You didn’t have to be a prophet to foresee that after the announced departure of team leader Pol Espargaró (after the 2020 season), KTM would try to fill the four-man MotoGP lineup with riders from their own ranks. Because in times of the corona crisis, thrift is not just an imperative for the Austrians.
Therefore, it was first clarified whether test driver Dani Pedrosa (34) would be persuaded to take part in another season as a regular driver. But the triple world champion canceled. Since Miguel Oliveira had already enraged his claim for a place in the Red Bull KTM Factory Team (next to Pol Espargaró) in October 2019, a transfer of the Portuguese to the KTM factory team was considered from the start.
There was a lot to be said for continuing to run the in-house MotoGP Academy youth development program and transferring the highly talented former Moto3 World Champion Jorge Martin from the Ajo team to Tech3-KTM in the MotoGP World Championship. But three days before Pol Espargaró’s cancellation, Jorge Martin and his manager Albert Valera also announced the separation from KTM. The current Moto2 title contender has signed with Pramac-Ducati …
At the same time, there were not only voices within KTM, which, because of the further development of the KTM RC16, emphatically called for a MotoGP veteran to be committed.
For example, Lorenzo, Dovizioso and Petrucci were considered for this task.
There were strong doubts about Lorenzo’s competitiveness given the botched 2019 season at Repsol-Honda. Therefore, it was never up for discussion at KTM. In addition, it did not fit into the salary schedule.
Andrea Dovizioso manager Simone Battistella negotiated with KTM in Austria, but he felt little interest from the interlocutors in Munderfing.
Now the background is clear: KTM planned the transport of Miguel Oliveira (with a break of one year at KTM since 2015 and previously already in the Rookies Cup) to the Red Bull KTM MotoGP Factory Team.
That couldn’t have been expected of the three-time runner-up world champion «Dovi», who was signed to Tech3-Yamaha before his Ducati era in 2012.
In addition, World Cup sixth Danilo Petrucci fit much better into KTM’s corona-damaged salary scheme, and, assured of optimal plant support and identical materials, he was soon persuaded to move to the Red Bull Tech3 team, which had already worked with Oliveira and Lecuona in 2020 same material as Pol Espargaró and Brad Binder starts in the factory team.
Petrucci and his manager Vergani were happy to make concessions to avert the Ducati Superbike World Championship consolation prize and not to have to sit around the table with the Aprilia management.
KTM is also planning a new concept for 2021. “We no longer differentiate between A and B teams,” explained KTM race director Pit Beirer. «All four works drivers are given identical material. Who perceive us as a large team together. Those who are at the top of the world championship table will primarily be supplied with the new parts. »
The Tech3-MotoGP team has been participating in the premier class since 2000, in the first two years it was still in the 500cc category.
Tech3, like Pramac-Ducati, has never achieved a GP victory in the premier class, but with Petrucci, team owner Hervé Poncharal will have a MotoGP winner in his ranks for the first time since Dovizioso.
This is what the MotoGP teams look like in 2020
Repsol-Honda
Marc Márquez, Alex Márquez
Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci
Monster Energy Yamaha
Maverick Viñales, Valentino Rossi
Suzuki Ecstar
Alex Rins, Joan Mir
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Pol Espargaró, Brad Binder
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Aleix Espargaró, Bradley Smith, Andrea Iannone
Pramac Racing
Jack Miller, Francesco Bagnaia
Reale Avintia Racing
Tito Rabat, Johann Zarco
Petronas Yamaha SRT
Fabio Quartararo, Franco Morbidelli
LCR Honda
Cal Crutchlow, Takaaki Nakagami
Red Bull KTM Tech3
Miguel Oliveira, Iker Lecuona
This is what the MotoGP teams will look like in 2021
Repsol-Honda
Marc Márquez, Pol Espargaró
Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso? Jorge Lorenzo? Jack Miller
Monster Energy Yamaha
Maverick Viñales, Fabio Quartararo
Suzuki Ecstar
Alex Rins, Joan Mir
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Brad Binder, Miguel Oliveira
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Aleix Espargaró, Bradley Smith? Andrea Iannone?
Pramac Racing
Jorge Martin, Jorge Lorenzo? Pecco Bagnaia? Johann Zarco?
Reale Avintia Racing
Tito Rabat, Johann Zarco?
Petronas Yamaha SRT
Valentino Rossi, Franco Morbidelli
LCR Honda
Alex Marquez, Cal Crutchlow? Takaaki Nakagami?
Red Bull KTM Tech3
Danilo Petrucci, Iker Lecuona
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