Manu Gonzalez out of MotoGP: the Tech3 team explains why it chose Senna Agius

The Moto2 leader has no spot on the 2027 MotoGP grid; his current teammate in the Intact GP garage got the nod instead: Steiner explained the decision.

When guessing who will move up from Moto2 to MotoGP, it’s natural to look at the standings and assume the rider in first place is the most deserving. Simple, right? But for Manuel Gonzalez, leading the intermediate class of the World Championship wasn’t enough. In fact, he won’t be making the jump to the top class in 2027: for the last available seat, the one at the KTM Tech3 team, Senna Agius was preferred over him.

The Spaniard was edged out by his current teammate, who sits fifth in the Moto2 standings and is nearly 100 points behind Manu (245.5 to 149). And there’s even someone worse off than the Australian who still has a MotoGP seat: Dani Holgado, sixth with 146 points, has signed with the BK8 Gresini team and will ride a Ducati Desmosedici GP.

Many believe it’s unfair that Gonzalez didn’t get the chance to step up to MotoGP. After fighting for the Moto2 title in 2025, he confirmed himself as a top rider in the intermediate class in 2026 as well, and the leap would undoubtedly have been deserved. Some suspect that his passport played a role, given the number of Spaniards already on the MotoGP grid, making an Australian like Agius more “functional” commercially, especially after Jack Miller’s announced departure (he’ll be in WorldSBK in 2027 with the Pata Maxus Yamaha team).

Guenther Steiner, CEO of the Tech3 Racing team, offered a different explanation for the choice made: "It was a very difficult decision between the two," he told the official MotoGP website, "because they’re both very good. Manu is currently leading the championship, ahead of Senna, but I think for us Senna’s advantage was his age. He’s three years younger and we have more time to develop him. In Senna we see the potential to become a standout rider in MotoGP. I think we were very lucky to sign him, as he was in high demand."

According to Steiner’s words, age was the decisive factor: Agius is seen as having greater long-term potential, despite Gonzalez (24) outperforming him in Moto2. Only time will tell, but for now it’s natural to feel disappointed that Manu didn’t get the chance to prove he’s MotoGP-ready. In 2027 he’ll remain in Moto2 with the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP team and will keep chasing his dream of reaching the top class, without ruling out a possible move to WorldSBK, which has already been considered for next year.

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