At KTM, we realized that the sudden announcement of the arrival of Raul Fernandez in MotoGP on one of the two RC16s of the Tech3 team had the effect of a bomb. Its blast effect produced collateral damage for Petrucci and his French ally Hervé Poncharal and, since then, we seem to want to pick up the pieces. And it is the boss of the brand himself who is hard at work before this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, which he will also honor with his presence. So, he proposed a Petrucci to the Dakar Rally on a motorcycle in Tech3 colors. But he has other good news for the French team…
By announcing in the middle of the Styrian Grand Prix that Raul fernandez would join MotoGP by joining the ranks of Tech3, factory KTM didn't please anyone. Quite the contrary. Since then, we have been trying to make up for it, particularly before a Austrian Grand Prix nationally that it would be wrong to live with this false note.
The situation is delicate enough to push Stefan pierer, the big boss, to go directly to the front line. He thus promised to Petrucci, furious about the substance and form of this situation, a Dakar Rally on one of his Rally Raid KTMs with Tech3 marked on it, as emotional compensation.
More Tech3 will also have great technical consideration. In an interview with speedweek, Pierre thus expresses its desire to “ to evolve » technically the Tech3 Factory Team ofHervé Poncharal with which a new contract of 5 years was signed which takes us until the end of 2026. The ambition is to bring it closer to the factory team.
KTM wants to make Tech3 its Pramac Ducati
« We have increased support for the Tech3 team since the beginning year after year "Said Stefan Pierer. " This will also be the strategy for the coming year. The drivers are employed and signed by us anyway. In terms of staff, we will bring Hervé's team to the same level as our Red Bull Factory Team in the near future. In terms of hardware and technology, there is no longer any difference. Mike Leitner takes care of it. The bikes of the two MotoGP teams are 100% identical. You saw it with wildcard driver Dani Pedrosa. He hasn't competed in a race for almost three years and reached 10th place in Styria. We can now bring enough MotoGP of equal quality to the track ».
« Two teams of equal value, that's the norm now ", ended Stefan Pierer. " In MotoGP you have four factory bikes in two team structures. You don't see any difference between the Ducati Corse and Pramac teams. We want to achieve the same thing with Hervé as soon as possible ". The roadmap is drawn.
