Miguel Oliveira takes Jack Miller’s Moto3 KTM ride for 2015
Red Bull KTM Ajo and KTM Racing confirm the signing of Miguel Oliveira to race with the factory team in the Moto3 World Championship season 2015. Oliveira takes over the ride of Australia’s Jack Miller in the team.
The Portuguese rider follows an elite group of top KTM Moto3 riders into the competition. The 2012 and 2013 Moto3 World Champions, Sandro Cortese of Germany and Spain’s Maverick Vinales both claimed their titles on the KTM RC 250GP machine. Luis Salom, Miller’s predecessor in the factory team, was the leading race winner last season.
Oliveira is already a three-season veteran of Moto3 and will race under Aki Ajo, one of the most respected team managers in the Moto3 paddock. Already a popular sports figure popular at home in Portugal, Oliveira has one Moto3 podium second, three podium thirds and one pole position to his name.
Factory team manager Aki Ajo described Oliveira as “one of the biggest talents in the paddock” and pledged to work with him and the team’s partners to achieve the best results.
Oliveira: “I’m very happy to be joining such a professional a group as Red Bull KTM Ajo and I think that this move will allow me to fight for the top positions next season. I’m very happy to be riding as part of this (team) structure, backed by a big factory like KTM and representing companies like Red Bull and the other big partners. It is an honour for me.”
Pit Beirer, Head of KTM Motorsport said KTM was looking forward to seeing how Oliveira develops as a factory rider in 2015, adding that he expected him to do well under Aki Ajo and his expert team while wishing Miller the best of luck with his move to MotoGP.
Beirer: “We welcome Jack’s move straight up to MotoGP. He has shown us what potential he has under Aki Ajo’s leadership and we wish him all the best for his future career in MotoGP. Now his job is to work hard in Moto3 for the rest of the 2014 season to get a great result for KTM and the factory team.”
Miller follows in the footsteps of other outstanding riders who spent formative early racing years as KTM factory riders, namely double MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner of Australia and Spain’s Mark Marquez, who at 21 has already claimed world titles in all three classes. Miller said he was aware that it was a ‘big jump’ into MotoGP and added he would take a step-by-step approach.
Jack Miller: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank KTM, Red Bull and Ajo Motorsport for the opportunity that they have given me this season in Moto3. I am extremely grateful to them, because without this excellent team this huge step in my sporting career would not have been possible. In the meantime, just like it has been throughout this year, my sole focus continues to be the Moto3 World Championship. Together with these partners, I will give my all to fight to bring home the title for KTM; it’s the least that I can do to thank them for their great work this season.”
- Related Link – Jack Miller’s move to MotoGP officially confirmed
