Aussie Joel Kelso is one rider who is certain of a place on a grand prix grid in 2025. The 20-year old made a surprise announcement in Italy that he’ll join the Angelus MTA KTM squad in the Moto3 class next year, a team with whom he competed in the Italian Championship after moving to Europe from Australia.

“I’m really excited to join MTA,” Joel Kelso told AMCN. “It’s a great environment and I really get on well with Alessando Tonucci, the team manager.

Joel Kelso currently rides for the BOE team but will move to the Angelus MTA KTM squad in 2025

“We’re going to get on well so I’m excited. I think it’s a step in the right direction and can provide a good year for us next year,” continued Kelso. “The plan is to move up to Moto2 (in 2026), which I think I’ll be more suited to, because I’m faster when I’m running alone. At the moment I’m trying to get stronger in the group battles, and we’ve made a step this year.

“My first team in Europe was with him and I spent a year and a half with his team. We had many successes, three podiums. It’s going to be sad to leave my current team in BOE but happy to join MTA.”

Kelso currently sits in seventh place in the 2024 Moto3 championship after the most recent round in Mugello in which he finished 10th.

WORDS: NEIL MORRISON  PHOTOS : GOLD&GOOSE