KTM Moto3 boss shares what manager has told him about team’s MotoGP future

Add as preferred source on Google

KTM’s uncertain MotoGP future will also filter down to the lower classes. It’s possible that the company will have to withdraw from motorsport entirely to survive.

In the premier class, this would likely lead to the withdrawal of the factory squad, unless it was to run under another name. Lewis Hamilton may be interested in KTM’s grid spots, which could he sell to another manufacturer.

Satellite squad Tech3 would have to find another home, but far more teams and riders would be impacted in Moto3. KTM and Honda supply bikes to all of the participants in the lightweight class.

And the majority have been reliant on the Austrian manufacturer. Level-Up MTA are one of the eight outfits who use their machinery, along with the junior KTM and Tech3 squads.

Speaking to Italian outlet Motosprint, Level-Up chief Alessadro Tonucci shared what he’d been told about KTM’s future. Key conversations have taken place over the winter.

KTM have assured Moto3 team that they’re facing ‘no problems’ in motorsport

Tonucci ‘spoke directly’ to Jens Hainbach, the vice president of sports management and road racing. He received assurances that the motorsport sector won’t be hamstrung.

Indeed, KTM’s financial crisis concerns the company as a whole, rather than their racing division. But the fear is that the latter will inevitably be affected.

Tonucci clarified that he could only speak for his team, but it seems KTM are calling for calm internally. External distractions could affect results, and therefore make the team less appealing to much-needed investors.

When it was put to him that he seemed ‘composed’, Tonucci replied: “Yes, because I spoke directly with Jens Hainbach of KTM: the manager stressed that there are no problems in the motosport sector. I am obviously talking about Level Up-MTA, so we can move forward calmly.

“If anything, yes: since the end of last season, there have been fewer technicians in the pits of the teams representing the group’s brands. This is the case for everyone, including us.”

Could an F1 manufacturer save KTM with Lewis Hamilton deal now off?

Lewis Hamilton won’t be KTM’s saviour because he doesn’t have the resources required, certainly on his own. The team are looking for a larger-scale investor or consortium.

One such option could be Mercedes. CEO Stefan Pierer already has close ties to the company, having been involved in their meetings for the past couple of years.

Theoretically, Mercedes are a candidate to save KTM. Any buyer may have to take on an enormous amount of debt.

While the focus will be on the riders, the broader workforce faces a more acute threat. KTM couldn’t pay November wages until this month, a sign of how serious things have become.