KTM Affirms Its MotoGP Future. Comes After Rumored Exit

After months of uncertainty surrounding KTM's MotoGP future, the brand affirmed it's sticking around with a new 5-year commitment. And 2027 is going to be interesting.

Photo by: MotoGP

By: Jonathon Klein

Jun 23, at 10:03am ET

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KTM's future in MotoGP has been the biggest question mark for the sport in recent memory. The reason behind it, as many of you likely know, is due to the Austrian brand's insolvency proceedings last year, leading to Bajaj purchasing a controlling stake in the company and saving it from utter collapse. But in those insolvency proceedings, the brand's insolvency managers were telling the company that it not just had to cut expenses, it had to slash and burn its MotoGP efforts.

At the time, they made no bones about it. KTM's MotoGP team was not long for this world. And while the team's manager, Pit Bierer, was adamant that it wouldn't shut down, the writing felt as if it was on the wall, and that the "lady doeth protest too much." Even when RideApart reached out to Bajaj for comment, the brand declined to say anything about KTM's future.

Not exactly reassuring.

Neither was losing KTM's Pedro Acosta to rival Ducati for 2027. Or nearly losing Tech3 Racing to Honda. Yet, Bierer et al seem to have convinced the Bajaj brass that MotoGP is worth the millions in R&D and further team spend, as KTM not only committed to staying in the sport next season, but for four seasons after, too.

Every KTM fan can breathe a sigh of relief now.

The announcement comes through the sport's official channels, as all five teams—Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, KTM, and Aprilia—have approved the rules, regulations, and who's coming or going (more on that in a second) for the next five years. And with that, KTM's affirmation that it'll be around for those five years, is included.

"MotoGP Group and the five Manufacturers – KTM, Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha – have confirmed today that the agreement defining the sport’s framework from 2027 to 2031 has been signed," states the release, adding, "It marks a historic milestone for MotoGP and the Manufacturers within the MSMA, as for the first time in the sport’s history they have all signed a single agreement covering the next five years of racing. This demonstrates a shared commitment to shaping an exciting future for the championship and underlines a unified vision for its next phase, confirming the long-term presence of all current Manufacturers on the grid."

KTM's inclusion in the signing finally puts the rumors of its leaving the sport to bed, once and for all, as every other metric and barometer were pointing toward its leaving. No more. On the heels of the signing, KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister told the press, "The extension of the MotoGP agreement provides a strong foundation of continuity and reliability. For KTM, it underlines the shared ambition to further develop the championship as a global benchmark in motorcycle racing...We are convinced that KTM and MotoGP are a strong fit, with shared values that will continue to move the championship and the brand forward in the years to come."

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Details on the specifics of the agreement, beyond the five teams agreeing to it, are scarce, and it's unclear whether or not anything else substantive, things like adding manufacturers or teams to the grid, purse allowance increases, rules and regulations, or other items were included that had been debated alongside KTM's possible withdrawal.

But for now, KTM will remain in the sport. And given how much it has been testing its new 850cc platform ahead of the 2027 season, there's a real possibility it takes the crown next year. After all the back and forth will-they, won't-they, if the team can pull off that coup, it'd be a truly awe-inspiring moment.