KTM MotoGP and the Disposable Riders: A Long History Culminating in Maverick Viñales

The story between Maverick Vinales and KTM is ending badly and risks ending very badly. The (very pointed) statements made by both parties over the past month, between promises of a future in the Factory team and a renewal offer with Tech 3 that never materialized, represent the final stage of a relationship that’s clearly nearing its end. Each with their own reasons, both with a problematic track record when it comes to professional relationships. And KTM, since its entry into MotoGP, has a very long list of rider relationships that have ended badly.

The first warning signs came in 2019, with the mid-season split from Johann Zarco. At his request, they released him from his 2020 contractual obligations, only to then let him go early during the season. More than with Zarco, the issue emerged afterward with Miguel Oliveira, who was initially assured that the Frenchman’s seat in the Factory team would be taken by Mika Kallio (who did in fact substitute for the last Grands Prix of 2019), only for Brad Binder to be placed there instead, at the expense of the Portuguese rider.

Oliveira ended up on the factory team from 2021, with Tech 3 finding itself with Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona. Both were not renewed, with the announcement made via the press and during free practice at the Spielberg Grand Prix. Hardly ideal in terms of relations, as then happened 12 months later: Remy Gardner was promoted to MotoGP as the Moto2 World Champion and immediately sidelined, while Raul Fernandez had to pay a very hefty penalty to free himself from his contractual obligations. He, who in 2012 did not even want to step up to MotoGP, preferring to race another year in Moto2.

With its GP Academy project and a pipeline that begins with the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, KTM has had the merit of bringing many riders into the three classes of the World Championship. Pedro Acosta is perhaps the most famous case, though the abundance has often created problems, with only Pol Espargaro’s willingness to stop at the end of 2023 managing to save Augusto Fernandez’s seat for another season. Now with Maverick Vinales, we see a recurring theme of relationships that started well and ended not so well between the parties, even if KTM under the “Pierer line” should no longer have retained anything of the sort.