Tech3 KTM boss Herve Poncharal has confirmed his team is likely to lose its Red Bull title sponsorship for 2021.
Red Bull is reorganising its MotoGP involvement and, according to paddock rumours, its financial backing could move away from KTM’s satellite squad and over to the factory Honda team – potentially to the extent of deposing Repsol as title sponsor.
Rumours have been circulating for a number of days that Poncharal’s squad is set to find itself in new colours next year, and the veteran team boss admitted to The Race that seems increasingly likely.
Tech3 took its first ever MotoGP win last month with Miguel Oliveira at the Styrian Grand Prix, but Poncharal said that success wasn’t going to make any difference to the sponsorship situation.
“I don’t think we’ve done too bad,” Poncharal told The Race in an exclusive interview at the Catalan Grand Prix today.
“Last year was year one and we helped to develop the bike in its early stages.
“Through the winter, thanks to the work of many people, the bike has improved a lot. It has won two races, it has been on the podium many times, and Miguel is eighth in the championship, 25 points from the leader and top KTM guy.
“I don’t think that we’ve done anything wrong – I’m not here to say we’ve done everything right, but so far it’s been a good situation for Red Bull, KTM and Tech3.
“But I believe today that there is more chance to lose Red Bull than to keep them.”
Some of The Race’s sources in the paddock suggest that the reason for Red Bull’s reshuffle could well be due to plans to expand its involvement with Honda.
Red Bull already contributes 30% of the HRC budget and is a personal sponsor of reigning world champion Marc Marquez.
There has also been persistent speculation for a number of years that long-time Honda sponsor Repsol has been looking to reduce its financial commitment to MotoGP.
That’s become an even stronger suggestion thanks to a rapid fall in fuel sales during the coronavirus pandemic, and it could well open the door to further Honda involvement from Red Bull.
It has already got extensive Honda links across a number of projects as well as its MotoGP efforts. Its Formula 1 teams using Honda engines and it previously backed Honda’s World Superbike programme.
Poncharal played down the likely impact of Red Bull’s exit on Tech3.
With his team directly contracted to KTM rather than just being a close partner, he says that the biggest change for 2021 could be the bikes’ colours.
“They will continue to support us, nothing will change in that way, both technically and financially, and they have told us that we don’t need to worry,” he said of KTM’s response.
“That is the situation today, but we are still waiting on official confirmation. I don’t know if it’s going to come but I hope that it does so that we can clarify it.
“The situation is moving closer to us becoming a pure KTM factory team.
“We’re not going to be more factory than we are now, but for the people following us the main change will be the colours.
“The only hassle is that we’ll have to repaint everything again. We went from Red Bull to Organics Simply Cola last winter and next year maybe we’ll be another colour.
“Our trucks will be heavier and maybe too wide to go through the tolls soon!”
While some team bosses could be left frustrated by a late change in plans, Poncharal remains his philosophical self regarding the news.
“I’m a sentimental guy and I like to be happy and to see the people around me be happy while still giving the best I can to my sponsors, my manufacturer and my people,” he said.
“It’s sad when something stops before it was really planned.
“I’m not obsessed with the business side of things, although for sure this is important to keep things alive and to keep your staff in a job and not unemployed.
“But money isn’t everything; I like to be happy and to be part of a group that I can have fun with.”
