Tech3 Team, top investors to shift gears: F1’s Pierre Gasly is among them

Bolt Ventures, Main Street Advisors and other investors have joined IKON Capital in the Tech3 MotoGP deal: all the details.

Last September there was a historic announcement regarding the Tech3 MotoGP team, namely its sale to a group of investors led by IKON Capital and represented by Guenther Steiner, former Haas F1 team principal. The statement specified that the new structure would become fully operational in 2026 and that former owner Hervé Poncharal would become a consultant, focusing mainly on young riders.

Today it was announced that Bolt Ventures and Main Street Advisors have entered into a partnership with IKON Capital to acquire the Tech3 team. The official note specified that the group of Tech3 investors also includes TRAIL SLAM and Pierre Gasly, ALK Capital, Barry English (Penman Holdings), Tom Stafford, Charles de Carvalho, and Richard Cook (Dolphin Capital).

Carlos Ezpeleta, MotoGP Sporting Director, is thrilled to see new investors in the World Championship: "Having an investor group of this caliber acquire a team is a strong endorsement for MotoGP and for the championship’s global growth trajectory. We are excited to welcome the group to the paddock and look forward to working together to bring the championship to new audiences around the world."

IKON CAPITAL - An investment platform and advisory firm focused exclusively on the sports, media, and entertainment sectors. The company was founded by Damien O'Donohoe and Markus Gloël, who previously held executive and advisory roles with several major global rights holders and investment firms, including Sixth Street Partners, Live Nation, KKR, and the San Francisco 49ers.

BOLT VENTURES - A respected global investor in the sports and entertainment sector. David Blitzer is co-founder and co-managing general partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) and boasts over a decade of experience in owning and managing professional sports teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), the New Jersey Devils (NHL), the Cleveland Guardians (MLB), Crystal Palace (EPL), Real Salt Lake (MLS), and numerous international football clubs. Bolt Ventures is David Blitzer’s single-family office, specializing in investments across the sports, media, and entertainment ecosystem. The American entrepreneur is the first to hold equity stakes across all five major U.S. men’s professional sports leagues (NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, MLS).

MAIN STREET ADVISORS - An integrated multi-family office and wealth management firm based in Santa Monica, California, managing approximately $8.7 billion in assets for a select group of artists, athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and institutional investors. Founded in 1997 by Paul Wachter, the current CEO, MSA has deep expertise in investing, operational management, and company building across sports, media, entertainment, and lifestyle. Through MSA and its private equity platform, MSA Acceleration Partners, the firm has invested in and helped develop industry-leading companies such as Fenway Sports Group, Beats by Dre, Alpine F1 Team, AC Milan, Complex, Dave's Hot Chicken, IMG Academy, The Rock-It Company, PGA Tour, Breitling, Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop, On Running, and Fulwell Entertainment.

The Tech3 team has very solid financial backing and certainly very ambitious goals as well. The partnership with KTM expires at the end of 2026, and it will be interesting to see whether the contract is renewed or if the parties go their separate ways.

Two well-known figures from F1 have invested in the team founded by Poncharal, namely Steiner and driver Pierre Gasly. In the past, even bigger names were rumored to be considering investing in MotoGP, namely Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. It’s not out of the question that they could do so later on. The fact that Dorna, the company that holds the MotoGP rights, has become owned by Liberty Media (which also owns F1) could open up many interesting scenarios for the future.

The change has happened recently and there have not yet been any revolutions, but everyone expects major shifts in perspective. Liberty Media wants to exponentially grow MotoGP, increasing its audience and economic returns. Looking at what it has done with Formula 1, several investors may decide to bet on the world’s most famous motorcycle racing championship.