KTM showed the colors of its 2020 MotoGP livery and officially began its season in the World Motorcycle Championship. All eyes now focus strongly on the Factory Team's fourth season in the premier class.
The lineups for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 have been known for several months with 28-year-old Pol Espargaro returning for his fourth term with the KTM RC16 and his seventh in the category, 24-year-old rookie teammate Brad Binder making his MotoGP debut, and with Miguel Oliveira (in his second year in MotoGP at 25) and Iker Lecuona (at 20, another rookie for 2020 and the youngest rider on the grid) forming the Tech3 roster.
For the second consecutive season, KTM will count four KTM RC16s on the MotoGP grid and with the quartet of race bikes all equipped with 2020 specifications. The riders have already completed both private and official IRTA testing.
Red Bull KTM Tech3 boasts some new factors for 2020 with the "Organics by Red Bull" livery and a new look for the team. The potential of the third-generation KTM RC16 is eagerly awaited after the company expanded its efforts in the test team with the experience of former world champion Dani Pedrosa.
"2020 is about to start and I would say we are exactly where we expected to be. Last year we worked with a satellite team and four riders who provided valuable feedback. I wouldn't say we also have "satellite teams" now, but we have a KTM "full package" including our test team. It's fascinating to be able to develop insanely powerful, high-quality bikes-the pinnacle of motorcycle engineering-and pushing materials to the limit. Our riders: Pol Espargarò believes a lot in this project and we know Brad Binder very well with a great history that of a Moto3 world champion now racing in MotoGP. Miguel Oliveira will definitely give us new stimuli to improve, also, we have great confidence in Iker Lecuona who has already impressed us. Working on the Moto3 project in 2012 was one of the most important steps for our racing department because it allowed us to start, learn quickly and build with the same group of people. We are happy to be able to play such an important role in that category. We will continue to give everything we have to improve MotoGP. This is an important season for us. I am convinced that we have done a great job in previous years to be up to speed with a grid-ready bike, and we will be measured by our lap times!"
PIT BEIRER
KTM Motorsport Director
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