Photo credits: KTM PRESS CENTER
Austrian manufacturer KTM waited until yesterday to reveal their most ambitious racing programme ever in MotoGP, showing to the world the new 2019 team colours for the Red Bull KTM Factory team and the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team, which includes Hafizh Syahrin.
At the very special ceremony held at KTM headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria, Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, made sure that every KTM fan and MotoGP follower understands just how serious this racing programme is for the Austrian brand
“Racing Is the core content of our DNA. That means forced innovation every week or two weeks. We see on the TV or the internet how many tenths of a seconds are missing, and that really drives us to do what we can in the end to touch the tip of the podium. This is a five-year programme and by the end we want to see podiums and for the upcoming season I’d like to see single digit results. For 2019 – in gambler’s speak – it’s all in!”.
KTM’s bike, the RC16, has evolved a lot over the last season, but with three season in MotoGP, KTM has one podium finish with Pol Espargaró. At the start of this season, during the pre-season test sessions, KTM riders have been suffering from lack of rear end grip and a stiff front end, and results haven’t been great, but the fact is, KTM is getting closer to the top riders every time they go to the track.
With Johann Zarco replacing Bradley Smith as Pol Espargaró teammate at the Red Bull KTM Factory team, Hafizh Syahrin is also teaming up with a new teammate, in his case Miguel Oliveira, who raced for KTM at the Moto3 class last season ending as runner-up in the championship.
Hafizh Syahrin | Photo credits: Auto Mobil Sport
The 24-year-old Malaysian is feeling confident he will be able to keep up the good work he’s done in MotoGP since joining in last season, and at the ceremony Syahrin had this to say about next season
“I’m really excited for the new livery. I think it’s truly different than everybody else on the track. We as Red Bull KTM Tech3 are one more team bringing some new color to the circuit. I can’t wait to be on track with this bike in Qatar. It looks amazing and I guess even more so under the floodlights in the desert. I’m very delighted about this look and can’t wait to get the season started!”.
Now that KTM has presented their two MotoGP teams for the 2019 season, we will be able to see them in action at the next pre-season test session in Qatar in the end of February, in hopes that by March 10 they’ve got everything ready for the first race.