Ajo Motorsport

Ajo Motorsport is a Finnish Grand Prix motorcycle racing team, currently competing in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes under the name Red Bull KTM Ajo and in the MotoE class under the name Avant Ajo MotoE. The team's founder and principal is former racer Aki Ajo. His son, former racer Niklas Ajo, is also involved in the team as crew chief and race engineer in the Moto3 programme.

Ajo Motorsport
2020 nameRed Bull KTM Ajo (Moto2 and Moto3)
Avant Ajo MotoE (MotoE)
BaseFinland
PrincipalAki Ajo
Rider(s)Moto2:
45. Tetsuta Nagashima
88. Jorge Martín
Moto3:
25. Raúl Fernández
27. Kaito Toba
MotoE:
66. Niki Tuuli
MotorcycleKTM RC250GP (Moto3)
Kalex (Moto2)
Energica Ego Corsa (MotoE)
TyresDunlop (Moto2 and Moto3)
Michelin (MotoE)
Riders' ChampionshipsMoto2:
2015: Johann Zarco
2016: Johann Zarco
Moto3:
2012: Sandro Cortese
2016: Brad Binder
125cc:
2008: Mike Di Meglio
2010: Marc Márquez

The team debuted in 2001 and took its first win in 2003. Ajo Motorsport has won six world championship titles; the 125cc championship with Mike Di Meglio in 2008 and Marc Márquez in 2010, the Moto3 championship in 2012 with Sandro Cortese and 2016 with Brad Binder, and the Moto2 championship in 2015 and 2016, both with Johann Zarco.[1]

History

The team's debut at a world championship race was at Sachsenring in 2001, where the team entered Mika Kallio as a wildcard rider. The team and Kallio also took part in the competition in Valencia later in the year. The team's bikes were labelled with the Honda brand name, even though the engines were supplied by Ajo. 2002 was the first season in which Ajo was a regular competitor in the World Championship, with Kallio as their main rider. Their best result that season was fifth place in Jerez, and Kallio was named "Rookie of the Year", beating riders such as Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo.

In 2003, the team expanded to two bikes, with Kallio being joined by the Japanese competitor Masao Azuma. Kallio then left the team in August after receiving an offer from KTM. He was replaced by Andrea Ballerini. In Australia, the team achieved a 1–2 victory, with Ballerini in first place and Azuma in second. Ajo attributed a large portion of their success to the combination of wet conditions and Bridgestone tyres, which are optimal for damp weather. For the 2004 season, the team had two new riders in Lukáš Pešek and Danish Robbin Harms. The season was a disappointing one for Ajo, as Pešek crashed repeatedly and as Harms suffered several injuries. Pešek moved to the Derbi team for the next season.

Japanese Tomoyoshi Koyama and French Alexis Masbou were Ajo's riders in the 2005 season. Koyama won the "Rookie of the Year" title, the team's second in four years. His best results were second place in Australia and third in Turkey; in overall standings he held eighth place. The team kept the same riders for the following year but obtained new bikes from Malaguti. Both riders suffered many injuries which affected their season. Masbou was only able to ride eight races and did not score any points. Koyama's best result was sixth in Estoril, and he ended in 15th place in the championship standings. In 2007, the team raced with Derbi bikes, driven by Michael Ranseder and Robert Mureșan. Ranseder finished in the points 13 times, while Mureșan failed to score.

Ajo Motorsport continued with Derbi for the 2008 season, with Mike Di Meglio and Dominique Aegerter as their riders. Di Meglio won four races (France, Catalonia, Germany and Australia) and clinched the world championship in Australia, two races before the end of the season. Aegerter finished eighth twice. Sandro Cortese accompanied Dominique Aegerter in 2009. The team scored several podiums this season but did not manage to win any races. In the 2010 season, Ajo Motorsport fielded Marc Márquez, Sandro Cortese and Adrián Martín. The season was a big success for the team. Márquez scored twelve poles and ten victories, and brought the team its second title in three years.

Grand Prix motorcycle results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Season Class Team Machine No Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Points Drivers
2001 125cc Team Red Devil Honda Honda 36 Mika Kallio JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER
Ret
CZE POR VAL
Ret
PAC AUS MAL RIO 0
2002 125cc Red Devil Honda Honda 36 Mika Kallio JPN
Ret
RSA
12
SPA
5
FRA
8
ITA
Ret
CAT
9
NED
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
9
CZE
10
POR
8
RIO
8
PAC
6
MAL
7
AUS
Ret
VAL
16
11th 78
2003 125cc Ajo Motorsport Honda 8 Masao Azuma JPN
17
RSA
9
SPA
11
FRA
10
ITA
14
CAT
22
NED
Ret
GBR
13
GER
Ret
CZE
13
POR
13
RIO
Ret
PAC
13
MAL
5
AUS
2
VAL
15
16th 64
36 Mika Kallio JPN
11
RSA
7
SPA
16
FRA
Ret
ITA
13
CAT
7
NED
11
GBR
7
GER
10
CZE POR RIO PAC MAL AUS VAL 11th 88
39 Hiroyuki Kikuchi JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE
DNS
POR RIO PAC MAL AUS VAL 0
50 Andrea Ballerini JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE
Ret
POR
Ret
RIO
Ret
PAC
20
MAL
19
AUS
1
VAL
Ret
22nd 25
2004 125cc Ajo Motorsport Honda RS125R 31 Max Sabbatani RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED RIO GER GBR CZE POR JPN QAT
Ret
MAL
Ret
AUS
25
VAL
Ret
0
38 Mikko Kyyhkynen RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT
25
NED
25
RIO
Ret
GER GBR CZE POR JPN QAT MAL AUS VAL 0
52 Lukáš Pešek RSA
20
SPA
Ret
FRA
14
ITA
15
CAT
Ret
NED
Ret
RIO
15
GER
17
GBR
12
CZE
Ret
POR
8
JPN
Ret
QAT
17
MAL
Ret
AUS
12
VAL
Ret
21st 20
69 Robbin Harms RSA
18
SPA
Ret
FRA
Ret
ITA
Ret
CAT NED RIO GER
19
GBR
17
CZE
11
POR
Ret
JPN QAT MAL AUS VAL 30th 5
2005 125cc Ajo Motorsport Honda RS125R 7 Alexis Masbou SPA
Ret
POR
13
CHN
21
FRA
Ret
ITA
10
CAT
Ret
NED
5
GBR
Ret
GER
DSQ
CZE
Ret
JPN
20
MAL
14
QAT
20
AUS
10
TUR
Ret
VAL
Ret
18th 28
71 Tomoyoshi Koyama SPA
Ret
POR
6
CHN
5
FRA
Ret
ITA
5
CAT
5
NED
7
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
CZE
Ret
JPN
4
MAL
10
QAT
14
AUS
2
TUR
3
VAL
6
8th 119
2006 125cc Malaguti Ajo Corse Malaguti 125 7 Alexis Masbou SPA
DNS
QAT
DNS
TUR
20
CHN
Ret
FRA
29
ITA
Ret
CAT
Ret
NED
Ret
GBR GER
25
CZE
23
MAL
DNS
AUS JPN POR VAL 0
40 Nico Vivarelli SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE MAL AUS JPN POR VAL
35
0
71 Tomoyoshi Koyama SPA
12
QAT
15
TUR
9
CHN
9
FRA
13
ITA
15
CAT
DNS
NED GBR GER
15
CZE
16
MAL
Ret
AUS
12
JPN
7
POR
6
VAL
14
15th 49
73 Kazuya Otani SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE MAL AUS JPN
Ret
POR
28
VAL 0
90 Hiroaki Kuzuhara SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED
28
GBR
26
GER CZE MAL AUS JPN POR VAL 29th 1
95 Georg Fröhlich SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED GBR
32
GER CZE MAL AUS JPN POR VAL 0
2007 125cc Ajo Motorsport Derbi 60 Michael Ranseder QAT
13
SPA
9
TUR
12
CHN
7
FRA
14
ITA
11
CAT
10
GBR
20
NED
9
GER
10
CZE
8
RSM
10
POR
Ret
JPN
9
AUS
22
MAL
Ret
VAL
13
12th 73
95 Robert Mureșan QAT
Ret
SPA
18
TUR
22
CHN
26
FRA
23
ITA
19
CAT
24
GBR
16
NED
Ret
GER
17
CZE
Ret
RSM
29
POR
23
JPN
Ret
AUS
DNQ
MAL
23
VAL
22
0
2008 125cc Ajo Motorsport Derbi 63 Mike Di Meglio QAT
4
SPA
9
POR
7
CHN
2
FRA
1
ITA
4
CAT
1
GBR
2
NED
7
GER
1
CZE
2
RSM
Ret
IND
10
JPN
2
AUS
1
MAL
5
VAL
3
1st 264
77 Dominique Aegerter QAT
17
SPA
8
POR
12
CHN
17
FRA
23
ITA
24
CAT
12
GBR
19
NED
16
GER
10
CZE
14
RSM
8
IND
11
JPN
19
AUS
Ret
MAL
8
VAL
Ret
16th 45
Ajo Motorsports
Junior Project
84 Robert Gull QAT SPA POR CHN FRA ITA CAT GBR NED
27
GER CZE RSM IND JPN AUS MAL VAL 0
2009 125cc Ajo Interwetten Derbi 11 Sandro Cortese QAT
3
JPN
6
SPA
6
FRA
12
ITA
10
CAT
9
NED
Ret
GER
6
GBR
Ret
CZE
6
IND
18
RSM
5
POR
2
AUS
3
MAL
6
VAL
8
6th 130
77 Dominique Aegerter QAT
11
JPN
9
SPA
9
FRA
6
ITA
19
CAT
20
NED
13
GER
9
GBR
8
CZE
18
IND
10
RSM
15
POR
8
AUS
12
MAL
14
VAL
11
13th 70.5
Ajo Motorsport Honda 81 Eeki Kuparinen QAT JPN SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER
Ret
GBR CZE IND RSM POR AUS MAL VAL 0
2010 125cc Red Bull
Ajo Motorsport
Derbi 11 Sandro Cortese QAT
5
SPA
11
FRA
6
ITA
Ret
GBR
6
NED
5
CAT
4
GER
3
CZE
16
IND
2
RSM
5
ARA
5
JPN
12
MAL
6
AUS
Ret
POR
Ret
VAL
5
7th 143
Aprilia 26 Adrián Martín QAT
20
SPA
13
FRA
15
ITA
WD
GBR
16
NED
16
CAT
11
GER
Ret
CZE
11
IND
Ret
RSM
15
ARA
11
JPN
9
MAL
13
AUS
11
POR
Ret
VAL
Ret
15th 35
Derbi 93 Marc Márquez QAT
3
SPA
Ret
FRA
3
ITA
1
GBR
1
NED
1
CAT
1
GER
1
CZE
7
IND
10
RSM
1
ARA
Ret
JPN
1
MAL
1
AUS
1
POR
1
VAL
4
1st 310
2011 125cc Avant-AirAsia-Ajo Derbi 5 Johann Zarco QAT
6
SPA
3
POR
3
FRA
5
CAT
6
GBR
2
NED
5
ITA
2
GER
2
CZE
2
IND
5
RSM
2
ARA
2
JPN
1
AUS
3
MAL
3
VAL
Ret
2nd 262
7 Efrén Vázquez QAT
4
SPA
9
POR
6
FRA
3
CAT
5
GBR
5
NED
7
ITA
4
GER
Ret
CZE
Ret
IND
6
RSM
3
ARA
4
JPN
Ret
AUS
4
MAL
11
VAL
4
7th 160
63 Zulfahmi Khairuddin QAT
19
SPA
10
POR
11
FRA
19
CAT
Ret
GBR
18
NED
14
ITA
18
GER
24
CZE
9
IND
19
RSM
27
ARA
Ret
JPN
15
AUS
20
MAL
7
VAL
25
18th 30
Red Bull
Ajo Motorsport
Aprilia 52 Danny Kent QAT
13
SPA
4
POR
15
FRA
17
CAT
11
GBR
10
NED
6
ITA
15
GER
9
CZE
Ret
IND
13
RSM
6
ARA
6
JPN
9
AUS
22
MAL
10
VAL
17
11th 82
94 Jonas Folger QAT
5
SPA
2
POR
5
FRA
6
CAT
3
GBR
1
NED
8
ITA
Ret
GER
7
CZE
DNS
IND
9
RSM
9
ARA
10
JPN
6
AUS
Ret
MAL
6
VAL
5
6th 161
2012 Moto3 Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 11 Sandro Cortese QAT
3
SPA
3
POR
1
FRA
6
CAT
2
GBR
3
NED
2
GER
1
ITA
3
IND
2
CZE
3
RSM
1
ARA
2
JPN
6
MAL
1
AUS
1
VAL
2
1st 325
52 Danny Kent QAT
8
SPA
Ret
POR
8
FRA
Ret
CAT
20
GBR
6
NED
3
GER
Ret
ITA
5
IND
12
CZE
7
RSM
12
ARA
4
JPN
1
MAL
6
AUS
5
VAL
1
4th 154
61 Arthur Sissis QAT
7
SPA
Ret
POR
13
FRA
5
CAT
22
GBR
8
NED
16
GER
9
ITA
Ret
IND
11
CZE
14
RSM
10
ARA
9
JPN
11
MAL
11
AUS
3
VAL
19
12th 84
AirAsia-SIC-Ajo 63 Zulfahmi Khairuddin QAT
6
SPA
10
POR
4
FRA
Ret
CAT
8
GBR
9
NED
11
GER
6
ITA
9
IND
6
CZE
Ret
RSM
11
ARA
Ret
JPN
5
MAL
2
AUS
Ret
VAL
3
7th 128
2013 Moto3 Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 39 Luis Salom QAT
1
AME
3
SPA
2
FRA
3
ITA
1
CAT
1
NED
1
GER
2
IND
5
CZE
1
GBR
1
RSM
4
ARA
4
MAL
1
AUS
3
JPN
Ret
VAL
14
3rd 302
61 Arthur Sissis QAT
8
AME
12
SPA
12
FRA
13
ITA
18
CAT
10
NED
8
GER
10
IND
6
CZE
14
GBR
24
RSM
15
ARA
9
MAL
19
AUS
16
JPN
16
VAL
18
15th 59
63 Zulfahmi Khairuddin QAT
6
AME
7
SPA
7
FRA
Ret
ITA
11
CAT
9
NED
17
GER
16
IND
7
CZE
15
GBR
20
RSM
6
ARA
Ret
MAL
DNS
AUS
11
JPN
Ret
VAL
13
12th 68
Touchline–SIC–AJO 79 Aizat Malik QAT AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER IND CZE GBR RSM ARA MAL
Ret
AUS JPN VAL 0
80 Hafiq Azmi QAT AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER IND CZE GBR RSM ARA MAL
Ret
AUS JPN VAL 0
2014 Moto3 Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 8 Jack Miller QAT
1
AME
1
ARG
3
SPA
4
FRA
1
ITA
Ret
CAT
4
NED
Ret
GER
1
IND
3
CZE
5
GBR
6
RSM
3
ARA
27
JPN
5
AUS
1
MAL
2
VAL
1
2nd 276
98 Karel Hanika QAT
14
AME
10
ARG
Ret
SPA
19
FRA
Ret
ITA
10
CAT
14
NED
Ret
GER
Ret
IND
13
CZE
15
GBR
12
RSM
Ret
ARA
23
JPN
12
AUS
13
MAL
9
VAL
10
18th 44
SIC–AJO 38 Hafiq Azmi QAT
Ret
AME
24
ARG
16
SPA
24
FRA
16
ITA
Ret
CAT
Ret
NED
29
GER
18
IND
24
CZE
28
GBR
20
RSM
23
ARA
19
JPN
18
AUS
18
MAL
13
VAL
23
28th 3
88 Hafiza Rofa QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER IND CZE GBR RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL
20
VAL NC 0
Avant Tecno
Husqvarna Ajo
Husqvarna 31 Niklas Ajo QAT
26
AME
14
ARG
8
SPA
10
FRA
Ret
ITA
5
CAT
8
NED
Ret
GER IND
Ret
CZE
12
GBR
10
RSM
Ret
ARA
25
JPN
Ret
AUS
9
MAL
Ret
VAL
Ret
15th 52
91 Gabriel Rodrigo QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER
22
IND CZE GBR RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL NC 0
Red Bull
Husqvarna Ajo
52 Danny Kent QAT
13
AME
8
ARG
9
SPA
11
FRA
13
ITA
15
CAT
17
NED
8
GER
5
IND
12
CZE
3
GBR
9
RSM
12
ARA
3
JPN
6
AUS
20
MAL
4
VAL
4
8th 129
2015 Moto2 Ajo Motorsport Kalex 5 Johann Zarco QAT
8
AME
2
ARG
1
SPA
2
FRA
3
ITA
2
CAT
1
NED
1
GER
2
IND
2
CZE
1
GBR
1
RSM
1
ARA
6
JPN
1
AUS
7
MAL
1
VAL
7
1st 352
Moto3 Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 41 Brad Binder QAT
10
AME
5
ARG
5
SPA
3
FRA
Ret
ITA
10
CAT
9
NED
7
GER
7
IND
8
CZE
3
GBR
Ret
RSM
5
ARA
Ret
JPN
17
AUS
3
MAL
2
VAL
4
6th 159
44 Miguel Oliveira QAT
16
AME
Ret
ARG
4
SPA
2
FRA
8
ITA
1
CAT
5
NED
1
GER
DNS
IND
15
CZE
8
GBR
13
RSM
2
ARA
1
JPN
2
AUS
1
MAL
1
VAL
1
2nd 254
98 Karel Hanika QAT
13
AME
10
ARG
7
SPA
22
FRA
20
ITA
28
CAT
Ret
NED
8
GER
13
IND
12
CZE
26
GBR
Ret
RSM
21
ARA
Ret
JPN
8
AUS
14
MAL
Ret
VAL
Ret
18th 43
2016 Moto2 Ajo Motorsport Kalex 5 Johann Zarco QAT
12
ARG
1
AME
3
SPA
5
FRA
24
ITA
1
CAT
1
NED
2
GER
1
AUT
1
CZE
11
GBR
22
RSM
4
ARA
8
JPN
2
AUS
12
MAL
1
VAL
1
1st 276
45 Tetsuta Nagashima QAT
ARG
AME
SPA
FRA
ITA
CAT
NED
GER
AUT
CZE
GBR
RSM
ARA
23
JPN
14
AUS
MAL
VAL
32nd 2

References

  1. "Triumphant Johann Zarco lifts Moto2 world title". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
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