Ahead of the 2025 MotoGP season there has been concern over the future of KTM and whether it will be able to line up on the grid in Thailand.
Despite boasting its best-ever team in the premier class with Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta, the financial crisis looming over the Austrian manufacturer has been threatening its MotoGP participation, though it has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to the championship.
KTM has been forced to freeze its development on its RC16 as a result of entering self-administration, and the consequences of the financial crisis are uncertainties over what to expect from the Austrian factory and whether it will be able to snap its two year winless streak.
The concerns also mean that the battle for the number one spot in the factory has been heavily overshadowed. Binder, who has been the team leader since his victory at Brno in 2020 will likely come under pressure from 2024’s rookie sensation in Acosta, who will be desperate to take his first win in the premier class after fantastic performances last year.
How will Pedro Acosta fare in his sophomore season?
Acosta made an immediate impact on debut last season, earning the most podiums of any non-Ducati rider, but he was unable to convert his pace and potential into a victory.
Following the most crashes for any rider in 2024, as well as his first season on the grand prix ladder without a race win, Acosta has been clear that his aim for the upcoming campaign is consistency and better results.
The Spanish rider had been positive about the benefits of signing with the factory team, but the financial concerns have cast doubt over his future with the manufacturer.
Acosta and his manager visited KTM’s factory in Austria in the early weeks of the company’s restructuring process, and while there are still reportedly concerns in the Murcian’s camp, he continues to trust the bosses in charge.
“I’m happy to have made the step up to the official team, which was what we were looking for from the beginning,” he said via Marca.
“The objective will be to finish fine-tuning some points of the bike and look for consistency in the races to fight for better results.
“The current situation of KTM does not affect us at all, and I am sure that they will get through it.”
Will Brad Binder retain his status as KTM’s number one?
On the other side of the garage, it’s set to be a big year for Binder, who will be hoping to cling onto his spot as KTM’s number one rider in 2025.
The South African took the manufacturer’s first MotoGP victory in his debut season in 2020, and impressed fans worldwide the following year after his wet-weather heroics with slick tyres at Spielberg.
However, since the 2021 Styrian GP, Binder has not won a full length grand prix, with KTM’s two victories in 2022 coming at the hands of Miguel Oliveira. Though Binder finished last season as the top-non Ducati, it was clear that his machinery was not good enough to challenge those on the Desmosedici packages.
The lack of victories and the overall drop off in performance for both rider and manufacturer has made 2025 an important year for the South African, who will be aiming to prove why he has been a stalwart at KTM for so long. While Acosta is touted as the next big thing in the championship, it could be that Binder retains his status as MotoGP’s perennial underdog.
READ MORE – KTM riders Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta discuss 2025 MotoGP ambitions
