Tech3 Is Sticking With KTM Power. KTM Saved Once Again

MotoGP's Tech3 Racing team has, after deep deliberation, once again picked KTM power as its engine supplier. If it hadn't, however, it could've meant the end of KTM in MotoGP.

Photo by: KTM

By: Jonathon Klein

May 21, at 9:06am ET

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Man, KTM is catching another break, which makes its 500th break in the last two years, as after a much-publicized will-they/won't-they between KTM and its satellite MotoGP team, Tech3 Racing, the latter announced it would maintain its relationship with the engine supplier. And, folks, it was seriously touch-and-go there for a second, along with being catastrophic for its MotoGP future.

Now, I say this as since KTM's insolvency and subsequent saving, the looming question over the brand's head is whether or not it would stay in MotoGP. Top-tier racing is consistently a loss-leader, so long as you look at it from a financial point of view—no amount of sponsorship can amortize the cost of racing R&D. And the brand's insolvency managers made no mistake when they said that KTM would be leaving the sport, as the financial burden was too great.

Hell, even KTM was saying similar things, as grid spots were apparently for sale for a spell.

But in terms of marketing, racing works, so long as you have the additional revenue streams of sponsorships and engine clients. Tech3 Racing was KTM's lone engine client, which made up for a good portion of what KTM put into the MotoGP program. The team leaving, however, well, that could've been the final nail. That, however, didn't happen, but it wasn't a safe bet, even up until the week prior to the announcement.

Just a few weeks ago, Tech3 Racing's team principal, Guenther Steiner, was supposedly having advanced talks with Honda's HRC to supply the team with power units ahead of the 2027 rules switch. Tech3's own team manager confirmed this, telling Motorsport, "The only team still in talks is us. It’s true, Guenther [Steiner] is also talking to Honda."

That may, however, been a ploy to get a better deal out of KTM, as only a few days after that very forthcoming response, Tech3 and KTM announced it had reignited its partnership that'll go beyond just 2027.

According to the team's press release, which it jointly shared with KTM, "Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Tech3 have formed the factory’s MotoGP effort since 2019, ensuring four KTM RC16s on the Grand Prix grid. The union has helped deliver victories, podium results and both rider and technical development to KTM’s push in world championship competition and for the globe’s most popular motorcycle racing series. Tech3 entered a new era of ownership for 2026 but the same goals for performance, profile and the maximum impact in MotoGP remain in place, fully backed by the factory in Austria and the KTM Motorsport program."

You can watch the full press conference above, which features Tech3 CEO Guenther Steiner, KTM AG CEO Gottfried Neumeister, KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer, and Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager Nicolas Goyon.

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Ahead of the conference and announcement, however, Steiner offered, "In motorsport, the strongest partnerships are often the ones you already know inside out. With KTM and Tech3, we’re not starting from zero. Thanks to all the work by Hervé Poncharal and the team over the past few years we have a solid foundation with KTM, and that gives us a real advantage as we head into a completely new regulatory era. For both sides, this is about building on what already works. That continuity puts us in the best possible position to adapt quickly and stay competitive when the new rules come in."

The deal puts to rest, for the moment, the notion that KTM will be leaving MotoGP at the end of this season, as it has a client to help reduce the financial burden of MotoGP's demands. Likewise, next year's motorcycle is meant to be cheaper to produce, tighten up the racing, and be more in line with what these companies are building, though not everyone's sold on the regulations switch-up just yet. But for now, once again, KTM caught its latest in a long line of breaks.