KTM technical director classifies performance: Back in racing mode after problems

– Compared to 2025, KTM has made great progress in one area above all: managing the tire over the race distance. This was a big problem for Pedro Acosta last year.

Titel-Bild zur News: Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta

“We worked a lot on tire temperature over the winter, aerodynamically and electronically,” KTM technical director Sebastian Risse looks back in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com.

“But I also have to say, we revised our approach, our way of working in the team on the electronics side over the winter and I think we found a better way there.”

“We wanted to approach the weekend more conservatively so that we don’t have to fear tire wear so much. That is basically the rough concept behind it.”

Acosta started the season in Thailand with a win in the sprint and second place in the Grand Prix. For the first time, a KTM rider led the world championship standings. Then followed a third place in Austin, but the step to the top was not achieved.

Aprilia and Ducati are the benchmark. “It is clear, this season Aprilia has made a big step. We actually finished the second half of last season relatively similarly to Aprilia,” compares Risse.

“Aprilia with more highlights, we with more consistency. And they have now clearly beaten Ducati. To what extent they are a step ahead or the others have also taken a step back, that is debatable.”

“But it is clear, we were on par with Aprilia at the end of last year. And this year Aprilia is a step ahead.” Acosta was still able to show highlights at the start of the season, but then KTM had technical problems.

In Barcelona, the unit electronics suddenly shut off the motorcycle. Together with Magneti Marelli, the cause was sought. In addition, there were engine problems, which meant KTM had to replace a component from a supplier.

From survival mode back to race mode

After these problems were overcome, Acosta was recently able to mix again at the front with second place in Aragon and third place in Misano. Therefore, Risse would exclude the problematic phase when evaluating the performance.

“I think now the middle third of the season, we are putting that in parentheses for the moment. We had many technical problems that we had to solve over the summer.”

“A lot of focus then goes into survival mode at the moment when you don’t have just one problem, but repeatedly or also different ones, from fine-tuning for the weekend.”

“And that doesn’t help to squeeze out the last hundredths. Mentally for the rider, for the whole team. We had our hands full with all sorts of things. And I think we have now found a way after the summer break.”

“Now we are back in regular race mode. Silverstone is a difficult track for us, traditionally. Aragon is a track that suits us better. And we are trying to take that with us now and continue the trend.”

In Misano, Acosta succeeded in continuing this trend. Therefore, Risse believes that KTM has taken a step forward in basic performance compared to last year.

“I think if you take out this middle part of the season, we actually continued at the same level as last year, but with more consistency and less weakness at the end of the race.”

“Therefore, up to that point we were actually on a good path. Of course, the competition is making steps. That cannot be changed. And you have to accept that and keep working.”