Lewis Hamilton could well become an investor in a MotoGP team in the coming weeks or months. Pit Beirer, competition director of KTM, has confirmed discussions with the F1 driver for him to buy shares in the team, while the Austrian brand is on the brink of financial collapse.
Red Bull could acquire the racing team, helped by an Indian partner of KTM. But the team could therefore see other partners enter its capital, notably Hamilton.
“I can only say that we had very interesting discussions with his management” Pit Beirer told Speedweek. “It's no secret that Lewis Hamilton is interested in MotoGP and that he is thinking about his own team. Here too there are concrete discussions.”
Beirer assures that despite Hamilton's links with Ferrari, Red Bull's F1 rival, the partnership between KTM and the drinks firm is not a problem for a possible entry into the capital of the seven-time Formula 1 world champion.
“Everyone who wants to work with us knows this closeness – Red Bull and KTM are inseparable. This has not been a problem in the negotiations so far.”
“An investor is different from a sponsor. We also work with our sponsors in a very strong partnership. When you have partners at the table giving you money for such a big project, they imply.”
“This should also be positive. When strong partners sit around the table and think, good solutions emerge together. So it is obvious that these people will have their say.”
If Hamilton and others were to invest in the racing team, KTM could simply walk away: “With the pressure the company is currently under, we had to think about how this would be possible. Changes would have to be made in the organization, the competition program would have to become independent.”
