Ramon Forcada is not known for mincing words. The former technical director at Yamaha MotoGP has demonstrated this once again by delivering a particularly harsh assessment of the management of the 2027 rider market, and more specifically of the Maverick Viñales case at KTM.
According to the Spanish technician, some manufacturers have perfectly prepared for the regulatory revolution in the MotoGP 850cc class. Others, however, seem to be flying blind. And KTM clearly falls into this second category.
The verdict of Forked is unequivocal regarding the management of the pilot market. This year, the management is catastrophic. Look at the disaster KTM created with Maverick! I don't understand what they are trying to accomplish.r. »
A particularly harsh statement when one considers the career path of Maverick Vinales. Arrived at Tech3 with the ambition of securing an official ride KTM In 2027, the Spaniard finds himself practically on the doorstep of MotoGP after a complicated season, largely disrupted by the after-effects of his shoulder injury.
For ForkedThe most incomprehensible aspect remains the lack of clarity displayed by KTM in the handling of the case. It's not his fault, because he says: "They don't want to offer me a contract, they don't want to sign it."“.” This remark highlights how contractual situations can be experienced in radically different ways depending on the riders' personalities. The MotoGP paddock is ruthless: some are adept at navigating the murky waters of the rider market, while others are more at the mercy of the manufacturers' decisions.
Pedro Acosta: the future boss of MotoGP? Ramon Forcada believes so.
Forked shows up on motosan much more enthusiastic when he talks about the future of Peter Acosta in Ducati that holds the top spot. " Pedro has always been competitive with this motorcycle… Next year he'll be joining Ducati and you'll see. » A loaded statement when it comes from one of the most respected technical observers in the paddock.
For Forked, the most impressive at Acosta It's not just his raw talent, but also his age. A thinly veiled dig aimed at certain drivers whose careers have sometimes been hampered by disappointing technical projects.
The case fabio quartararo illustrates this reflection Acosta is young. He hasn't yet experienced many years of disappointment.. Unlike others like Fabio Quartararowho end up saying to themselves: "I'm fed up with putting up with everything and fighting against everything, against the factory, against the motorcycle and against the tires." »
Forked He even believes that a change of environment could completely revive the Frenchman's career. Fabio is going to change brands, change teams; being on another bike, whether it's good or bad, is another story, and if he beats Yamaha, it would be incredible! "The transfer to Honda could thus constitute the second wind which Quarterly desperately needed.
From a purely technical standpoint, Ramón Forcada does not foresee any immediate revolution regarding the current hierarchy of the board. Ducati and Aprilia are much better than the Japanese bikes, that's a fact. »
This is a statement that is difficult to dispute given the performances observed since the beginning of the season. Yamaha It's progressing, but it's still in a rebuilding phase. Yamaha has certainly made many concessions this year to improve its bike. I don't know, it's possible they've made significant progress in the last two races, but they're still missing some pieces. »
Finally Forked highlights the very contrasting performances of the pilots Yamaha that holds the top spot. " Miller was very competitive, but look at Toprak, who was disastrous.. » This observation illustrates the difficulty of drawing definitive conclusions about the true level of a machine when it is operated by such different profiles.
Analysis of Ramón Forcada This ultimately highlights a particularly interesting reality: the revolution in 850cc MotoGP has already begun. It's not just happening in the manufacturers' design offices, but also in the human management of the riders.
In this little game, Ducati appears as the big winner with Marc Marquez et Peter Acosta, Honda methodically rebuilds its future around fabio quartararo et David Alonso, While KTM seems to have considerably complicated the situation for several of its pilots.
« I don't understand what they are trying to accomplish. "The Spaniard repeats this about the Austrians. When a man who has spent several decades at the highest level of MotoGP no longer understands a manufacturer's strategy, it's rarely a good sign.
