Analysis: Why saving KTM’s MotoGP team is not a simple task

KTM’s ongoing financial crisis and the impact this will have on its MotoGP project has dominated the headlines this winter.

While the company’s restructuring process is being allowed to continue and there is cautious optimism for its future, there are major doubts about its grand prix programme.

An exit from MotoGP is planned for 2026 under current restructuring plans, but motorsport boss Pit Beirer spoke recently about seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton expressing interest in investing.

“Interesting comments, wasn’t it, reading the Speedweek interview with Pit Beirer, saying there were concrete talks with his management,” Crash.net's Social Media Manager Jordan Moreland said.

“And it’s not the first time we’ve seen Lewis Hamilton be linked with a MotoGP team for example.

“We saw it in 2024 with Gresini, there were reports there that Hamilton didn’t really deny.

“But he’s always said he’s had an interest in maybe getting a MotoGP team and maybe investing in one in the future.

“It’s something I get quite excited about and you read Lewis Hamilton’s name: he’s the greatest F1 driver.

“Some people don’t like that, but he’s the greatest F1 driver that’s ever been and when you see his name linked especially to KTM and you think the situation they are in, it has to be exciting doesn't it, when especially Pit Beirer is saying it.”

Crash Senior Journalist Lewis Duncan added: “I think anyone who isn’t excited about it really doesn’t understand the prospect that we have here with Lewis Hamilton getting involved in MotoGP.

“He’s a bike nut. He loves it. He loves MotoGP. He has his own special edition MV Agusta. He’s done Superbike track days with the Yamaha World Superbike team. He did that ride swap with Valentino Rossi.

“He’s a proper, proper bike nut and he loves it. And not just that. He’s a proper motorsport fanatic.

“I think unfairly people have gone ‘well, you know, he’s just in it for the Hollywood connections and the business, blah, blah, blah’.

“Well, drivers are allowed to have outside activities and racing is a small part of their world. It’s a career that will last, at the highest levels, for most people 10 years. Hamilton has done 15 years now, he’ll have a couple more years at least.

“But beyond that, he’s just in his 40s, he has a long life ahead of him. He’s safeguarded his future and you have to respect that.

“If he gets involved with KTM, we don’t know in what aspect that is going to be, it would certainly be enough to entice investors who were maybe not thinking about it.

“Let’s not forget this is the guy who had a reasonably successful team in Extreme E, is part-owner of the Denver Broncos NFL team. And he does these things not only to boost his business portfolio but he does them with a real intention of making a difference.”

While the prospect of Hamilton getting involved with KTM in MotoGP is an exciting one, Crash MotoGP Editor Peter McLaren warns that linking up with a factory squad is no small task.

“They [Red Bull] are so closely linked to KTM, I think Pit Beirer has emphasised that recently,” he said.

“Red Bull and KTM go everywhere together in terms of racing, and they’re not going to split that partnership up.

“Red Bull has been completely silent on this but I think you can be sure that behind the scenes they are surely extremely interested in what is going on and taking a look.

“It makes sense that they would be an investor or one of those who would be interested in it. And of course they have the technical knowhow.

“We’ve got a lot of big names interested in investing, being part of a MotoGP team.

“But there is a big difference between an independent team, which really anyone could take over and go racing tomorrow - you can lease bikes and whatever - and taking over a factory team, where you are a constructor and you have to have that whole technical team behind you to design the bike, to maintain the bike, to do the R&D, the test team and everything.

“That’s a massive undertaking, but Red Bull ticks all of those boxes because they have the financial might, the motorsport interest, the technical knowledge with their F1 team.

“Imagine if KTM could come out of this where they somehow have a deal where Red Bull increases their involvement and somehow also Lewis Hamilton as well.

“It would be incredible if they could pull all of that together. And who knows? I think that’s the hurdle at the moment, is KTM is a constructor and nobody can just come in.

“We’ve heard all this talk about BMW coming in, and they’ve been umming and ahing and backing away.

“And they’re a company with all this background in building bikes and winning the Superbike championship this year.

“So, it just underlines just how big a deal it is to become a constructor in MotoGP. And so I think it’s not to be taking likely.”