KTM is showing encouraging signs in MotoGP, but it is well off the track that the real challenges are taking shape...
On the sporting front, the results are tangible: since the Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno, the orange brand has seen a notable upturn in form. At Balaton Park, Pedro Acosta achieved a spectacular 2nd place, while Brad Binder et Pol Espargaro finished 7th and 8th respectively. This momentum was reinforced by the overwhelming dominance of the RC4s in Moto3, with eight riders leading the championship — it is Rueda, with 7 wins in 14 GPs, who dominates the category.
But if the results sheet shines, KTM also faces major challenges behind the scenes. On the corporate front, a real earthquake is brewing: Pierre et Bajaj are considering splitting KTM Racing AG — the Swiss entity in charge of MotoGP with its staff — to sell it to solid American investors according to GP One.
At the same time, the manufacturer is shaken by tensions with its star sponsor: Red Bull, whose contract expires in 2025. The director Gottfried Neumeister reportedly demanded “several million more” by 2026 – a difficult request for the energy drink’s executives to accept.
At KTM, the financial backstage is more turbulent than the MotoGP sporting scene
On the economic front, the situation is just as critical. Planned production has fallen from 230 to 000 units, a target deemed unrealistic. And even at this level, the structure could experience a loss of 200 million euros this year. In the event of a further drop in volumes to 100, these are 2 000 jobs on the 4 100 existing who could be threatened.
La KTM is progressing, with results in MotoGP et Moto3 which put a smile back on some faces. But behind the scenes, unprecedented financial pressure, key negotiations with Red Bull, and a possible sale of the MotoGP department are dampening the mood... And all this is raising ambitions... or concerns.
This two-faced scenario - sporting progress on the one hand, structural precariousness on the other - could be decisive for the future of KTM in two-wheelers. A fragile balance to be monitored closely.
