Tech3 had ‘normal’ winter despite KTM future uncertainty

Tech3 MotoGP team manager Nicolas Goyon says KTM always insisted over the winter “don’t worry” and that it would be racing “in ’25 as initially planned”.

KTM’s MotoGP future remains in uncertainty amid the company’s current insolvency proceedings as a result of its financial crisis.

Just before Christmas, a report following a creditors hearing stated that a withdrawal by KTM from MotoGP was “planned” - prompting the Austrian marque to issue a statement insisting it would be on the 2025 grid.

Tech3 has been a KTM partner since 2019 and forges even closer ties in 2025 as it field an identical livery to that of the factory team for Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales.

Goyon says Tech3 had a normal winter in terms of preparations despite KTM’s financial situation.

“Yeah, honestly they have - not been pushing us - always told us ‘be ready, we’re going to race in ’25 as it was initially planned and we don’t change anything of the plan’,” he said when asked by Crash.net what assurances KTM had given the French team over the winter.

“So, clearly last winter we prepared like we normally do.

“We had quite a lot of things to do as a team, switching from GASGAS to KTM, this is something we’re used to doing and honestly we’ve done exactly the same as every year.

“And from their side, the messaging was really clear: ‘we’re going to race like normal and don’t worry, just be ready for Sepang’. And that’s what we’ve done.”

With Tech3’s branding coming in line with that of KTM’s factory squad, as well as the strong line-up it has in Vinales and Bastianini, Goyon described its 2025 season as a “dream come true”.

“To be fair, in Tech3’s history, since we switched from Yamaha to KTM this was one our targets,” he said, in reference to becoming an extension of KTM’s factory team.

“We really wanted to be as close as possible with the factory and this is something where we kind of suffered a little bit with Yamaha.

“And this is one of the reasons why we switched.

“It’s clear that this year having exactly the same colours, having such a strong line-up, this is a kind of dream come true for us.

“We are part of the project. We were already feeling part of the project before, but now also with this livery, all the same colours, this was the target of the bosses in Pierer Mobility, showing the people that the company is strong, the company has four riders, four bikes very similar, and this is the strength of the company.

“And as Tech3, we are of course super happy and we are proud of this achievement.”