MotoGP | Official: Tech3 KTM returns with the ace duo Bastianini-Vinales

The challenge to Ducati has been thrown down. If it is true that the Borgo Panigale manufacturer has made a sensational coup, giving life to the “dream team” formed by Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez starting from next season, it certainly cannot be said that its European competitors have been watch.

The Monday after Mugello, Aprilia took world leader Jorge Martin away from the Rossa, who felt betrayed by the choice of the eight-time world champion for the official team of the Bolognese brand and decided to join him for the next two years to the one in Noale, in which he will take the place of his great friend Aleix Espargaro, who had announced his retirement at the end of the year on the occasion of the Catalan Grand Prix.

However, it was KTM that took advantage of the skirmishes between the two Italian brands, which this morning announced its plans in style for its satellite team, the Tech3 team. After two years under the GasGas banner, Hervé Poncharal’s team will return to being KTM in all respects. Indeed, in fact, it will be a second official structure of the Mattighofen company, which will bring four factory version RC16s to the track, all branded Red Bull.

The Austrians, therefore, were not content to promote the rising star Pedro Acosta in their factory structure, alongside the confirmed Brad Binder, who already had a contract, but they decided to strengthen, and in a truly powerful way, that satellite. This morning’s press release, in fact, confirmed the previews that had been given by Motorsport.com, because the driver pair will be made up of Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales.

The Italian rider will conclude a not particularly brilliant two-year period in the official Ducati team, which he joined after finishing third in the 2022 World Championship with an old Gresini Racing GP21, complete with four victories. After taking his first success with Aprilia in Austin this year, becoming the first in the MotoGP era to win with three brands (he had previously done so with Suzuki and Yamaha), Vinales has started a push and pull on the his future with the Italian brand, and the feeling is that the fact of having kept him in the dark about Martin’s signature was the straw that broke the camel’s back in a relationship that was becoming tense.

What is certain is that KTM has put itself in a position to try to attack with a poker of riders a Ducati which, yes, has a super official team, but probably comes away depleted of talent in its satellite structures. And it could even be further because, now that it has lost Vinales, Aprilia could concretely hunt down Marco Bezzecchi, given that CEO Massimo Rivola has never hidden his interest in him. Without forgetting that he could also lose one of his teams, Prima Pramac Racing, which after seeing Martin leave and having seen the opportunity to sign Marc Marquez disappear, could give in to the court of Yamaha.

“We are very happy to have brought both Enea and Maverick into our MotoGP project and to have given them the full backing and support of the factory to continue pursuing their goals and achieving their maximum performance. It is clear that we are talking about two of the riders fastest in the world right now and it’s a compliment that they trust us and the world-class operation we have created together with Red Bull KTM Tech3 The team label for 2025 says it all: it’s time to strengthen the KTM name and we couldn’t think of a better way to bring this kind of value to the company than to have Enea and Maverick go full Red Bull orange. Let’s move forward through the rest of 2024 and then look at this new beginning for next year,” said Pit Beirer, director of KTM Motorsports.

“We are happy to announce that Enea and Maverick will be with us next year and that we have reconverted to KTM. We cannot forget that our first MotoGP victories were achieved in orange! We cannot hide our pride at the fact that these two talented riders have decided to ride our bikes. It is proof that we have followed the right path and that our technology can fight at the top of the championship. We would like to thank Pierer Mobility AG for the quality of its support the highest level this year and I am sure it will continue to grow in the future. We would also like to thank Red Bull for its dedication to our project. We have a clear commitment to victory and that is why Enea and Maverick have decided to join the program “, added Nicolas Goyon, team manager of the French structure.

Maverick Viñales, Red Bull KTM Tech3, Pit Beirer, KTM

Photo credit: KTM Images