the weekend we worked well and I was able to ride the bike as I like. That allowed me to have a good pace and say goodbye to the team with a solid race.

PEDRO ACOSTA

It’s nice to end my time in Moto2 and Ajo Motorsport here. The priority was to get the bike back to the box and finish in the best possible way. We have had three very good years together and I think it was not the time to throw that away for a race. I didn’t care about finishing far back, I just wanted to get to the box, so the goal was accomplished. They had never seen me cry before, and today I did. I have grown up with Aki in the paddock and he has taught me to be tough and cold as ice, but today we all ended up crying, so we are not so tough in the end!