Ivan Ortola (KTM): No big deal in third place in the World Championship / Moto3

Whether humility is a virtue from a racing driver’s perspective is debatable. Either way, Ivan Ortola, who is currently in a very promising third place in the Moto3 World Championship standings, is not one of those riders who pushes himself forward. Ivan Ortola is no slouch – at least that’s what it seems when you watch the 19-year-old in the paddock. He doesn’t seem shy – but you can tell the young Spaniard has learned how to live. Like a good schoolboy, he followed the instructions of a group of photographers during the season opener, while the rest of the Moto2 guys pretended to be in the stadium.

The situation looks very different on the racetrack. Like many of his peers, the athlete from Valencia transforms into a ferocious dog that spares no enemy when he puts on his helmet. Like many current GP stars, Ivan Ortola also comes from the Red Bull Rookies Cup. It seems as if the student listened very carefully to teachers like Gustl Auinger. Concentrated, friendly, but reserved in analysis and in dealing with the paddock – aggressive, brave but controlled on the throttle of his racing machine.

It was already clear from the beginning that Ivan Ortola could be a good racing driver. Because without a confident performance in the European Talent Cup (ETC), the starting point for Red Bull Rookies would be difficult. Ortola accomplished this from 2020. He finished the series in third place in the first race. Despite finishing fourth in the following season, basic training was more than complete. At the age of 17, the MTA team entered the youngest class of the world championship. There was always Mom and Dad Ortola, who were actually responsible for the actual work of basic human training to become smart runners.

The first GP season was unremarkable, but a milestone like sixth place in the Aragon race ensured that he stayed at MTA-KTM. Success will come in 2023. Since the beginning of the year, Ivan Ortola has been consistently at the top. He does not sit on the podium for long. In the third race (Austin) took his first win and had a rare victory to finish the next race on the podium. In a short time, the event is talking about the new hero and favorite of the World Cup.

But it wasn’t until the end of the season that Ivan Ortola returned to the stage (3rd Valencia). With a sixth place in the World Cup in a closely contested field of young professionals and good consistency throughout the season, Ortola has established himself as a potential World Cup winner. Teo Martin, MT Helmets-MSi team boss, steps up and signs Ivan Ortola as successor to Moto2 newcomer Diogo Moreira.

The chemistry seems to be fine. With a driving mind, Ortola finished third in Portugal and is now behind Dani Holgado and David Alonso in the World Cup after the start of the season. The experienced Moto3 racer now looks set to focus on the highlights, working with his KTM and the competition.