KTM reportedly planned to withdraw from MotoGP in 2026

KTM's financial difficulties remain a major subject in Austria during this confectioners' truce. While the manufacturer has accumulated nearly three billion euros in debt, had to stop production and had difficulty paying the salaries of its employees, a first hearing with creditors was held on December 20 .

The AKV, an association representing creditors, published a report listing the measures put in place by Peter Vogl, the administrator in charge of the file. One of them consists of a “withdrawal from MotoGP, Moto3 and Moto2 in order to reduce costs”. The Austrian daily Der Standard goes further by specifying that this withdrawal would be planned for 2026, apparently to coincide with the end of the drivers' current contracts and avoid additional damage to KTM's image.

The four riders – Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta in the official team, Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales at Tech3, are under contract with the brand until the end of 2026, with the commercial agreements linking KTM to Dorna Sports being in force until the end of 2026. same deadline. It remains to be seen whether this plan will be implemented, and whether this will be the case at the start of 2026 or after the season.

Until now, KTM has always affirmed its desire to maintain its involvement in motor sports, seen as an important showcase for the sale of motorcycles. The racing team has also confirmed that it is looking for investors who would allow it to gain a certain independence from the manufacturer, revealing discussions with Lewis Hamilton.

Involvement in competition is one of the most publicized aspects of KTM's difficulties but not the one which weighs the most on its finances, the savings made with a withdrawal being estimated at 46 million euros per year.

At the same time, first measures have been put in place for employees of the Pierer Mobility group, which owns KTM. ORF, the public television in Austria, announced that employees would receive their December salaries as planned, and that November salaries and end-of-year bonuses would be paid in January, thanks to a fund covering the insolvency, from which approximately 3,600 employees will benefit.

The creditors will vote on the administrator's proposals on January 20, with the restructuring plan due to be put to a vote on February 25… five days before the first race of the MotoGP season.