After the back-to-school Grand Prix which took place at Silverstone last weekend, MotoGP is heading to Austria and its Red Bull Ring, the country of KTM and the stronghold of its eponymous title investor. of the route. There is therefore no a priori better place or more appropriate time to unveil the final 2023 plans, both for the brand and for the brand. Those of the official team are already known with the arrival of Jack Miller, who will sit next to Brad Binder, assured of his fate until 2024. But the Tech3 file remains to be closed…
Tech3 is a partner highly regarded by KTM who puts the same RC16s in the French box as in his lair. However, Hervé Poncharal and his troop welcome the pilots that the Austrian manufacturer sends him. Last year, Iker lecuona et Danilo Petrucci have freed up their space for two rookies, who must bring enthusiasm and talent, to settle in. A policy favoring youth which has not borne fruit to the point that the Austrians are returning by reinjecting experience into their ranks.
So, at the factory, Jack Miller was hired, and for Tech3 the return of Pol Espargaro increasingly an open secret. But there are still things to decide and not the least important ones. And first this: what about Remy Gardner ? Because the fate of Raul Fernandez seems sealed: his story with the brand he didn't want in MotoGP will end at the end of this season with the feeling of an immense waste. The young Spaniard should bounce back at RNF Aprilia with Miguel Oliveira. Or not ?
Stefan Pierer KTM: “ I'm not entirely convinced by Gardner«
But let's return to the 2021 Moto2 World Champion who sees the colleagues he dominated during this period get on podiums and take pole positions in 2022 with a Ducati. After a peak of tension exacerbated by a bickering between his manager and Pete Beirer, sports boss at KTM, his rating is going up and he should keep his place. But his position remains fragile. We read thus on speedweek that the big boss Stefan pierer is not totally seduced by the Australian: “ I'm not entirely convinced by Gardner. Pit Beirer believes in Gardner. I said, 'Yeah, Pit, it's okay, we still have eight races this year anyway ».
Why this pause? Because during this time Augusto Fernandez is in a good moment in his Moto2 championship. At Silverstone, he won his third victory of the year and he enters the little papers of KTM who saw it first as support for the emergence of Peter Acosta. But the Spaniard seems to have taken his destiny into his own hands... A revelation visibly taken into account in Mattighofen since Pete Beirer said on motogp.com about Tech3 : “ second place is definitely open. We are looking and talking about our next generation of drivers. So we have to wait a little longer. But I think that by Spielberg, we should finalize at least part of the box. But for young drivers, we want to wait a little longer ».
So Pol Espargaro should soon be officially found, which will release Repsol Honda communication, which Joan mir has been waiting too long for his liking. For the rest, the results of the following events in MotoGP and Moto2 will be closely scrutinized... Moreover, the rumor of seeing the motorcycles in the tricolor box displaying the colors GASGAS does not deny itself. On the contrary, it swells. As for Red Bull, we do not yet know if the appeal of the foot of Massimo Rivola to see his Aprilia in Alpha Tauri was understood… The Austrian Grand Prix will take place from 19 at August 21.
