Aki Ajo presides over the destiny of the eponymous structure Ajo Motorsport which can boast of an essential position in Moto3 and Moto2. Titles and victories have been acquired and are still being obtained under the aegis of the solid and discreet Finn who flies the colors of KTM and Red Bull. Partners who allow him to be where he is but who also force him to stay there. By that, mean that the posh Ajo Motorsport has never been seen in MotoGP. But if you listen carefully to Aki Ajo, you shouldn't despair that this will happen one day...
Aki Ajo is a happy boss given the track record of his troops. But there is a feeling of unfinished business... Thus, his colors carried towards the title of world champion Mike Di Meglio, Marc Márquez, Sandra Cortese et Brad Binder. His team won 96 Grand Prix victories and more than 50% of the 110 victories of KTM, not counting a total of 196 places on the podium.
The Red Bull-KTM-Ajo team also achieved five Grand Prix successes during the 2020 season with Raul Fernandez (Moto3 / two victories), Tetsuta Nagashima (Moto2 / a victory) and George Martin (Moto2 / two victories), plus eight other places on the podium. With the triple winner in Moto3 James Masia (20 years old) and the talented Peter Acosta Just 16 years old and winner of the 2020 Red Bull Rookies Cup, the Finnish team owner has another powerful pair of Moto3 riders under contract for 2021. In Moto2, he will field the winner from Portugal Remy gardner and the rookie Raul Fernandez.
The state of play is gratifying to say the least but despite all these good results, we have never seen these skills measured in MotoGP. A lack thatAki Ajo says he is ready to fill the gap if the opportunity arises… “ In the past I certainly thought about the MotoGP World Championship », admits Ajo in an interview with speedweek. " However, I am happy with the work we have done with the young drivers in the other two categories. I am happy with the position we have achieved within the KTM Red Bull structure. It is our responsibility to spot talents and develop them for higher tasks and grades. You then go from Moto3 to Moto2 and hopefully from there to MotoGP. We have already achieved this with Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder ».
Aki Ajo is happy but still open to everything
« It is important that we carefully prepare young pilots for these stages. It's an interesting job for me and a great challenge that I really enjoy. We are grateful that our partners KTM and Red Bull have allowed us to work with these young talents for so long ". Certainly, but after these nice courtesies and these great precautions, it is time to get your message across: “ if at some point our partners want to change position and offer us a new job, I am always open to anything. But for now, I'm happy that we are overseeing such a promising young talent project for Moto3 and Moto2 ».
For now, the company Ajo Motorsport focuses on the two small championship classes with around 40 employees. “ We continue the work we started in 2012. We lead the Red Bull KTM teams. But you never know what will happen in the future ».
For the five years from 2022 to 2026, all MotoGP places and contracts for the twelve teams of 24 pilots have been assigned… “ This is why I am not currently dealing with the queen class. But an unforeseen event can happen at any time in this paddock. Sometimes it happens very quickly. And I emphasize: I am happy with what I do ". Happy of course, but perhaps not fulfilled and why not even a little frustrated after reading a Pete Beirer considering a time two more RC16s in MotoGP, but with a structure of Valentino Rossi ...
