KTM Factory Racing Unveil Familiar Colours and Focused Intent for 2026 MotoGP Season

Now 77 years old, MotoGP remains the fastest, most prestigious and most-watched motorcycle racing championship on the planet. The 2025 season underlined that status emphatically, becoming the longest in the sport’s history with 22 Grands Prix across 18 countries and more than 3.5 million spectators attending events worldwide. At the pinnacle sits the MotoGP class, where 1000cc prototype machinery showcases the latest advancements in electronics, aerodynamics and performance-driven design, supported by the Moto2 and Moto3 categories that continue to serve as vital proving grounds for the next generation of talent. Since the introduction of Sprint races in 2023, each Grand Prix weekend has delivered top-level MotoGP action on both Saturday and Sunday, further intensifying the spectacle.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has been a fixture of MotoGP’s elite since entering the championship in 2017. Progress was swift, with the team claiming its first podium in 2018 and adding silverware in every season thereafter, including race victories in 2020, 2021 and 2022. KTM’s relentless development of the RC16 has paid dividends, with the machine becoming one of the most competitive and technologically advanced bikes on the grid. In 2025, Pedro Acosta finished fourth in the MotoGP World Championship, equalling KTM’s best-ever result by a rider in the premier class, while the manufacturer ranked as the second-best Constructor in 2024. The RC16 has also etched its name into the record books, holding the all-time MotoGP top speed record of 366.1 km/h, set by Brad Binder and Pol Espargaró in successive seasons at the Italian Grand Prix in 2023 and 2024.

Looking ahead to 2026, KTM has chosen continuity over change. The factory has officially unveiled its riders and livery for the upcoming season, confirming that Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta will continue to lead the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing effort. Both riders recently reflected on their 2025 campaigns, discussing the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the expectations they carry into the new season as development of the RC16 continues. Alongside them, KTM colours will once again be represented by Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales in the Red Bull KTM Tech3 squad, giving the Austrian brand a four-rider presence on the MotoGP grid.

The 2026 season also carries added significance, marking KTM’s tenth year in MotoGP and the final campaign for the current 1000cc engine regulations. From 2027, the championship will usher in a new era with the introduction of 850cc machinery and a revised technical rulebook. As MotoGP prepares for that transition, KTM remains firmly committed to the pursuit of excellence, innovation and cutting-edge technology, continuing to push the limits of performance at the very highest level of motorcycle racing.