GUENTHER STEINER SAYS SENNA AGIUS OFFERS TECH3 A DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR 2027

Tech3 boss Guenther Steiner has explained why the team sees Senna Agius’ move into MotoGP next season as an important opportunity, following Tech3’s announcement that the Moto2 star will join Luca Marini for his rookie campaign in the premier class.

Steiner, speaking to TNT Sports in the MotoGP pit lane during FP1 at the Austrian Grand Prix, said Tech3’s thinking was to balance experience with youth aimed at development. “We wanted to build a team around experience and some youth for development,” he stated. From that perspective, he highlighted Agius’ progress in Moto2 and the belief that the rider can be taken forward by the team. “Senna is doing so good in Moto2; there were a lot of options out there, but I think with Senna, we have the opportunity to get a rider who we can take forward,” Steiner said. He added that the team’s investment is rooted in perceived potential, with Marini’s experience also expected to help the transition. “There’s a lot of potential there, and that’s what we wanted to invest in. We have Luca Marini on the other side, and his experience will also help to guide us a little bit. In our opinion, it was a good solution.”

The decision comes after a closely fought Moto2 battle between Agius and his teammate Manuel Gonzalez, with Agius ultimately coming out on top in the fight for the intermediate class lead. The report also notes that there had been claims Agius could be fast-tracked to a Tech3 seat earlier, linked to Maverick Viñales’ ongoing absence from the paddock due to injury.

A key part of Agius’ preparation will be immediate testing. With an 850cc test scheduled at the Red Bull Ring the day after the Austrian Grand Prix ends, Agius is set to get his first chance to ride the bike he will race in MotoGP next year. Steiner said this extra track time is beneficial for rookies, even though Marini will miss the session because of contractual obligations to Honda. “It’s not good for Luca, but it’s very good for the rookies to have as much time as possible on the bigger bikes,” Steiner said when asked about whether Marini would attend on Monday.

Steiner also pointed to the value of Agius’ experience with Pirelli tyres and the broader context of the new 850cc era. “Obviously, it will prepare him as best as possible for next year. His experience on the Pirellis will help him a lot,” he said. He referenced Pol Espargaro’s comments that the new machine is “a completely different bike,” concluding that the step from Moto2 to MotoGP is smaller than it used to be. “So, I think Moto2 to MotoGP next year will be a smaller step than it was before, and we think it’s a good time to get a rookie into MotoGP because the step isn’t as big anymore.”