December 20 was an important deadline for KTM, since then it has been official that the high-profile sport will continue despite the court-administered restructuring process. Race director Pit Beirer describes the tough times.
“Unfortunately, it’s been known for weeks or months that we’re in financial trouble,” said Pit Beirer in an exclusive interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “The fact that a premium project like MotoGP comes under pressure and there are speculations about whether it will continue or not is completely normal. It hurts us and it’s not fun, but at the end of the day it’s the truth.”
On December 20th, the release came: In the first reporting meeting, restructuring manager Peter Vogel submitted a demand for the continuation of KTM AG at the regional court in Ried im Innkreis in Upper Austria. the company has to be restructured in order to survive. KTM then confirmed in a statement that it will continue to participate in MotoGP in 2025 with two teams and four riders: Brad Binder, Pedro Acosta, Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales.
“The fact that we are in a situation where the application for the restructuring process will be submitted on November 29 was a big shock to every KTM employee,” said Beirer. “The following days were very difficult, then all our friends and partners came and helped us through the most difficult stages. For us, the 20th of December was more than the MotoGP race or the MotoGP World Championship, it was almost a lot – I would almost say all or nothing. It was an important step for KTM and for all of us that the restructuring plan was recognized that day and the approval was given that the work should continue in this form. Many values were recognized in the KTM company and it was confirmed that the race, as the number 1 advertising measure for KTM, was also is very important to the future of the company.”
The resident of Baden continued: “December 20 was an early Christmas for us. This is not a guarantee for the future and it is not a final decision, but a very important victory of a step that motivated the whole company and was a big sigh of relief. We will continue to work hard with the guidelines this and trying to take the next steps well to get the company out of tougher times and save as many jobs as possible in the Mattighofen area. It’s about our future, we’re all in the same boat. The race is also to fight for every job we shouldn’t let it go. KTM is fighting together as a family.”
