KTM offer dismissive verdict on signing Marc Marquez for 2025

KTM have bluntly insisted that they have no free space, when asked about signing Marc Marquez.

This weekend’s 2024 MotoGP season-opening race in Qatar will be Marquez’s Ducati debut with the Gresini team.

But, because he only signed a one-year deal, a key talking point is where his long-term future will lie.

KTM - who share Red Bull with Marquez as a major sponsor - were linked with recruiting him last year when he first began assessing options away from Honda.

But, as the 2024 season gets set to begin, KTM have offered a surprising verdict when asked about bringing in Marquez for 2025.

"We believe in our four riders,” motorsport director Pit Beirier told Motorsport.

“As things stand today, we don't have any vacancies.”

Factory rider Brad Binder is tied to KTM long-term but his teammate Jack Miller is only contracted until the end of this year.

It is presumed that KTM have an option to keep Tech3 GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta beyond this year, while Augusto Fernandez is also within the final 12 months of his deal.

A frantic silly season across MotoGP is expected but KTM don’t want to be heavily involved.

“I don’t see us in the position where we have to do anything great,” said Beirer.

“Our greatest motivation is to achieve our goal with the current riders.

"With Pedro and Augusto, we have two extremely successful Moto2 riders on board who are still very young.

“Jack is an experienced warrior and Brad is an absolute winning rider.

“With this squad we can attack fully.

"In the first third of the season we want to confirm that we have the right riders.

“Then we wouldn't have to be so involved in the rider carousel. That's our top priority.”

Of course, KTM know that one of their existing four riders might opt to leave.

"It's not said that all riders want to stay with us without a contract for 2025,” Beirer admitted.

“It's a two-way street. So we can't sit back.

"We have to woo the riders to ensure that they feel comfortable with us and stay.

“For us, it is always a compliment when a rider signs a contract, even though there are other options.

“Brad has done this several times and we appreciate the compliment.

“The riders want to show us that they are the right riders.

“And we want to show them that they are in the right place.

“We try to keep the door closed as long as possible. But a lot can still happen this year…”

Much will depend on the KTM’s competitiveness in the early months of the 2024 season.

If they can establish themselves as Ducati’s closest competition - or ideally even surpass them in certain moments - they would greatly enhance their value on the market to current and available riders for 2025.