dutch rider collin veijer claims stunning pole in jerez

2026-04-25 sport

Jerez, zaterdag, 25 april 2026.
collin veijer has made history at the spanish grand prix in jerez. the 21-year-old dutch racer secured his first-ever pole position in the moto2 class. he clocked a blistering 1:39.101, narrowly edging out alex escrig by just 0.057 seconds. this marks the first time a dutch rider has claimed pole in moto2 in 35 years. wilco zeelenberg last achieved the feat in 1991. veijer rides for red bull ktm ajo and delivered under pressure in a tightly contested session. grey skies loomed but didn’t stop him from posting the fastest lap. teammate barry baltus qualified eighth. fans across the netherlands are celebrating the breakthrough. veijer feels confident ahead of sunday’s race. he says the bike’s speed is strong. this performance cements his rising status in the championship. all eyes now turn to the main event.

historic pole for veijer in jerez

Collin Veijer claimed his first Moto2 pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez on 25 April 2026 [nu.nl]. The 21-year-old Dutch rider recorded a lap time of 1:39.101, making him the fastest qualifier [racesport.nl]. He edged out Spain’s Álex Escrig by 0.057 seconds, who posted a time of 1:39.158 [ad.nl][gpblog.com]. This marked the first time a Dutch rider secured pole in the Moto2 class in 35 years, since Wilco Zeelenberg achieved the feat in 1991 [nu.nl][ad.nl]. Veijer competes for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team.

qualifying drama and competition

The qualifying session saw intense competition among riders [motomatters.com]. Manuel González completed the front row with a time of 1:39.196, just 0.095 seconds behind Veijer [racesport.nl][motomatters.com]. Despite grey cloud cover affecting visibility, track conditions remained manageable [motomatters.com]. Late yellow flags disrupted several riders’ attempts, including David Alonso, who ended up sixth overall [motomatters.com]. Senna Agius and Alonso López occupied fourth and fifth positions respectively, both within 0.155 seconds of pole [gpblog.com][motomatters.com].

teammates and penalties

Barry Baltus, Veijer’s teammate at Red Bull KTM Ajo, qualified eighth with a time of 1:39.433 [racesport.nl][motomatters.com]. He finished 0.332 seconds behind Veijer [gpblog.com]. Zonta van den Goorbergh struggled during qualifying, ending up 22nd after failing to advance from Q1 [racesport.nl]. Izan Guevara faced a three-place grid penalty due to a practice infringement, dropping him from ninth to twelfth despite recording a 1:39.629 [motomatters.com]. Sergio García crashed early in Q2, limiting him to 18th on the grid [motomatters.com].

context and significance

This pole position represents a significant milestone for Dutch motorcycle racing [nu.nl]. Prior to Veijer, no Dutch rider had taken pole in the intermediate class since 1991 [bikesportnews.com]. His best previous result in Moto2 was a second-place finish in Portugal in 2025 [ad.nl]. Veijer previously placed third in the 2024 Moto3 championship before moving up to Moto2 [gpblog.com]. Experts consider this achievement a potential stepping stone toward a future MotoGP seat [gpblog.com]. Fans celebrated the accomplishment widely through social media platforms such as Instagram [brake.gp].

race preview and outlook

The main Moto2 race is scheduled for Sunday, 26 April 2026 at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto [racesport.nl]. Weather forecasts suggest continued variable conditions, potentially influencing race strategy [motomatters.com]. Veijer expressed confidence following qualification, citing strong bike performance and personal readiness [ad.nl]. “I have much confidence,” he stated via official MotoGP channels [ad.nl]. With consistent point finishes in the season’s opening rounds, Veijer aims to convert his qualifying success into a podium result [gpblog.com].

Bronnen

Collin Veijer Moto2