Thursday morning saw KTM unveil its 2022 RC16 alongside MotoGP riders Brad Binder, Miguel Oliveira, Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez.
The Tech3 rookies weren’t the only new addition to the Austrian line-up as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing officially presented Francesco Guidotti as its team manager for the first time.
Titled ‘the search for perfection’, the launch opened with fighting talk across the board from all four riders for the manufacturer’s sixth season in the premier class, while the liveries replicated the respective 2021 colours.
With race wins already to each of their names, Binder and Oliveira mean business for 2022, as the factory team bids to consistently challenge the traditional front runners.
“I’ve learnt so much over the last two seasons it’s difficult just to pick a couple things in particular, The South African commented. “I think each year has come with its own sets of challenges: in my first I had to manage my expectations a bit. I often wanted too much, too soon and made a lot of mistakes. Last year I had to accept where we were at some points and try and bring the bike home, which was difficult but I learnt a lot last year. I learned so much more about the category, how to save my tyres better, how to manage races and I enjoyed it a lot actually.
“I’m going in to my third season understanding what I need to do to go faster and I’m looking forward to getting the year started. I’m more ready than I’ll ever be.”
“Last year we had a huge step forward in four races where I scored three podiums and one win so that was quite nice,” an understated Oliveira added.
“Then with the injury in the second half of the season the races became really tough: it was definitely a learning curve for me. I lacked consistency and of course this season I’d like to improve that.
“It’s never easy to go to the limit and still think about finishing the race. I would say if I’m able to score points in every GP then at the end of the championship the result might be quite different, so we’re just looking to take the maximum potential of myself, of the bike, of the whole crew and translate that into results.”
The Tech3 duo seem just as eager for action as their debut season draws closer
“I am really happy to do my first MotoGP season and it is a great opportunity for me,” Fernandez began.
“I remember only three years ago I was competing in the Moto3 World Championship, and now here I am in the MotoGP class. It is an absolute pleasure.
“This winter, I prepared differently than previous years in order to gain muscle and get stronger. The MotoGP bike is so much more powerful. The braking is different… Everything requires more physical fitness, so I did motocross and road bike training, some cycling and running, and I feel ready. My main goal this season will be to advance and progress race by race, and enjoy myself in every single one of them.”
“I am thrilled to start my first season in the MotoGP class,” Australian Gardner echoed. “This is the dream of every motorcycle racer and I cannot wait to get started.
“We already had a few tests in 2021 that were encouraging, so I am very excited to improve myself, continue to discover the bike, and be able to learn about this amazing class with so many talented riders. I am also looking forward to working again with Tech3, getting along with the team, and continuing the relationship with KTM.
“This is going to be a long, but interesting year. I know it won’t always be easy but I will always push, try and give the best of myself in order to get the best results we can without going too crazy. I will certainly take this season step by step, but I am very excited to start riding again.”
Guidotti’s opening address in charge was pragmatic but confident: “It is always important to do better than the previous year,” the Italian said. “To do better we need more consistent results, more consistency in the top five and on the podium. We have to develop the bike to make the riders happy, to give them the right feeling and confidence to achieve these results. Of course, their position is an important one because they need to show the potential of the bike and the project.
“They have 2-3 years experience in this category now so maybe it is the right moment to use this experience. They have already won some races so the ability and the potential is there, so we have to see it more regularly.
“In the last five years the results have been incredible; starting from zero like KTM did and what they achieved is unbelievable and we want to keep it going.”
“The new season is always an intense moment, exciting and emotional,” Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Team Principal, Hervé Poncharal concluded. “2022 is very special for us because we have the pleasure to welcome Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez, who respectively finished first and second in the 2021 Moto2 World Championship.
“There has been a lot of work done this winter to prepare for the 2022 season, both on the bike and in the organisation of the KTM MotoGP technical structure. The Tech3 KTM Factory Team has had a few changes of its own too. We are now impatient and ready to start.
“With two rookies, we don’t expect to win the championship, but our main target will be to win the Rookie of the Year title in the MotoGP class. We are hoping to do some strong finishes, Top 10 and why not Top 5? With riders like Remy and Raul, we have to dream high. Over the last years, rookies have reached podiums, so it can be us this year.”
