Ajo Motorsport
Encyclopedia
Ajo Motorsport is a Finnish
team competing in the 125cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing
, in the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix and in the Spanish and European championships. The team's leader is former racer Aki Ajo. The team debuted in 2001 and took its first win in 2003. Ajo Motorsport won the 125cc world championship with Mike di Meglio
in 2008 and with Marc Márquez
in 2010.
in 2001, where the team entered Mika Kallio
as a wildcard
rider. The team and Kallio also took part in the competition in Valencia later in the year. The team's bikes were labelled with the Honda
brand name, even though the engine
s were supplied by Ajo. 2002 was the first season in which Ajo was a regular competitor in the World Championship, with Kallio as their main rider. Their best result that season was fifth place in Jerez, and Kallio was named "Rookie of the Year", beating riders such as Andrea Dovizioso
and Jorge Lorenzo
.
In 2003, the team expanded to two bikes, with Kallio being joined by the Japanese
competitor Masao Azuma
. Kallio then left the team in August after receiving an offer from KTM
. He was replaced by Andrea Ballerini
. In Australia, the team achieved a 1-2 victory, with Ballerini in first place and Azuma in second. Ajo attributed a large portion of their success to the combination of wet conditions and Bridgestone
tyres, which are optimal for damp weather. For the 2004 season, the team had two new riders in Lukáš Pešek
and Danish Robbin Harms. The season was a disappointing one for Ajo, as Pešek crashed repeatedly and as Harms suffered several injuries. Pešek moved to the Derbi
team for the next season.
Japanese Tomoyoshi Koyama
and French Alexis Masbou
were Ajo's riders in the 2005 season. Koyama won the "Rookie of the Year" title, the team's second in four years. His best results were second place in Australia and third in Turkey; in overall standings he held eighth place. The team kept the same riders for the following year but obtained new bikes from Malaguti
. Both riders suffered many injuries which affected their season. Masbou was only able to ride eight races and didn't score any points. Koyama's best result was sixth in Estoril, and he ended in 15th place in the championship standings. In 2007, the team raced with Derbi
bikes, driven by Michael Ranseder
and Robert Muresan
. Ranseder finished in the points 13 times, while Muresan failed to score.
Ajo Motorsport continued with Derbi for the 2008 season
, with Mike di Meglio
and Dominique Aegerter
as their riders. di Meglio won four races (France, Catalonia, Germany and Australia) and clinched the world championship in Australia, two races before the end of the season. Aegerter finished eighth twice. Sandro Cortese
accompanied Dominique Aegerter
in 2009
. The team scored several podiums this season but didn't manage to win any races. In the 2010 season
, Ajo Motorsport fielded Marc Márquez
, Sandro Cortese
and Adrián Martín
. The season was a big success for the team. Márquez scored twelve poles and ten victories, and brought the team its second title in three years.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
team competing in the 125cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
, in the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix and in the Spanish and European championships. The team's leader is former racer Aki Ajo. The team debuted in 2001 and took its first win in 2003. Ajo Motorsport won the 125cc world championship with Mike di Meglio
Mike Di Meglio
Mike Di Meglio is a French Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and 2008 world champion in the 125cc class. Of Italian descent, his paternal grandfather was born in Lentini ....
in 2008 and with Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alenta is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and is the 125cc World Champion.-125cc World Championship:...
in 2010.
History
The team's debut at a world championship race was at SachsenringSachsenring
The Sachsenring racing circuit is located in Hohenstein-Ernstthal near Chemnitz in Saxony, Germany. Among other events, it features the annual German motorcycle Grand Prix of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship.- History :...
in 2001, where the team entered Mika Kallio
Mika Kallio
Mika Kallio is a Finnish Grand Prix motorcycle racer. He debuted in the 125cc World Championship with the Finnish rookie team Ajo Motorsport in 2001 and was awarded the "Rookie of the Year" in 2002...
as a wildcard
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
rider. The team and Kallio also took part in the competition in Valencia later in the year. The team's bikes were labelled with the Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
brand name, even though the engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s were supplied by Ajo. 2002 was the first season in which Ajo was a regular competitor in the World Championship, with Kallio as their main rider. Their best result that season was fifth place in Jerez, and Kallio was named "Rookie of the Year", beating riders such as Andrea Dovizioso
Andrea Dovizioso
Andrea Dovizioso is a professional motorcycle road racer. He won the 125cc World Championship in 2004.-125cc:...
and Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero , is a Spanish professional motorcycle road racer. He is the 2006 and 2007 250cc World Champion, and the MotoGP World Champion...
.
In 2003, the team expanded to two bikes, with Kallio being joined by the Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
competitor Masao Azuma
Masao Azuma
Masao Azuma was a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who competed in the 125cc class from 1996 to 2003. During his eight years in the 125 class he rode exclusively for Honda and used Bridgestone tyres for six of those years...
. Kallio then left the team in August after receiving an offer from KTM
KTM
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen...
. He was replaced by Andrea Ballerini
Andrea Ballerini
Andrea Ballerini is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.Ballerini was born in Florence. In 2001, he won the European 125cc road racing championship. His best year in the world championships was in 2002 when he finished in 18th place in the 125cc world championship...
. In Australia, the team achieved a 1-2 victory, with Ballerini in first place and Azuma in second. Ajo attributed a large portion of their success to the combination of wet conditions and Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
tyres, which are optimal for damp weather. For the 2004 season, the team had two new riders in Lukáš Pešek
Lukáš Pešek
Lukáš Pešek is Czech motorcycle racer. He is currently competing in the 250cc Grand Prix World Championship....
and Danish Robbin Harms. The season was a disappointing one for Ajo, as Pešek crashed repeatedly and as Harms suffered several injuries. Pešek moved to the Derbi
Derbi
Derbi is a brand of motorcycles, scooters, and recreational ATVs produced by Nacional Motor S.A.U., a Spanish subsidiary of Piaggio & Co...
team for the next season.
Japanese Tomoyoshi Koyama
Tomoyoshi Koyama
is a professional motorcycle road racer who currently races in the Spanish Moto2 Championship. After competing in Grand Prix races as a wild card since 2000, he joined the series full-time in 2005, with Ajo Motorsport. His best result of the season was 2nd at Phillip Island, and he also was best...
and French Alexis Masbou
Alexis Masbou
Alexis Masbou is a French motorcycle rider who last competed in the 125cc world championship. Before he reached the world championship he was joining the CDM French motorsport school. He started racing in the 50cc French class in 2001. From 2002 he stepped up to the national 125cc class. He was...
were Ajo's riders in the 2005 season. Koyama won the "Rookie of the Year" title, the team's second in four years. His best results were second place in Australia and third in Turkey; in overall standings he held eighth place. The team kept the same riders for the following year but obtained new bikes from Malaguti
Malaguti
Malaguti is a family-owned Italian scooter and motorcycle company based in San Lazzaro di Savena, founded by Antonino Malaguti in 1930.-History:...
. Both riders suffered many injuries which affected their season. Masbou was only able to ride eight races and didn't score any points. Koyama's best result was sixth in Estoril, and he ended in 15th place in the championship standings. In 2007, the team raced with Derbi
Derbi
Derbi is a brand of motorcycles, scooters, and recreational ATVs produced by Nacional Motor S.A.U., a Spanish subsidiary of Piaggio & Co...
bikes, driven by Michael Ranseder
Michael Ranseder
Michael Ranseder is an Austrian motorcycle racer who participates in motorcycle Grand Prix race. He first appeared in the race in 2004.- External links :* Yahoo * The Official MotoGP Website...
and Robert Muresan
Robert Muresan
Robert Mureşan, born 22 March 1991 in Arad, Romania, is a Romanian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.-Early years:* 2001: national champion on juniors III class* 2002: national runner-up on juniors II class* 2003: national champion on 125cmc class...
. Ranseder finished in the points 13 times, while Muresan failed to score.
Ajo Motorsport continued with Derbi for the 2008 season
2008 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2008 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 60th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-MotoGP:The MotoGP class opened with the historic Qatar Grand Prix, the first night race held in the World Championship history...
, with Mike di Meglio
Mike Di Meglio
Mike Di Meglio is a French Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and 2008 world champion in the 125cc class. Of Italian descent, his paternal grandfather was born in Lentini ....
and Dominique Aegerter
Dominique Aegerter
Dominique Aegerter , is a Swiss Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, currently competing in the 125cc World Championship.Aegerter started his career in motocross...
as their riders. di Meglio won four races (France, Catalonia, Germany and Australia) and clinched the world championship in Australia, two races before the end of the season. Aegerter finished eighth twice. Sandro Cortese
Sandro Cortese
Alessandro "Sandro" Cortese is a German motorcycle racer, currently competing in the 125cc Grand Prix World Championship, having contested every race since his Grand Prix début in...
accompanied Dominique Aegerter
Dominique Aegerter
Dominique Aegerter , is a Swiss Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, currently competing in the 125cc World Championship.Aegerter started his career in motocross...
in 2009
2009 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2009 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 61st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Valentino Rossi won his sixth MotoGP title, seventh in the top class and ninth title in total after getting the better of team-mate Jorge Lorenzo in a season-long battle...
. The team scored several podiums this season but didn't manage to win any races. In the 2010 season
2010 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2010 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 62nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. It was the first season for the new Moto2 class....
, Ajo Motorsport fielded Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alenta is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and is the 125cc World Champion.-125cc World Championship:...
, Sandro Cortese
Sandro Cortese
Alessandro "Sandro" Cortese is a German motorcycle racer, currently competing in the 125cc Grand Prix World Championship, having contested every race since his Grand Prix début in...
and Adrián Martín
Adrian Martin
Dr. Adrian Martin is an Australian film and arts critic from Melbourne. Dr. Martin is Associate Professor, Co-Director of the Research Unit in Film Culture and Theory and Head of Film and Television Studies at Monash University...
. The season was a big success for the team. Márquez scored twelve poles and ten victories, and brought the team its second title in three years.