If one more element was needed to be convinced that at the moment there is great tension on the transfer market, which is somewhat dampening the atmosphere in the paddock, KTM has just given it by reacting to the comments of the manager of Joan Mir and Remy Gardner. The latter is called Paco Sanchez and he made it known at the French Grand Prix that, on the one hand, he would not sell out his drivers despite a situation of supply and demand unfavorable to them, and that, On the other hand, he would not approach Pramac or Tech3 who would already offer the worst contractual conditions to practice his profession behind a handlebar. Through its satellite teams, Ducati and KTM are being targeted, and this is what Pit Beirer, the sports man at the Austrian brand, understood. And his response is scathing...
It's nothing to say that Pete Beirer had very little taste for the words of Paco Sanchez, manager, among others, of Remy gardner as well as Joan mir, on the fact that his pilots were currently receiving proposals that he assessed as “ unacceptable ”, to pursue their career. Some are even so that we don't deserve to dwell on them. And among these, KTM was suggested strongly enough to provoke a reaction on speedweek, Pete Beirer who does not take gloves to answer…
Judge for yourself: “ Paco Sanchez doesn't miss any opportunity to scold us right now ", has explained Pete Beirer in an interview with Günther Wiesinger after the French Grand Prix. “ He rants about KTM, the Tech3 team and the contract we offered to his rider Remy Gardner for 2023. I have a lot of trouble with statements like that ". And he explains why: “ what I've learned over the last two or three weeks is that it's always important to talk directly to pilots. I can only say about some of the driver managers: they are the biggest scourge to hit the paddock in recent years, along with Covid ».
« Paco Sanchez accuses us of not doing a good job with the Tech3 team », he adds again. “ However, the owner of the team Hervé Poncharal has been in this paddock successfully for 30 years, he was President of the IRTA for more than 20 years. He has more than 50 employees whom he pays every month. Hervé is a team leader and a professional through and through. ».
Beirer continues: “ we did a good job with Remy in the Moto2 World Championship, he moved up to MotoGP with us as world champion and had the chance to compete in MotoGP with us, with a very well paid contract. Then I have to read Mr. Sanchez's statements in the media that KTM and Tech3 give bad contracts. You have to take this from someone who probably doesn't do anything all week but play with their phone. For our part, we employ more than 100 people in the MotoGP department in order to be able to offer the best possible performance at each Grand Prix. ».
« Riders' agents and KTM riders are two different things and we would like to continue with Remy Gardner«
That being said, Pete Beirer goes so far as to advise Remy gardner to come and negotiate alone, his manager ultimately being harmful to his career… “ What is happening now regarding Remy is a big problem. It also harms pilots. We really like Remy and would like to continue with him ", said Beirer. “ But it would be better if his manager didn't constantly berate us in the media. It would then be easier for us to extend the contract. We will not exercise the option on Rémy against the wishes of the driver. If he doesn't want to stay with us, that's his choice. I understand from what his manager said that we are not the partner they are looking for. But rider agents and KTM riders are two different things. Because we have a very good relationship with Remy. We would like to continue with him ».
Pete Beirer ends with another driver than Paco Sanchez also manages… “ Joan Mir and her manager unfortunately ignored us, they don't talk to us. I must also take note of this ". It is interesting to note that the words of Pit Beirer, which are a response from the shepherd to the shepherdess, have already been heard on Albert Valera who had released George Martin of the KTM family to install it in the Ducati clan. It should also be noted that KTM has its own vision of rider management.
The big boss Stefan pierer exhibited it himself in 2021, still on speedweek . Firstly, he posed the problem thus: “ when our whole junior program starts to work, it may happen that after Moto2 we hit a traffic jam on the road to MotoGP ". So, how can you keep your champions? Here is the answer: “ if as a factory we have too many drivers and a competitor is interested in one of our drivers, we could give it away for a certain amount. It's also common in football ". An operation possible from the moment the pilot's personal manager disappears from the landscape.
Nothing is therefore innocent or trivial in what is said and done in the paddock, on both sides, but what is certain is that this year 2022 promises a crossroads on the subject, given the of a sensitive geopolitical situation having a strong impact on the economic and social situation of the world.
