KTM announces factory Moto3 team

KTM’s new Moto3 engine has been in comprehensive testing since August of this year, with the project on time for re-entry into the World Championship when the 2012 competition begins.

The team will be comprised of German rider Cortese, who just completed a successful 2011 season in the 125cc class, finishing fourth overall with two wins and four additional podiums; Sissis, who was a strong contender for the highly competitive Red Bull MotoGP Rookies title in 2011, and Kent, who finished second in the 2010 edition of the Red Bull Rookies Cup, and just completed his rookie year in the 125 class, finishing a creditable 11th overall.

KTM relies on a strong partnership with Red Bull and Ajo Motorsport for the main factory team, which will run the 100% made and developed KTM bike, but also with Kalex Engineering, which is producing a parallel concept for the 250cc single cylinder four-stroke bike to be fielded by other customer teams.

Ajo will field another two riders on the KTM Moto3 factory bike, and in total, including the customer teams running the Kalex-KTM bike, there will be nine KTM Moto3 riders on the 2012 grid.

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports manager:

“We are very pleased to have a team manager of the high caliber of Aki Ajo in charge of KTM’s Moto3 factory team. We can also be proud that someone of the managerial status of Jorge Martinez will be involved with the Kalex-KTM bike for his Moto3 team.”

Aki Ajo:

“The new season should provide some very exciting races, and naturally as a KTM Factory Team we hope to be right at the front from the start. We have a strong package so our aim is to be at the top of the new class. This is going to be a learning season for everyone but for us this is a long-term project and each year we can gain more. First priority is to establish the operations in the new class during testing, and then to keep things well coordinated and running smoothly. I feel once we get the ball rolling, the results will come.”