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KTM Eyes David Alonso for Future MotoGP Aspirations
KTM is actively considering signing David Alonso for its MotoGP program, motivated by the young rider’s remarkable performance in the 2024 Moto3 season. Alonso’s record-breaking year, which includes an impressive 13 victories out of 19 races, has caught the attention of the Austrian manufacturer’s motorsport management.
Pit Beirer, KTM’s motorsport director, has expressed a strong desire to retain a talent like Alonso, who hails from Angel Nieto’s Aspar team. Despite his current affiliation, KTM views Alonso as an integral part of its rider development pipeline, following his journey through the Red Bull Rookies Cup and his tenure with KTM’s sister team, CFMoto.
Looking ahead, Alonso is set to transition to Moto2 with the same Aspar CFMoto squad in 2025, and KTM is optimistic about his readiness to ascend to the premier class shortly thereafter. “Now that David is moving on to Moto2, we are eager to eventually see him in the MotoGP class,” Beirer stated in an interview with Servus TV.
KTM is reconfiguring its rider lineup for the 2025 MotoGP season. Promising young racer Pedro Acosta will be promoted to the factory team alongside Brad Binder, while established riders Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini will join the Tech3 team from their respective previous teams, Aprilia and Ducati.
All three riders—Binder, Vinales, and Bastianini—are under contract until 2026, which means they will be in their late 20s or early 30s by then. Beirer noted the importance of integrating young talent into the fold as they plan for the future. He hinted at the necessity of looking into the junior categories to bring fresh faces aboard, with Alonso positioned as a potential successor to Acosta. “We’ll need a new young rider again at some point,” he remarked, expressing a desire to nurture someone who has grown through the ranks, similar to what they hope for with Alonso.
As KTM navigates a challenging 2024 MotoGP season, characterized by Ducati’s dominance with its GP24 motorcycle, the manufacturer’s position in the championship remains competitive. Currently, Vinales’ win at the US Grand Prix represents the only occasion Ducati has been defeated in a Sunday race this year, showcasing the formidable challenge other teams face in breaking into the podium positions consistently.
Despite earlier difficulties this season, recent performances have shown improvement, with Acosta achieving podium finishes in Aragon, Indonesia, and Thailand, helping KTM maintain a solid second place in the manufacturers’ championship, ahead of Aprilia.
Reflecting on the season, Beirer acknowledged that while the team’s results have not entirely aligned with their expectations, he was particularly critical of the performances from Binder and departing rider Jack Miller. Binder finds himself sixth in the riders’ standings, closely trailing Acosta, while Miller struggles in 14th place.
“The level of technology and competition in the championship is extraordinarily high, and you really need cutting-edge performance to compete,” Beirer commented on the challenges his team faces. “We certainly had higher goals for this year, with 12 podiums to date, but we always aim for more, particularly from our main riders, Jack and Brad.”
As KTM looks to the future, the potential inclusion of David Alonso could symbolize a new generation of riders emerging through their robust developmental framework.
Source
www.autosport.com