There is no official confirmation yet, but Enea Bastianini’s manager, Carlo Pernat, stated this week that the rider will be on an official KTM in MotoGP in 2025 – which would place him in Red Bull GasGas Tech3, considering Red Bull KTM already has Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta.
Despite the reliability of this source, no formal announcement has been made. However, the apparent arrival of Bastianini at KTM (or Pierer Mobility, if you prefer) poses a serious threat to the future of Augusto Fernández. Fernández is currently out of contract and part of Tech3.
This is his second season in MotoGP, but his results and performances remain modest: he scored points in only three of the first seven main races, has three retirements, and his best result was an 11th place. He stands 17th in the championship, just behind Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM).
Thus, Fernández’s future in MotoGP might be in jeopardy, as he has not yet shown strong enough performances to convince another team to choose him if he leaves Tech3. And something the grid is short on for 2025 is available seats.
Miller’s future in the premier class may also be in doubt. Without a place in KTM’s factory team, the Australian has admitted that he is looking for a job. A “demotion” to Tech3 could be an option, but with Bastianini arriving, this might complicate things – it’s worth remembering that Miller is in a results and performance crisis, having scored points in only two of the first seven main races of the year.
The potential addition of Bastianini to Red Bull GasGas Tech3 would be another significant surprise in this MotoGP rider market, potentially triggering other unexpected or previously improbable moves.