A veritable earthquake is shaking the world of motorcycling: the Indian group Bajaj now holds a majority stake in KTM, having acquired the remaining shares from Stefan Pierer. This upheaval in ownership could jeopardize the Austrian brand's presence in MotoGP, where it is struggling to regain its former glory against Ducati, Aprilia, Honda, and Yamaha.
The Austrian financial authorities have given their approval for the repurchase of the shares of Pierre in Pierer Bajaj, following a £674 million deal signed last May. The entity resulting from this merger will soon be renamed Bajaj Mobilityerasing all traces of the historical Austrian leadership.
But the name change is only the visible part of a much more radical restructuring.
Rajiv bajajBajaj Auto CEO, has made his intentions clear: staff reductions are expected, as well as a drastic cost cuts in KTM.
According to him, the goal is to reduce spending by halfby targeting R&D, marketing and management positions. A brutal setback for a company whose competitiveness in MotoGP relied precisely on its technical aggressiveness and constant innovation.
These announcements immediately raised doubts about the viability of the MotoGP program. KTMAccording to MotoMatters, the most likely consequence of this austerity policy would be the outright sale of KTM Racing, a structure already legally independent of the parent company.
A source close to the matter claims that "MotoGP is not part of the core business that Bajaj wants to develop" suggesting that competition could be sacrificed in the name of profitability.
Red Bull, a natural candidate to buy the official KTM team?
In the paddocks, one name keeps coming up as the one to save the situation: Red Bull.
Long-standing partner and main sponsor of KTMRed Bull GmbH could position itself to buy the MotoGP team if it were put on the market.
The Austrian energy drink brand has already demonstrated its expertise in motorsport: it acquired Jaguar F1 in 2005 to found Red Bull Racing, today a six-time world constructors' champion and holder of eight drivers' titles.
A similar scenario in the world of MotoGP would therefore not be improbable: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing could become Red Bull Racing MotoGPextending the brand's dominance on two fronts — Formula 1 and MotoGP.
In the event of a sale, the Chinese manufacturers might also be interested in KTM Racing, in particular to establish a presence in MotoGP through an already established structure.
As for BMW, often mentioned in rumors, a takeover of KTM Analysts say that finally entering MotoGP seems highly unlikely, as the German brand still prioritizes the Superbike category.
During the financial crisis of KTM In 2024, the Austrian firm was placed under court administration. At the time, Red Bull was already among the potential buyers, with an estimated offer of between 50 and 100 million pounds sterling to save the MotoGP team.
Finally, it is Bajaj who had orchestrated a rapid rescue — but today, the roles seem to be reversed: Red Bull could become the buyer of a KTM Racing weakened, while Bajaj refocuses its empire on industrial production and emerging markets.
With the release of Stefan pierer and the rise of Bajaj, KTM It is turning a major page in its history. The future of its program MotoGP, once a symbol of its technological pride, seems suspended on a question:
Bajaj Will he still want to finance the race? Or Red Bull Will he take over to preserve the Austrian dream? In any case, one thing is certain: the orange bull is wounded, but not yet defeated.
