KTM is accustomed to winning. In every motorcycle racing project they have embarked upon, they have reached the pinnacle, whether in rallies with multiple victories in the Dakar, or similar paths in disciplines like motocross and supercross at the highest level.
In 2017, the Austrian manufacturer entered MotoGP—the pinnacle of speed motorcycle racing – after already making its mark in Moto2, Moto3, and also the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, where it remains the sole supplier of motorcycles.
Reaching success in MotoGP is neither an easy nor a quick journey. The progress has been clear, but the fight for titles is still out of reach. This does not dampen the spirit or motivation of the project, as emphasized by CEO Stefan Pierer to GPOne.com: ‘It took us eight years to get our first victory in Dakar and seven years in Supercross in the USA. We will have the same patience and perseverance in MotoGP’.
KTM Motorsport director, Pit Beirer, highlighted the progress of all MotoGP bikes: ‘Lap times have improved incredibly over the past two years in MotoGP. All the bikes have become much more competitive, and if you haven’t improved by a second per lap, you’re now last in the standings’.