KTM’s promising start to the 2024 MotoGP season, featuring three consecutive podium finishes, now feels like a distant memory. Just four months ago, Brad Binder finished a mere 1.239 seconds behind race winner Francesco Bagnaia in Qatar. However, recent performances have shown a significant decline in KTM’s competitive edge.
At the recent German Grand Prix, the best-performing KTM, ridden by GasGas rider Pedro Acosta, finished seventh, over 14 seconds behind the leader. A week earlier, Binder crossed the finish line 16 seconds down in sixth place. Since Acosta’s second-place finish at the Americas GP in April. A KTM rider has only managed to secure a top-five finish once in a grand-prix, painting bleak picture for team.
Factory rider Jack Miller provided insight into KTM’s sudden drop in form during the Sachsenring event, revealing a key issue:. “We are on the same package in terms of base stuff, we have the same stuff as Misano last year. There’s always going to be a roof and you need to develop and make things better to improve that and move the roof further.”
KTM made a significant leap in September last year when test rider Dani Pedrosa debuted carbon fiber chassis at Misano. Miller and Binder adopted the same frame shortly after, marking a major advancement for the Austrian manufacturer. However, the inability to improve this chassis over the past 10 months indicates that KTM has fallen behind in the development race.
Despite not introducing major updates, Binder emphasized the need for a methodical plan: “We haven’t had an update for a long time. More than anything, we need a clear understanding of which direction to go in. We have been playing a-lot with balances this weekend [at Sachsenring] and finally did things we had never done before. Which don’t really make sense but make the bike a bit better.”
KTM needs to pinpoint where the RC16 is lagging compared to its rivals. While the engine is strong and the aero package is solid. Miller identified areas needing improvement: “We need a little bit more grip, a little bit more turning. The engine is strong, and the aero package is pretty strong. It’s just a matter of what we need to do to get a little bit more turning, a bit more grip both on the front and the rear to go faster and brake later, get on the gas earlier, and hopefully carry more corner speed.”
Following the German GP, Acosta visited KTM’s headquarters in Austria to understand the inner workings of the MotoGP program and help address the RC16’s weaknesses. Acosta, accompanied by technical chief Paul Trevathan and head of suspensions Miguel Olivenza. Aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of KTM’s operations and the decision-making process.
KTM is fortunate to have talent like Acosta and has offered him an early contract for factory squad in 2025. The addition of race winners Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales will also boost the team. Replacing weaker links Miller and Augusto Fernandez. However, with Ducati being in a “league of its own” according to Binder, KTM must focus on meaningful updates to ensure its bike can match its riding talent.
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