New KTM MotoGP team boss urges “patience” ahead of “really important” 2025

New factory KTM team manager Aki Ajo says “the next two years are really important” but has urged “patience” within the Austrian MotoGP manufacturer.

Smaller grand prix classes stalwart team owner Ajo replaces Francesco Guidotti as manager of the factory KTM squad for the 2025 season.

He comes into the job at a time when the parent company is struggling financially and the race team has gone without a grand prix victory since 2022.

KTM finished second in the constructors’ table in 2024 courtesy of podiums from Brad Binder and rookie racer Pedro Acosta, though was 395 points adrift of dominant Ducati.

With the brand needing to close the competitive gap to Ducati, particularly with a rules reset coming in 2027, Ajo has stressed the importance of the next two seasons.

“It’s really important, I see the next two years of course as really important years,” he told MotoGP’s world feed during the Barcelona test.

“But as I say many times, it’s important to still somehow to keep the patience: go step by step and understand what you are doing.”

Asked what he can bring to the factory KTM team, Ajo said: “Maybe of course try to use my experience for communicating very, very closely with the people and talk always to find the same direction, and let’s say keep some patience for the other development.

“We need to trust each other for the work that we do and keep the patience.

“But as I say, it’s communication and of course keep the eyes open to see all the time what we need.”

While other manufacturers have made headline engineering signings in recent months for 2025, KTM will not have a sole technical director.

Instead, it will operate a kind of technical working group, though Ajo is convinced KTM has the right people in place to strengthen bike development.

“We have very experienced people in the project a lot, and the key is that lead well and analyse everything well,” he added.

“And the direction is for everyone. Of course, if we keep it simple and see it simple, it’s the development in the factory, it’s the racing team and the test team.

“This is kind of what we need to always focus to coordinate and communicate well.”