Dutch Moto2 rider Collin Veijer will start from the 14th position on the grid for the Tissot Grand Prix of the Netherlands at the TT Circuit Assen on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider initially qualified 15th but moved up one spot after Dani Muñoz was disqualified.
Veijer, 20, struggled during the Q2 session held in extreme heat, with air temperatures reaching 34°C and track temperatures hitting 47°C.
He posted a lap time of 1'35.831, well off his personal best of 1'35.793 set in second practice, where he finished sixth.
"I am not really satisfied with today," Veijer said. "The plan was good, only the first laps did not go as we expected.
During the second run it was very difficult to sharpen my lap time even further."
Despite the setback, Veijer remains motivated by the support of his home fans. "Tomorrow we are going to give everything for the home crowd," he said.
"I know that we have the speed here and I will do everything I can to ride a strong race."
Veijer is currently 11th in the World Championship standings and is managing a shoulder injury sustained from multiple crashes at the Grand Prix of the Americas.
He is undergoing physical therapy and taking painkillers, avoiding surgery that would sideline him for eight months.
"I have had the shoulder out of the socket, there is some damage around it and that does not go away by itself," Veijer explained.
"There is a lot of pressure on the shoulder. Now we have the right medication to strengthen."
He noted the physical toll: "The shoulder is much thicker on the right than on the left. It is important to keep up the physiotherapy."
Veijer emphasized a patient approach to his career, focusing on consistent points rather than immediate podiums. "If you only focus on a podium, it won't come," he said.
"We are working hard to get it right and it is going in the right direction."
He reminded that he is only in his second year in Moto2, while many competitors have four to six years of experience.
"It would be nice if everyone gave it some time," he added.
Fellow Dutch rider Zonta van den Goorbergh qualified 20th for the race. He has scored points in his last three races and is optimistic about his progress.
"The last three races I have taken points for the World Championship," Van den Goorbergh said.
"We are not where we want to be yet, but it is going in the right direction.
We are now fighting for positions between 15th and 10th, and that should become between 12th and 8th, and then towards the top positions."
He credited his two new technicians for helping him improve. "That has taken some adjustment, but now it clicks very well.
It helps me become a better rider on the track."
Van den Goorbergh noted the tight competition in Moto2: "Everything is extremely close together. Maybe there is still an outlier this year."
