Jack Miller KTM MotoGP 2023 France Sunday 1

Guenther Steiner takes over Red Bull KTM Tech3: New leadership and clear statements on the role of riders in MotoGP

From 2026, Guenther Steiner, former team principal of Haas in Formula 1, will take over the management of the MotoGP team Red Bull KTM Tech3. Steiner will succeed Hervé Poncharal, who founded the team in 1990. Poncharal will remain part of the team as an advisor. Steiner will lead Tech3 as CEO in the future, while Richard Coleman will join as team principal. The takeover is part of a consortium. Tech3 is considered the longest-running independent team in MotoGP.

Reasons for switching to MotoGP

Guenther Steiner explained in an interview with the betting platform Lottoland that MotoGP has always fascinated him. For him, the focus is primarily on the riders’ performance: “In MotoGP, the rider is much more important than in Formula 1.”

He describes the races as extremely exciting and emphasizes how close the competition is and how clearly the riding talent is visible. He describes the motorcycles as “technology monsters” that travel at enormous speeds.

 


Goal: Making MotoGP even more popular

Steiner sees great potential for making MotoGP known to a wider audience: “The sport is great, the action is there—but I think it deserves an even bigger audience. One of the opportunities is to make this incredible, adrenaline-fueled racing accessible to more people.”

Steiner emphasizes that he has great respect for the scene and recognizes how much experience there is in the paddock. It will take three to five years to fully build the team and make its mark: “You can’t buy experience—it takes time.”

 


Continuity in the team and sporting goals

In order to become competitive as quickly as possible, the rider pairing for the coming season will remain unchanged. Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini are set to continue racing for Tech3 in 2026. The KTM factory has not recorded a MotoGP victory since the 2022 Thai Grand Prix. With the new management structure and the established rider duo, that is set to change.

 


Opportunities for independent teams

Steiner emphasizes the permeability and openness of MotoGP. Unlike in Formula 1, a private team can also fight for the title here: “In MotoGP, even an independent team can win a championship. Last year’s world champion did not ride for the Ducati factory team, but for a privately run Ducati team. That shows how open and competitive MotoGP is. Anyone who does a good job can win.”

 


Focus on the riders: Marc Márquez and Valentino Rossi

During the interview, Steiner drew parallels between MotoGP world champion Marc Márquez and Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen. Both are considered dominant figures of their generation, known for their unconditional will to win: “Marc Márquez and Valentino Rossi – for me, they are the best. Marc is the Max Verstappen of MotoGP – he just has that certain something, that little bit extra. And Valentino… he was unique, a real character who could do anything on a motorcycle.”

Marc Márquez has once again taken the lead with his seventh MotoGP title and goes into the coming season as the favorite.

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