Collin Veijer delivered a strong performance in Austria. The LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 rider was Sunday in the Moto3 race at the Red Bull Ring in direct contention for victory and took P5.
When the lights went out on the 4.35-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, a top-class podium battle ensued. Collin Veijer was in the thick of it and at times ahead of the pack. Despite a solid start from third position, the Dutchman lost ground slightly in the first few corners and had to fight his way back from seventh place in the following laps, which he managed to do until the middle of the race.
The 19-year-old Dutchman also closed the gap to the top three on his own, which he attacked very successfully a little later and left behind him. It was not until five laps before the end that championship rival David Alonso overtook Veijer, who had been in the lead until then. However, the latter had other fast rivals in tow, which disrupted the rhythm of the world championship fourth-placed rider for a short time. Veijer tried with all his might to fight back, but he lost too much time due to a weakening front at the entrance to the corner, while Alsonso, Muñoz and Holdagdo fought it out at the front for the eleventh race win of the season. A final attempt to salvage fourth place was unsuccessful and so the youngster finished the Austrian Grand Prix in a strong fifth place with a further eleven championship points.
Collin Veijer, P5 – (+0.303), Moto3 World Championship 2024 – P4 – 142 Points: “Our race performance was not bad, the feeling was okay. I had to close the gap to the front and did my best to catch them. Eventually, I took the lead and then tried to ride at a faster pace. I also tried to find my rhythm and the feeling was still okay. But towards the end of the race, I lost a bit of confidence in the front. So, I had to slow down a bit and was overtaken by the others. Then, however, I couldn’t get back to the front so easily. Overall, the weekend was very strong again, so I’m very confident that we can do a good job in Aragon.”
