Pit Beirer discusses the limitations of the current RC16 – only the 2027 regulations will allow for the long-awaited redesign – KTM plans to challenge for the top
KTM has been competing in MotoGP since 2017. Since then, the Austrian brand has won eight Grands Prix. Miguel Oliveira has won five times, Brad Binder twice and Pedro Acosta once. There have also been three sprint race victories, with Binder winning twice and Acosta once.
KTM has not yet managed to make the definitive leap to the top. Whilst Honda and Yamaha used to be stronger, it is now the two Italian brands, Ducati and Aprilia, that hold the advantage.
Head of Motorsport Pit Beirer explains the RC16’s crucial weakness: “It’s definitely always exactly the moment when we turn in and release the brakes. When the riders talk to me, that’s how they describe it.”
“The competition simply looks in the direction of the corner and the bike dives in, whilst we’re still struggling at precisely that moment. And that’s exactly where we need to start. Everything else is then just a chain reaction.”
“If you turn in just a fraction better, you straighten the bike up sooner, get the tyre into the right position and gain more forward momentum. We then naturally lack forward momentum; we’re still leaning over and the rear wheel spins out.”
“ So we’re by no means lacking in engine power; we’re simply in the wrong position to accelerate out of the corner early.” Details make all the difference.
Acosta is able to compensate for this weakness at the corner entry with his riding style. The Spaniard is the only KTM rider in the top 10 of the overall standings. Next year, Acosta is moving to Ducati.
“I’d be lying,” says Beirer, “if I claimed I wouldn’t have liked to keep Pedro. But perhaps that’s just the way it’s meant to be. There’s no question that the bike needs to improve, and Pedro is currently better than the bike.”
2027 marks a fresh start for KTM
2027 marks a fresh start in many respects. The new technical regulations allow KTM to develop a completely new motorbike from scratch. The experience gained since 2017 is being incorporated into this project.
“We’ve been in this for so many years, but we’ve never had the opportunity to actually build a completely new motorbike from scratch,” says Beirer. “You’re constantly retrofitting something, changing a detail here and a detail there.”
“We wanted to position the sprocket and the crankshaft differently. But you don’t exactly build a completely new engine over the last two years, even though you know full well that the motorbike has a weak point.”
“ That’s why I believe this proverbial blank sheet of paper now gives us the opportunity to incorporate ten years of MotoGP experience into a new motorbike.”
“We know our weaknesses inside out, but we also have some very strong points. We want to build on those strengths, use them as a foundation and close the gap.”
“That’s why I see the move to finalise this new bike and have a completely new line-up of riders as a genuine fresh start and a huge opportunity.” Alex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio will take the reins of the factory team in future, whilst Luca Marini and Senna Agius will race for the Tech3 satellite team.
