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Despite the rain, Remy Gardner's new adventure in the Superbike World Championship got underway at Jerez, having arrived in the production-based racing series after just one year in MotoGP spent with the Tech3 team colours. The same fate that, at the end of the previous season, had befallen Iker Lecuona, who moved to the Honda WorldSBK team after being left without a ride by KTM, which decided to promote the 2020 Moto2 champion and runner-up, Raul Fernandez, to MotoGP, and who was then signed by the RNF team for 2023.
A lot of arrows therefore in the bow of the Mattighofen manufacturer which, after having hastily promoted some of its young talents in the past, does not seem willing to make the same mistake again with Augusto Fernandez. Despite having only one year of contract with the Tech3 team in his pocket (unlike Pol Espargaró and brand mates Brad Binder and Jack Miller, under contract until the end of 2024) the reigning champion of the middle class is in fact seen as a long-term investment by the Austrian manufacturer and need not fear competition from Pedro Acosta. This was admitted by Pit Beirer, Motorsport manager of the KTM Group, who discussed the strategies of the Mattighofen-based company with Motorsport.com.
“If you go into the MotoGP class you are under pressure - Pit Beirer said of Augusto Fernandez’s promotion - But we don’t want to talk now about what Pedro can do the year after and if he’s ready to go to MotoGP. And personally, I think we pushed too many great Moto2 riders too quickly into MotoGP. So, also a second great Moto2 season would not hurt some riders. Even Marc Marquez had a second one.”
The head of KTM Motorsport went on to talk more specifically about what happened in the past and the policy they intend to adopt with Fernandez and Acosta.
“I think things went a bit too quick through the schooling: Rookies Cup, Moto3, Moto2 and these young talents went through these classes like rockets, but then MotoGP is another world - he admitted - Our motivation is not to replace Augusto after one year. It’s rather motivation to keep Pedro calm and develop him as a future talent. He’s a future diamond in this paddock, that’s clear. But I think we should not rush to put him into MotoGP.”
