Team Profile
An established French team’s manufacturer partnerships
Red Bull KTM Tech3 is an independent team based in France, founded by Hervé Poncharal and his partners in 1989. It began in the 250cc world championship, entered the premier class in 2001 and subsequently built a long partnership with Yamaha. Its name preserves the team’s own history, while the Red Bull KTM prefix reflects its current manufacturer and partner relationships.
In 2019, Tech3 switched to the KTM RC16, becoming part of KTM’s four-bike MotoGP entry. Miguel Oliveira won two Grands Prix for the team in 2020, showing that this independent organisation could fight for victories within a manufacturer partnership. Understanding Tech3 means considering both its accumulated racing experience and the manufacturer it currently represents.
Organisational changes in 2026
Tech3 enters a new ownership phase in 2026: the acquisition involving IKON Capital, Bolt Ventures and Main Street Advisors has formally closed, with Guenther Steiner serving as chief executive. Steiner previously led the Haas F1 team, and the new management structure brings business experience from a different background to the French organisation.
Changes in ownership and the motorcycle partnership are separate matters. The team still races the KTM RC16 in 2026 and retains its Red Bull KTM Tech3 identity. Team operations and the weekend work of engineers and riders remain centred on the existing manufacturer programme. A change in ownership should not be taken to mean the bike platform has already changed.
Two Grand Prix winners in the 2026 line-up
The race riders are number 12 Maverick Viñales and number 23 Enea Bastianini, both MotoGP Grand Prix winners before joining Tech3. The 2026 season is their second together on KTM machinery. Keeping the line-up allows them to build further on what they have learned about the bike and team.
Viñales joined with experience across several manufacturers, while Bastianini arrived from Ducati. As two riders with premier-class victories continue adapting to the RC16 in the same team, they provide an opportunity to observe how different riding backgrounds feed into KTM’s programme.
What to watch
The key is whether these two established riders can consistently deliver their proven speed while improving reliability of performance across a race weekend. For race analysis, consider qualifying and race finishing positions separately, then compare them with the KTM factory team. Are differences within the same brand concentrated on grid position, the early race or its closing stages? That comparison explains the event more clearly than simply placing Tech3 behind the factory team.
Last checked: 1 October 2026 · Historical statistics and current points are maintained separately