After a first hearing with its creditors, the Austrian manufacturer KTM asserts with an assurance that seems almost out of place: “we reaffirm that in 2025 we will continue to compete in MotoGP” we read in its press release. But, behind this facade of optimism, the creditors, grouped under the banner of the Association of Alpine Creditors (AKV), have a completely different vision, clearly demanding an end to the racing adventure. If this scenario comes to fruition, what will happen to talents like Acosta, Bastianini, Binder and Viñales? Maybe there are solutions, but at what cost?
The top news in recent days is dedicated to
KTM. The Pierer group seems to take the news with a smile, but in the competitive world, on the race track, it's a completely different story. Here is a summary of a situation that smells like a scorch.
The first audition between KTMwho let's not forget filed for bankruptcyand the implacable creditors of the AKV took place on Friday before an Austrian court. On the AKV website, you just have to type “AKV-KTM” into a search engine to realize that they are not joking. By scrolling, we come across the conditions imposed by AKV. And what do they say? “ To reduce costs, the abandonment of MotoGP, Moto3 and Moto2 is planned. » No date, no details, just a threat hanging over the head of
KTM. Let us remember that KTMlike any good manufacturer, has already signed a contract with
Dorna for the next few years. Withdraw? Yes, but at what cost?
The challenges for KTM and MotoGP and possible solutions
Faced with this deluge of bad news, KTM
tries to save face with an official statement that sounds almost like a denial: “ today is an important day, with confirmation of our restructuring process : our plan can move forward and we are proud to confirm that motorcycle sport remains an integral part of this renovation plan. We reiterate that in 2025 we will continue to compete in MotoGP. »
But this optimism seems very naive when we read the AKV requirements on their site: “ the next hearing will take place
January 24, 2025. At this hearing, the respective verification statements of the restructuring administrator and the debtor will be presented for the credits presented by the creditors. »
So where is the optimism in all this? Difficult to say, but we will have to wait until the next hearing to be sure. An exit from KTM of the championship would be a hard blow for a MotoGP which has still to set in stone its important negotiations with
Liberty Media. But we can trust
Dorna to manage this as best as possible. However, in the worst-case scenario, what solution for MotoGP?
An idea comes from Moto.it: without KTMthere would remain four manufacturers. Dorna could temporarily review the rule of two drivers per teamdistributing the four abandoned at Aprilia, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha. Obviously, finishing at Ducati would not be the same as at Hondabut in an emergency situation, it may be the only chance to keep these drivers on the track. Manufacturers would then have to cover the cost of an additional motorcycle, with Dorna
covering reduced salaries. Complicated, but perhaps the only alternative if KTM abandons us. Hopefully this is just a guess.
