KTM "will fight” to keep Tech3 for MotoGP 2027
KTM says it is “working really hard” to retain Tech3 as its second MotoGP team for 2027: "Soon you'll see some decisions.”
KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer says the Austrian factory is working hard to retain Tech3 as its satellite MotoGP team.
The French-based team was acquired earlier this year by a consortium led by former Formula 1 team boss Guenther Steiner.
Tech3 has yet to officially confirm which machinery it will run under MotoGP’s new 850cc/Pirelli era from 2027.
Honda has been linked as a possible Tech3 alternative but, speaking during Friday practice in Catalunya, Beirer underlined that KTM and Tech3 are “stronger together”.
“I think the project for sure is much stronger if you have four bikes instead of two,” Beirer told MotoGP pit lane reporter Jack Appleyard.
“But it's under new ownership and Gunther [Steiner] said from the beginning, ‘Don't rush me. I will take my time to understand the game a bit better and listen to all options’.
“That's a fair deal. But we will also definitely fight for them. We want to keep them with us because I feel we would be stronger together.”
While Tech3 would become a second satellite team at Honda, alongside LCR, Beirer highlighted that performance alone decides the hierarchy at KTM.
“We committed to all the four riders that if there is an update, it's based on your ranking and performance,” Beirer said.
“It's clear that Enea [Bastianini] at the moment is next after Pedro [Acosta], so he was the second to receive updates.
“We don’t make a difference between the two garages.
“So I think we can underline how we want to work and also what a satellite team should be like. We are putting them so close to the factory team and no more factory-satellite team [divide].
“We are working on [the 2027 Tech3 deal] - don't ask me if I'm confident because that could hurt me, I should never be too confident.
“But we are working really hard to bring the boys onto the podium and to keep Tech3 with us.”
2027 riders
In terms of rider line-up, KTM is thought to have settled on an all-new Fabio di Giannantonio-Alex Marquez factory pairing to replace Ducati-bound Pedro Acosta and current team-mate Brad Binder.
“Today [di Giannantonio is] in yellow… I don't know if we can turn this into orange, but he's definitely a good boy and we are talking to him,” Beirer said.
Meanwhile, the futures of current Tech3 riders Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales depend on the outcome of the team’s machinery decision.
Both are currently contracted directly to KTM, which has an option on their services for 2027.
“That's the only thing that is like putting us under pressure to take a quick decision, also with the team. [because if] we don't have a [second] team, we don't need to hire riders.
“We won’t hold a rider down who is not happy to stay. But we don't want to give this option [on them] away, before we are clear about the [second] team.
“So let us fix the deal with the team, then we could get the riders.
“First of all, we want to bring Maverick back to form. And also we want to bring Enea where he belongs.
“Now it looks like it's clicking a little bit, Enea's coming better and better. And if he can perform like he should perform, maybe he doesn’t want to leave.
“So I want to work on the performance and be a great partner for [Tech3]. But I think very soon you're going to see some decisions happening.”
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
