KTM REAFFIRMS MOTOGP COMMITMENT AFTER FINANCIAL CRISIS

Pedro Acosta’s victory at the Red Bull Ring on September 20 was more than a breakthrough for the rider: it ended KTM’s wait for a premier-class Grand Prix win that had stretched back to Miguel Oliveira’s success in Thailand in October 2022. The result, achieved at the team’s home race in front of KTM leaders and sponsors, also offered a welcome sign of progress after years of financial strain.

KTM and Bajaj Mobility chief executive Gottfried Neumeister said he makes it to only three or four MotoGP events each year and hopes his presence brings the team luck. He described racing as central to the company’s identity, pointing to its Dakar success and six world championship titles already won this year. Lessons from competition, he said, feed into KTM’s production motorcycles.

Neumeister joined KTM in autumn 2024, recruited by former owner Stefan Pierer, and took charge as chief executive of Bajaj Mobility and KTM in January 2025. He recalled that a year earlier he had been asked whether the company could afford to remain in motorsport. KTM had been burning through money, he said, and uncertainty fuelled speculation that it might sell its MotoGP team or bring in a partner.

His priority was to reassure the team. KTM has signed a new five-year agreement with MotoGP, Neumeister said, and will not sell the team or any part of it. The company’s ambition remains to win the premier-class title, one of the few major prizes it has yet to claim. “We are here to win,” he said, adding that the team now has a clear plan and has overcome its budget obstacles.

Neumeister recalled just how severe the crisis became: KTM staff travelling to the Dakar Rally paid for fuel themselves after company credit cards were blocked. They did not know whether they would be reimbursed or still have jobs when they returned. He called that determination the spirit that kept KTM alive, with motorsport serving as a guiding light through the uncertainty.

The chief executive said the team now has greater security, a firm commitment to racing and a recovering budget, allowing it to focus on competition. KTM had endured a difficult season of highs and lows, with injuries affecting results, but Neumeister said the problems had been resolved and the bike was improving. He urged patience, describing the next steps as “a few more baby steps” toward further progress.

Acosta was the standout rider at Spielberg. The 22-year-old Spaniard is fourth in the championship and remains in contention for the title. His performance was so convincing that reigning world champion Marc Marquez, of Ducati Lenovo, promptly named him a favourite for the next Grand Prix in Japan in early October.