KTM chief Pit Beirer explains the decision to drop GASGAS, as he adds on hiring Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini in not a straight satellite scene.
The most recent piece of the puzzle for the 2025 MotoGP grid has fallen into place, with Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales joining Red Bull KTM Tech3 in 2025. Both riders will join the Austrian manufacturer in a multi-year contract, with Pit Beirer discussing this deal just one day after the announcement.
A new look in 2025
Next year, the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 team will have a new look and a new name. The team will be re-branded to Red Bull KTM Tech3, returning to orange and complementing the Red Bull KTM Racing team on track, with the riders receiving identical machines. Pit Beirer spoke about how important the re-brand is for Tech3.
“With our project, I find it difficult talking to a top rider, ‘is it a GASGAS, is it a KTM, what is the difference between the bikes?’ so in the end, we decided it was a great time to show different brands but we feel the project is strongest if it’s a line-up with four Red Bull KTM riders. I’m so thankful that Red Bull sticks to us for this project and sees it as a four-rider team.”
The Viñales signing
One rider making the switch next season is Maverick Viñales, who announced that he will move from Aprilia Racing to Red Bull KTM Tech3 next year. Just one day after announcing the contract Pit Beirer discussed how this deal came about.
“There was a moment when we met and talked where he gave us the feeling that he wanted to be with us. His commitment was very strong from the beginning. Things went quickly. I also feel he has a great team and bike at this moment so for us, it was a positive surprise that he was really open and serious about it, and not just trying to get an offer from us to gamble with somebody else.”
Beirer also gave his expectations for Viñales next year and his hope for creating the best atmosphere for the #12. “For him, the human side and feeling at home with good surroundings is super important, and we all know he can do miracles. But we also know, that if he doesn’t feel comfortable, he isn’t just going back one or two positions, it goes really wrong. So, I think we have good ideas and good people in the team to work together with him. If he wakes up in the morning and he’s sure he will win that GP on that day, he’s almost unbeatable.”
Expectations for Bastianini
Joining Maverick Viñales at the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team next season will be Enea Bastianini. The #23 will join the Austrian manufacturer after spending the last four years riding a Ducati. Beirer discussed his expectations for Bastianini next year and what KTM aim to do on track.
“If he is happy and confident, he will perform. We need to use the time until these boys are coming on board to get the package as ready as possible to perform. We hire the best riders in the world to fight for the podium and I feel the pressure is on us to deliver the right package so they can perform.”
However, there is no clear leader in the team yet, with Beirer reiterating that it is not a standard factory and satellite team set-up. “The team captain will be the number one in the standings from our group, then number two, then number three. It’s not the classic situation when one garage is the factory team, the other is the satellite team and the factory team gets it first.”
A difficult decision
However, this recent announcement leaves no place at KTM for Jack Miller and Augusto Fernandez, with both riders previously showing great potential with the brand. Beirer discussed just how difficult of a decision it was to make.
“Giving up on Jack and Augusto is really sad. I was really hoping that Jack would show us that we could get him back on the level he should be. In Mugello, being out of the points is not where Jack Miller should be. No matter what the future brings, we have to turn that around because that’s not how we want to end our relationship.
“We tried but, in the end, I thought we’d have a longer time to give both riders the chance to do it but the market was under such pressure. If we didn’t take the chance in that one week to start conversations and finish it the other day, we wouldn’t have these chances anymore. So, we took the hard decision to move forward. Giving up on something wasn’t the plan, definitely not.”
Here’s news from Tech 3 about riders
[Note: The story is as per press release]