KTM will "fight" to retain Tech3 as satellite MotoGP team

3 hours ago 2

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KTM’s motorsport chief Pit Beirer says the Austrian manufacturer will fight to keep Tech3 within its stable for MotoGP’s 850cc era next year.

The French squad has been racing the KTM RC16s since 2019, when it ended a long-term association with Yamaha in favour of factory-spec machinery from the Austrian manufacturer.

However, Tech3 is currently debating whether to stay as KTM’s satellite team in 2027 or join forces with Honda, which is interested in expanding its presence to six bikes again.

The discussions follow ownership changes in both organisation. A consortium led by former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner bought Tech3 last September, just months after Bajaj Auto taking over full control of KTM, which was battling insolvency at that time.

Beirer stressed that it is important for KTM to keep four bikes on the grid at the start of a major regulation change in MotoGP.

“I think the project is much stronger if you have four bikes instead of two. But it's a new ownership and Guenther is coming in, and he said from the beginning, I want to take my time: ‘Don't push me, don't rush me. I will take my time to understand the game a bit better and listen to all options’, and that's a fair deal.

“But we also definitely fight for them. We want to keep them with us because I feel we would be stronger together. Also, that's something we are working on. The better we can perform on track…

“We are working on it. Don't ask me if I'm confident because that could hurt me. I should never be too confident. But we work really hard to bring boys on the podium and to keep Tech 3 with us.”

Pit Beirer, Motorsport Director of KTM

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

Motorsport.com reported earlier this week that Tech3 is now set to extend its relationship with KTM into the 850cc era, having flirted with the possibility of a switch to Honda machinery.

Any decision regarding Tech3’s factory partner would also have repercussions on the team’s rider line-up, with KTM having an option to renew its deals with both Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales.

Bastianini was initially tipped with a move to Gresini Ducati, while Vinales was in line for a promotion to the factory squad until a previous injury derailed his campaign. The works KTM squad now appears to have locked in VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio to partner the incoming Alex Marquez next season, closing the door for Vinales. Brad Binder, who has been with KTM his entire career, could be booted out of the programme altogether.

Beirer stressed that KTM has to conclude a new deal with Tech3 before it can finalise its line-up for 2027.

“The only thing that is putting us under pressure to make a quick decision is the team,” he said. “If we don't have a team, we don't need to hire riders.

“So it's not that we want to hire them or we want to use the options against them. We want to get the team on our side and then decide our riders, but we will also not hold the rider down who is not happy to stay.

Maverick Vinales, Red Bull KTM Tech 3

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

“So, it's not like we have the option and we want to nail them down. But we also don't want to give this option away today until we are clear about the team. So, let us fix the deal with the team.

“We want to bring Maverick back in form and also we want to bring Enea where he belongs to because we haven't delivered yet. It didn't click. He's becoming better and better. If he's becoming better and he can perform like he should perform, maybe he doesn't want to leave.

“I want to work on the performance and be a great partner for them, but I think very soon you're going to see some decisions happening.”