Photo: KTM
It’s official: KTM will be on the starting grid of the 2017 MotoGP season. KTM CEO Stefan Pierer says that the company will be looking for a German rider for the factory entry, and we can guess that maybe Stefan Bradl or Moto2 rider Jonas Folger will be eyeing the seat of the (presumably) orange beasts.
After a rather disappointing presence in the premier class about a decade ago, KTM maintained a dead silence about a GP program, with Pierer mentioning that the costs for such an enterprise are way too much and the return of investment is dismal. We don’t know what changed his mind, but we’re glad it happened so.
With Suzuki back on the grid next year, Aprilia also working hard for a 2016 comeback and the RC16 machine expected to join them in 2017, we only need Kawasaki to make a similar move for a truly stellar grid. Something tells me that Red Bull will have a lot to do with KTM in MotoGP. The old Austrian MotoGP circuit was bought by the energy drink giant and turned into the Red Bull Ring, a circuit rumored to become a regular host for yet another European round soon.
So it would only make sense to see the MotoGP calendar updated with both an Austrian factory entry and an Austrian circuit, given the fact that Red Bull is already a title sponsor for 3 rounds…
It is uncertain whether the V4 architecture will be used for the new MotoGP prototype, but chances are that an updated version of the 2005 power plant will equip the KTM bike(s), as a v-twin is rather hard to believe to be competitive enough to put up a strong battle with the rest of the “big boys”. For a nice story about KTM’s former MotoGP experience, follow the confessions of their old engine.
Now, who can convince Kawasaki to come out and play? Avintia announced they’ll be dropping the FTR-Kawasaki machines in favor of Ducati, so maybe it’s time for a full-factory team from Akashi, ain’t that so?
With Suzuki back on the grid next year, Aprilia also working hard for a 2016 comeback and the RC16 machine expected to join them in 2017, we only need Kawasaki to make a similar move for a truly stellar grid. Something tells me that Red Bull will have a lot to do with KTM in MotoGP. The old Austrian MotoGP circuit was bought by the energy drink giant and turned into the Red Bull Ring, a circuit rumored to become a regular host for yet another European round soon.
So it would only make sense to see the MotoGP calendar updated with both an Austrian factory entry and an Austrian circuit, given the fact that Red Bull is already a title sponsor for 3 rounds…
It is uncertain whether the V4 architecture will be used for the new MotoGP prototype, but chances are that an updated version of the 2005 power plant will equip the KTM bike(s), as a v-twin is rather hard to believe to be competitive enough to put up a strong battle with the rest of the “big boys”. For a nice story about KTM’s former MotoGP experience, follow the confessions of their old engine.
Now, who can convince Kawasaki to come out and play? Avintia announced they’ll be dropping the FTR-Kawasaki machines in favor of Ducati, so maybe it’s time for a full-factory team from Akashi, ain’t that so?
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