MADRID, 12 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team will have as riders for the 2024 World Championship the Turkish Deniz Öncü, who was promoted from the Moto3 team, and the Italian Celestino Vietti and thus dispenses with the Spaniards Albert Arenas and the current leader of the category Pedro Acosta, who is thus approaching the premier class of MotoGP.
“Red Bull KTM Ajo will bring together a talented duo for the 2024 season. The experience of Italian rider Celestino Vietti and the youth of Deniz Öncü will combine in the next edition of the Moto2 World Championship,” the team announced in a statement.
With this, Pedro Acosta – Moto3 world champion in 2021 – will lose his seat in the KTM Moto2 team, with whom he leads the Championship with a 34-point advantage over Tony Arbolino. Without official confirmation of which team he could join, it seems certain that the one from Mazarrón (Murcia) will move up to MotoGP thanks to his progression.
For now, the truth is that KTM signs Celestino Vietti for 2024 and the new project in Moto2. The 22-year-old Italian driver will face his fourth season in the category and is fighting for the current title, although he is 105 points behind Acosta. In total he has two victories, seven podiums and five pole positions in his Moto2 career.
For his part, Deniz Öncü is enjoying his best season to date in his fourth year in Moto3, achieving the first victory in the category at the German Grand Prix and with 5 podiums – two victories – in the last 7 races .
Öncü is immersed in the battle for the Moto3 title, fourth, 17 points behind leader Dani Holgado. “At 20 years old, Öncü has gone from strength to strength, showing that he is prepared to make the leap to the intermediate category with the team,” highlighted KTM.
“The last few years in Moto2 have been very successful for us and, of course, we have enjoyed working with all these different riders. This year with Pedro and Albert has been very intense and fun,” said team director Aki Ajo.