Marco Bezzecchi
Enea Bastianini’s MotoGP was decided strangely early in the 2024 season after Ducati announced that they would be replacing him in 2025.
Six-time champion Marc Marquez will join Francesco Bagnaia on a Ducati GP25 bike that is considered to be the best in the sport currently.
Bastianini will compete for KTM’s satellite Tech3 team after rushing to find a deal last summer before the rider market dried up.
He may have moved too quickly though, with the Austrian manufacturer now facing financial difficulties and uncertainty over their future.
Rumours indicate that Bastianini’s KTM deal was relatively small but he may not even get to see the track with them as various important dates approach before the start of the season.
Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton were linked with deals to buy KTM but it appears that interest in the outfit must be with regards to saving the whole company and not just their MotoGP division.
Carlo Pernat says someone from KTM behaved ‘really ugly’ in Enea Bastianini talks
Carlo Pernat is a well-respected figure within the MotoGP paddock and was Bastianini’s agent until last week.
He will link up with Enrico Zanarini for future deals, but it’s his current KTM deal which has left a bit of a sour taste in his former agent’s mouth.
READ MORE: How much Red Bull would have to pay for KTM in ‘dream scenario’ for MotoGP team
Speaking to Men On Wheels, he said that someone at KTM behaved in an ugly manner in talks for a contract with Bastianini for 2025 and beyond.
“Yes, it’s difficult. But Enea is young, as well as really strong,” he said. “However, I repeat: now I can speak and I have no problem saying that someone behaved badly. Badly and in a really ugly way.
“When we went to talk to KTM there were Berier, Guidotti, Sterlacchini and Pigiamino. After a few months, two of them had been fired and the third had already been put back in the role of chief engineer.”
When are KTM expected to drop off the MotoGP grid?
While KTM are in over £2 billion of debt, they’ve confirmed they’re racing in 2025. They’re under contract for 2026 too, but their future is uncertain.
Their factory riders Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder are not contracted beyond 2026, which ties in well with the end of the current regulations.
It would be a shame to lose one of the five manufacturers on the grid, especially since they have just assembled one of their strongest-ever rider line-ups.
READ MORE: KTM managing director confirms decision on MotoGP future amid financial crisis
The 19-race star is a future world champion in the making and Aleix Espargaro has Acosta to compete for the 2025 title.
It would be a fairytale story for the team if they were able to sign off from the series with a championship, but Ducati’s strength is going to be a lot to overcome.
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