KTM MotoGP boss explains new team manager appointment

KTM switches team managers for 2025, with Aki Ajo stepping into the role that was previously held by Francesco Guidotti.

The move came at the end of a second successive season in which KTM didn’t win a Grand Prix; indeed in 2024 it didn’t win either a Grand Prix or a Sprint.

“I don’t want to sound terrible by saying this, but I’m really happy that Francesco [Guidotti] will leave KTM as a friend,” KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer told MotoGP.com.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the success we wanted for many small reasons.”

Beirer explained that the justification for picking Ajo – who has run KTM’s official teams in the Moto3 category since its inception in 2012, and its Moto2 team since KTM stepped into the class in 2017 — was the way the Finnish team boss has worked with riders in the intermediate and lightweight classes over the years.

“We also made the decision for Aki [Ajo] because he’s a man who works really closely with the riders, and I think he can give them great advice on what to do on the track,” Beirer said.

“Don’t get me wrong, we don’t think Aki is coming in and solving all our problems, but if we share the missing pieces – let’s say, we’ll build a better machine at home, and the riders will bring everything to the table at the right time – it’s not just about the riders.

“It’s also about team planning: when to go out for qualifying, when to put in the lap time, and all those organizational aspects.

“We believe that Aki is maybe one of the strongest in this area, and he’s always had the ability to develop champions for us.

“Both of these guys (Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta) know him very well and are looking forward to working with him. He made them champions before, so we trust Aki to give us that extra bit in the fight for the last tenths-of-a-second we need.”