Collin Veijer’s spine-tingling story: from family bereavements to Rueda, so many emotions with his first Moto2 podium

The tragic death of his cousin Sid, just 7 years old, in a motorcycle accident last January. The injury that marked his season. Another devastating loss, of another little cousin just a week ago. The memory of the terrible crash in Malaysia. Collin Veijer was overflowing with emotion in parc fermé after his first Moto2 podium—indeed, we could call it a near win, as he led for long stretches of the Portuguese GP and finished just 90 thousandths behind winner Moreira.

“I don’t really know what to say, it’s been a roller-coaster season,” he said on the spot in parc fermé. He then explained why. “At the start of the year I lost my cousin in an accident, then everything that happened with the injury. I lost another young cousin from my mother’s side a week ago: this result is clearly for them.” It truly hasn’t been an easy season for Collin Veijer: beyond the already challenging step from Moto3 to Moto2, there were also off-track worries. Above all, the devastating family losses that struck his family, which also gave the young Dutch rider extra motivation—never as fast as he was in the just-finished Portuguese GP.

There’s also a thought for his teammate and future stablemate, José Antonio Rueda, fortunately recovering—like Noah Dettwiler—after the big scare in Sepang. “I want to say hi to him and I hope he comes back soon, we miss you a lot in the team.” Right after this interview with motogp.com there was a beautiful moment: a video call with Rueda himself through one of the team members’ phones. Alonso also briefly came over to greet his compatriot. As mentioned, next year Rueda, the Moto3 champion, will move up to Moto2 right alongside the confirmed Collin Veijer, once he’s completed his long recovery. Thankfully, after what happened in Sepang, we can underline that this story has a happy ending.