“Big change” for KTM in Valencia MotoGP test, “but balance not correct”
KTM’s new aero concepts intrigued one of its riders at the Valencia MotoGP test
Enea Bastianini says a new seat unit for KTM at the Valencia MotoGP test was “a big change” from what he used in 2025, but “the balance was not correct”.
The Italian’s first season aboard the KTM with Tech3 delivered flashes of promise, but qualifying struggles hindered his results.
Looking to make a step over the winter ahead of the 2026 season, Enea Bastianini completed 47 laps on Tuesday at the Valencia test, as he tried various new KTM aerodynamic concepts.
One of which was a new rear aero and seat unit, which delivered “more or less the same lap time” as his standard bike.
More importantly, his feedback on the new aero aligned with that of his KTM stablemates.
“It was a big change from what we used all year,” he said on Tuesday.
“And I think that seat has potential. I used it just for two exits, because I was with a different chassis.
“The seat, I think, can be good, but the balance was not correct at the moment, and I preferred to jump again on the normal bike.
“But the lap time was the same, more or less from the start.
“We were a bit unlucky, because from the first part of the test the track wasn’t usable and I didn’t work on the set-up.
“We tried some fairings.
“All the fairings have something positive, but also something negative.
“We need to mix something. Our comments are more or less the same from all the riders. This is better for KTM.”
Pedro Acosta led the KTM charge during Tuesday's test at Valencia, with the Spaniard fifth overall after 53 laps.
He noted that KTM’s new aero had many ‘grey areas’, which made it hard to determine what the best direction for development is.
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