Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini have been signed by KTM for the 2025 MotoGP season.
The two will race for the Tech3 team, which will be rebranded back into KTM colours after two years in the red of GasGas.
Both Vinales and Bastianini have previous experience working with KTM in the lower categories. Vinales started with KTM machinery in 2013, when he won the Moto3 World Championship, while Bastianini graduated from Red Bull Rookies to the Moto3 World Championship as a 16-year-old in 2014 when he rode a KTM for Gresini.
Tech3 Team Manager Nicolas Goyon said: “We are delighted to announce that Enea and Maverick will be with us next year and we convert back to KTM.
"We cannot hide our pride that these two talented riders have decided to ride our bikes. It shows we’ve followed the right road, and our technology can fight at the front for the championship.
"We would like to thank Pierer Mobility AG for the quality of their support. Our collaboration has reached the top level this year and I’m sure it will keep growing in the future. We’d also like to thank Red Bull for their dedication with us. We have a clear commitment towards victory and that’s why Enea and Maverick have decided to join the program.”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director, confirmed the new name for Tech3 will be Red Bull KTM Tech3: “We’re very happy we could bring both Enea and Maverick into our MotoGP project and give them full factory backing and support to keep following their goals and to reach their maximum performance."
"It’s clear we are talking about two of the fastest riders in the world right now and it is a compliment that they trust us and the first-class operation we’ve created together with Red Bull KTM Tech3.
"The team’s label for 2025 says it all: it is time to strengthen the KTM name again and we couldn’t think of a better way to bring this kind of value to the company than for Enea and Maverick to go full Red Bull orange. Let’s push on for the rest of 2024 now and then look forward to this new start for next year.”
While Bastianini's move to KTM means little in the rider market, since his current seat at the factory Ducati team is already taken by Marc Marquez, Vinales' has more significance.
Vinales has become a race winner with Aprilia and so it was widely assumed that he would continue in Noale to partner Jorge Martin. However, his move opens up that seat to the likes of Marco Bezzecchi, who may still be tempted to stay at the VR46 Ducati team should Pramac switch to Yamaha and their GP25s become available for next year.
