KTM axes 125cc World Championship team

From KTM Racing

KTM will expand its activities in the area of youth development in 2010. The company will however not continue with a factory team in the 125cc Grand Prix World Championship. 
       
Next season, KTM will continue to place a main focus on its supported programme, the Red Bull Rookies Cup, in the context of the MotoGP World Championship, in which the most talented young riders race perfectly prepared KTM 125cc production motorcycles at international level to help launch their professional racing careers. Red Bull together with KTM has created the ideal infrastructure to continue this youth development programme at the highest level.

In addition, in the 2010 season, KTM also wants to support selected racing teams in Germany and Austria (IDM Germany) with all of its energy and to make 125cc racing machines available to talented young riders.

In keeping with its 'Ready to Race' philosophy, KTM will also strengthen its racing activity with the RC8 R, the Superbike flagship of the asphalt model range. Therefore KTM will compete in the official Superbike and Superstock championships in competitions like the IDM (International German Motorcycle Championships).

Despite this clear commitment to racing on asphalt, Europe's second biggest motorcycle manufacturer at the same time announces that it is withdrawing from the 125cc Grand Prix World Championship.

As well as scoring 22 victories, 46 podium places and 19 pole positions in the 125cc and 250cc World Championship classes, KTM also won the manufacturer's world championship title in the 125cc class in 2005. KTM will continue its current engagement with the Red Bull KTM factory team to the end of the current season and support riders Marc Marquez and Cameron Beaubier.

GP legend Harald Bartol will also remain with the company as technical mastermind in the area of 125cc racing machines, supporting national and international activities.

"The current situation in motorcycle racing and in the entire industry has resulted in us adapting our motor sport strategy on asphalt," the KTM Motorsport Department commented on the future activity. "KTM has made a conscious decision concerning the topic of youth development. We will continue to maintain this by providing maximum support and training for young talent, also in difficult times. At the same time we must be responsible for fielding salable KTM street bikes in competition. Strengthening the racing activity around our street Superbike, the RC8 R is a logical step."