Danilo “Petrux” Petrucci in front of Tech 3 teammate Iker Lecuona – the brave policeman supposedly didn’t fit at all as the main sponsor Red Bull driver, which is why the Energy Drink Group decided not to advertise on the bikes of Hervé Poncharal’s team anymore. Last year’s winner at Le Mans travels to the French GP with mixed feelings.

The reasons for the relapse into mediocrity in oranges

Why KTM stumbles again in MotoGP is a problem that has several fathers. When announcing the MotoGP, company boss Pierer originally stated a clear goal. There was talk of reaching the world’s elite after three years and being able to fight for podiums and victories. As so many politicians have already done, the Austrian began hastily to correct the objectives downwards before the time came. Then came the pandemic and, thanks to its so-called concession status and the earlier lockdown, a huge opportunity. This offered an unexpected boom, which many observers should misunderstand as the new strength of oranges.

The route in Spielberg, about an hour’s drive northwest of Graz, was a real stroke of luck for KTM together with the corona pandemic last year. Here and in Brno, the Austrians busily tested with the support of standard tire supplier Michelin, while all the other teams were condemned to idleness.

The opportunity presented ice-cold packed
Almost all other countries, and especially those in which the rest of the MotoGP teams were stationed, were still in the middle of lockdown when the oranges began to test. KTM benefited from a situation in which they had a clear advantage over all competitors. They benefited from a competitive advantage that should never have existed from a sporting point of view. But with IRTA President Poncharal as head of the Tech 3 customer team, they had found a perfect ally. When the season started in Jerez de la Frontera, they had tested around three times as much as all of their opponents. In addition, with Brno, Spielbertg and Misano (where only Aprilia was there) even on routes that were driven a little later. The result is well known and their drivers collected victories, podiums and points like few others up to Misano.

Pol Espargaró before the start of the KTM Home Grand Prix in 2019 – when spectators at the track were still the most normal in the world. He was unlucky in the race when he retired early due to technical problems. Many see the Catalans as the man who ultimately brought the Austrians forward in his 4 years in office and not test driver Dani Pedrosa.

The departure of Pol Espargaró and the relapse

You can think what you want of Pol Espargaró. The man from Granollers was the most important rider for KTM in their first 4 MotoGP years. A tough fighter and obviously also a good developer, albeit ultimately without a Grand Prix victory. With Brad Binder in his rookie year his teammate won this in his third race, as well as Miguel Olivera with a lot of luck in Spielberg and well-deserved in his home country Portugal at the season finale. But the latter two have little MotoGP experience and KTM is currently stumbling again. In the Losail double race, an 8th place for the South African was the only top ten result of the four drivers. In Portimão even ranked 5th, but he benefited from 3 falls of pilots in front of him. His crash in Jerez followed and Oliveira was the best of the oranges with P11. This led to the relapse of KTM into insignificance.

The uncertainty grows
In fourth from last place is the KTM factory team and Tech 3 even carries the red lantern. Behind Aprilia with only one top driver, the Austrians are currently in last place in the brand classification, although they are competing with 4 drivers. This naturally increases the uncertainty among the oranges and their drivers. Danilo Petrucci, like Pol Espargaró, was unlucky that he only had 4 days of testing after changing brands. This is fatal for Italians, since 12 days are usually available earlier. He owes this to the completely unrealistic planning of the Dorna, because a first winter test was planned in Sepang, but then had to be canceled. KTM realized very late that his team-mate Lecuona did not have the format for MotoGP. It is now to be hoped that they will find the path to success even without a pole. Otherwise, Remy Gardner will switch to a backbench team as the new MotoGP rider of the Oranges (we were the first to report about it on April 5th), which no one would want the young Australian to do.

Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) was only eleventh at the Jerez Grand Prix, just ahead of HRC test driver Stefan Bradl. The season has been an absolute disaster for the two-time MotoGP winner from Portugal and many are wondering why.

The Le Mans weekend is already eagerly awaited

With only 5 left turns and 9 right turns, the Bugatti circuit, like most of the circuits, is clockwise. For the opponents of Ducati it is reassuring that there is no long straight here either. The maximum is 647 m, with which the lightning-fast reds have to wait until Mugello in order to enjoy their strongest triumph. La Chapelle and Garage Vert are somewhat reminiscent of the almost 180 degree curves 6 and 13 of Jerez, but otherwise the characteristics of the Circuit Bugatti are completely different.

The world championship stand in all classes before the 5th round at Le Mans

Le Mans Grand Prix schedule

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