Crash.web writers predict which storyline might explode in MotoGP this season…
Lewis Duncan: KTM’s future would be the main speaking level of the 2025 season. The Austrian producer’s monetary disaster is having a significant affect on its racing programmes.
Throughout the board it has needed to cut back its manufacturing facility presence. Whereas MotoGP will go forward as deliberate in 2025, there’s a “deliberate” withdrawal set for 2026 underneath the marque’s present restructuring course of.
There’s each probability that the racing division can have its future safeguarded, however it is a very fluid state of affairs and one that can absolutely have extra twists earlier than it’s resolved.
Peter McLaren: Other than the world championship battle, KTM’s worrying monetary state of affairs has so many implications for MotoGP, which already has the delayed Liberty deal to navigate.
Fortunately, the KTM MotoGP mission seems protected for 2025, however there’s a query mark over 2026 and particularly whether or not the RC16 will proceed underneath the brand new 850cc guidelines from 2027.
Most different producers are anticipated to place a prototype 850cc bike on monitor by the top of this 12 months.
The uncertainly is bound to play on the minds of not solely KTM’s 4 riders – its strongest ever MotoGP line-up of Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder, Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini – but additionally crew members.
Rival groups received’t hesitate to select off riders or key personnel in the event that they turn into out there, including to KTM’s woes.
On the constructive aspect, if KTM’s quest for funding ends in international motorsport celebrity Lewis Hamilton changing into a part of MotoGP it might solely be good for the game.
Jordan Moreland: Jorge Martin and Aprilia. It is going to be fascinating to observe Martin’s temperament all through the season, particularly if issues do not go how he desires it. He’s the World Champion, he has excessive expectations of himself. However let’s examine if he can information Aprilia in the proper course.
Alex Whitworth: The Bagnaia-Marquez battle actually might blow up into one thing, however the apparently impending collapse of one of many championship’s 5 producers – KTM – has the potential to drown out nearly the entire sporting dialog this 12 months.
Particularly as they at the moment maintain contracts for essentially the most thrilling rider in MotoGP, Pedro Acosta, and – by CFMoto Aspar – the contract to essentially the most thrilling rider within the decrease courses: David Alonso.
The lack of KTM from MotoGP actually could be seismic, particularly with the 2027 rule change looming ever bigger.
Derry Munikartono: I don’t wish to discuss ‘the battle in Pink’ between Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, as I’ve had sufficient of it already.
For me, the upcoming takeover of MotoGP by Liberty media could be probably the most fascinating storylines for the 2025 season.
Liberty’s takeover of Dorna, who manages the industrial facet of MotoGP, provides us a glimpse of upward trajectory for the sequence, as they did with System 1.
Since buying F1 again in 2017, Liberty quickly boosted the sequence into considered one of – if not essentially the most – common sporting spectacle on this planet. Some individuals within the MotoGP neighborhood anticipate the identical once they take over the motorbike counterpart.
However there’s one drawback with the investigation of antitrust legislation with the European Union (EU) that postponed the takeover till mid-2025. As a lot as the thrill of the takeover prospect, we have to look ahead to the decision earlier than welcoming Liberty media with excessive hopes.
