Exiting KTM boss pinpoints exactly what went wrong this year

Francesco Guidotti has laid bare exactly where KTM went wrong this season.

Tipped to be Ducati’s main challengers at the start of the season, KTM were unable to win a race all year.

Brad Binder (fifth) and Pedro Acosta (sixth) did finish as the top non-Ducati riders in the MotoGP standings, but their manufacturer could not equip them with a race-winning bike.

Aprilia, by contrast, enabled Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales to both win sprint races. Vinales also won the grand prix at COTA.

But despite Acosta’s early brilliance, the prediction that he would win a race never came to fruition.

“We started very well with some podiums from different riders. The expectation was high,” outgoing team boss Guidotti said.

“We started with a big target. We were pretty good until mid-season.

“From mid-season, we struggled a bit. We had a direction which wasn’t the best one for us.

“The main contenders made a little improvement which made the gap even bigger.

“We had a moment in mid-season which was strange.

“It was where we lost the chance to stay near the top.

“The riders’ behaviour was the right one, they never gave up. The technicians never gave up. But realistically we were not in the fight.”

Acosta’s P2 in Texas brought great promise but he then went eight painful rounds without a podium.

Jack Miller and Augusto Fernandez lagged behind their teammates consistently.

“We had to rewind the movie and start again,” Guidotti said.

“In the very last part of the season, obviously we saw KTM on top. There were some crashes, and some incidents.

“Overall, not bad. It’s not what we want. But it’s what we have, for the moment.

“We missed too many chances at the start of the year, then you lose the game.”

Guidotti will relinquish his position, and Aki Ajo will be KTM’s new team boss in 2025.

“It has to be. There are a lot of changes,” Guidotti said.

“Normally, changes give extra motivation.

“During these changes, we also lose experience and a connection.

“But I am sure that Aki will lead the team how he knows.”

The rider line-up also looks significantly stronger.

Acosta has been promoted into the factory team alongside Binder.

The new Tech3 KTM team will be Enea Bastianini and Vinales.

The worry for KTM may be their financial issues, away from MotoGP.

The reported €3 billion debut means the manufacturer has gone into self-administration.

They insist their 2025 MotoGP plans are unaffected, and tests are planned to kickstart their development to start next year with a bang.