We’re into the European rounds of the 2025 MotoGP world championship, and as with the last three years, one manufacturer has a clear advantage over the rest of the field. Ducati’s dominance was expected; if you thought otherwise, you haven’t been paying attention. Perhaps what was less expected was the apparent stagnation of KTM.
Honda and Yamaha have made progress in the off-season and show clear signs of improvement. KTM, on the other hand, are struggling. KTM’s star, Pedro Acosta, has been openly vocal about the struggles that the team are having. Pedro has now gone so far as to return to the 2024 spec RC16.
Things seem to be getting worse for KTM as rumours are circulating that Acosta has been in contact with other teams regarding a possible switch. Honda seems to be leading the charge to sign the young Spaniard.
Outside of MotoGP, KTM’s struggles have been well documented. If you aren’t aware of the situation, KTM went into self-administration last year. In a nutshell, they had a huge amount of debt and weren’t making enough money to pay it back. Things seemed to be looking up with the start of the new year, but reports have emerged stating that the Mattighofen-based brand has, once again, shut down production of its motorcycles due to a lack of parts.
When we look at the Grand Prix paddock, including the lower classes like Red Bull Rookies Cup, a KTM shutdown could have huge repercussions in the world of Motorcycle racing. In Moto3, roughly half the field runs KTMs, and for years, they have been the manufacturer of choice for the Red Bull Rookies Cup. This leaves teams in a position of uncertainty.
Now I don’t know what KTM have planned to right the ship, but speaking from my own dealings with the brand, you can be sure that they’re not going to give up without one hell of a fight. As I’m writing this, the MotoGP riders are on track for a post-race test at Jerez. It’s an important day for the READY TO RACE brand as they continue to search for a solid and fast base. It’s also the day that Pedro is rumoured to decide if it’s time to start looking for a winning package elsewhere. Saying that, we’ve seen signs of life in the last few GPs by none other than Top Gun himself, Maverick Vinales.
If you had asked me before the season, I’d have said that Vinales would have a difficult season, especially when you look at his track record of struggling when the bike isn’t set up perfectly, but at the moment, he seems to be the only KTM rider to have found something with the current package.
It’s difficult to predict exaclty what will happen. I guess we will have to wait and see as the season goes on, but if you ask me, KTM’s story isn’t over just yet; they’re like a dog with a bone. Count them out at your own peril.
