– KTM is reorganizing for the future of MotoGP. From the 2027 season, the Austrian manufacturer will rely on a new riding duo with Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio, who have already celebrated race wins in the premier class and still have development potential.
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KTM motorsport chief Pit Beirer sees the combination of experience, speed, and personality as the ideal lineup for the start of the new 850cc era.
The change comes at a crucial time for KTM. With the start of the new rules era in 2027, the balance of power could fundamentally change. At the same time, the manufacturer had to cope with the departure of Pedro Acosta, who was originally built up as a long-term cornerstone of the project.
Photo series: The contract durations of the current MotoGP riders
For Beirer, the search for a replacement was therefore not an easy task. In the end, however, he believes he has found the right answer with Marquez and Di Giannantonio. “For us, it was perhaps a decisive moment, what happened in the rider market,” the Austrian told MotoGP.com.
“But when everything got quite turbulent, we were able to secure two guys at this level. Both Alex and Fabio have incredible skills for MotoGP. What they can do, they have proven on the track. Everyone can see that.”
In doing so, the KTM official not only emphasizes the sporting qualities of the two newcomers. From his point of view, the two riders also fit perfectly into the project on a personal level. “They are just really nice guys. All in all, we are very much looking forward to the upcoming season,” says Beirer.
Difficult replacement for Pedro Acosta
The signings of Marquez and Di Giannantonio are also a reaction to the loss of Acosta. The Spaniard was closely connected with KTM for years, from the Red Bull Rookies Cup through the Moto3 World Championship title to the Moto2 championship, the joint path finally led to the premier class.
“It’s no secret: we had to accept that Pedro wanted to leave us,” admits Beirer. “He was with us for so long – Rookies Cup, Moto3 World Champion, Moto2 World Champion, the leg injury, the comeback afterwards. We went through so many things together and built the project with him as a rider.”
The loss of such a talent initially posed an unplanned challenge for KTM. “There was a moment when it was honestly quite frustrating for us because, of course, we had never planned for a replacement. We had somehow put all our cards on him,” explained the KTM motorsport chief.
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But the situation changed quickly. “When one door closes, another opens. We could see that these guys are developing very strongly. Both have taken a clear step forward again this year.”
New rules era as an opportunity for KTM
Besides the rider question, the switch to the new 850cc regulations also plays a central role for Beirer. KTM sees not only a challenge in this but also the opportunity to fundamentally further develop its own MotoGP project.
“This is a perfect fresh start for KTM,” says Beirer. “In our previous project, we never really had the opportunity to completely rethink everything and make major changes to the characteristics of the motorcycle.”
Photo series: Dream in orange: All MotoGP bikes from KTM since 2016
So far, the RC16 has developed step by step. “The motorcycle has simply grown. You always keep building on it. But now all the insights from the two motorcycle generations we had in our short MotoGP history have been packed into the 850cc,” Beirer looks ahead.
He sees the riders as a decisive factor. A new motorcycle alone is not enough to be successful in MotoGP. “The 850cc also needs extremely strong riders,” he explains. This is exactly where he sees the new KTM lineup at an advantage.
Beirer sees experience and development potential
Alex Marquez brings mainly experience from different MotoGP projects. After difficult years at Honda, the younger brother of Marc Marquez found his old strength again at Gresini-Ducati and developed into a consistent top rider. In 2025, he became vice world champion behind Marc.
Di Giannantonio, in turn, steadily worked his way forward after his MotoGP debut and recently established himself as a regular contender for podium places.
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For KTM, this exact mix is crucial: two riders who can already win races but are not yet at the end of their development. Beirer therefore believes that all the important building blocks are now in place for the new season: “I have the feeling that this package is now complete.”
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