English
Italiano
Due to an inventory of 130,000 unsold motorcycles, KTM AG had to shut down production in Mattighofen from December 13th to the end of February. This was the result of the insolvency proceedings initiated on November 29th, 2024, which became unavoidable due to liabilities of 1.8 billion Euros. A restructuring plan is now being drawn up with Restructuring Administrator Peter Vogl, along with the Ried im Innkreis district court and creditors. The result: 750 layoffs. The restructuring program envisages an output of 250,000 motorcycles for 2025, with a workforce reduced to 3,700 employees.
Because the slogan "Ready To Race" was an important cornerstone for KTM, on its way to becoming Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer, with 381,555 motorcycles sold in 2023, the Pierer Mobility Group's extensive and ambitious motorsport commitment will continue in the 2025 season without any overly painful cuts. At least 40 well-known factory riders from the three brands are also on the payroll for 2025. Husqvarna's and GASGAS' sports activities have been significantly cut back. Their main focus will be on the most important championships and on the core brand, KTM, like before the takeover of Husqvarna (2012) and GASGAS (2022). Overall, the financially troubled company reduced the number of factory riders by twelve compared to 2024. But the commitment to the KTM, Husqvarna, and GASGAS brands still seems quite ambitious, given the financial situation.
At the Dakar Rally, KTM has won no fewer than 18 victories in a row, including in 2019 (with the Australian, Toby Price). Then, in 2022, Sam Sunderland won with GASGAS and, in 2023, Kevin Benavides won with KTM. At the current marathon rally in Saudi Arabia, the Pierer team is only competing with a Red Bull KTM Factory Rally, with riders Daniel Sanders, and Kevin and Luciano Benavides. Edgar Canet was added to the Rally2 category.
Great attention and money is being invested in the MotoGP World Championship. Brad Binder and super talent, Pedro Acosta, were hired for the Red Bull KTM Factory Team, while Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini, who finished third overall in the "premier class" in 2022 and 2024, are competing in the Red Bull KTM Tech3 Factory Team. Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaró were hired as prominent test riders. In addition, there are riders for the Moto3 and Moto2 teams from Red Bull Tech3 and Red Bull Ajoin the Moto3 and Moto2 GP classes.
The riders of Peter Öttl's Husqvarna Moto3 Factory Team always had contracts with the team, never with the factory. The same applies to Aspar Martinez's teams, although the four-time world champion won the Moto3 World Championship with David Alonso in 2024. His KTM RC250GP was used by Aspar under the brand name of CFMOTO, the Pierer Group's Chinese shareholder and partner. CFMOTO acts as the main sponsor for Aspar, so to speak, and contributes a reported amount of about 1.5 million Euros a year to the team’s budget.
The Austrians are planning further extensive activities in the international motocross scene, which contributed greatly to KTM's rapid rise after 1992. According to GPOne.com, only a few riders were cut from the MX World Championship compared to 2024.
In America, where Pierer Mobility AG had a turnover of 1 billion US Dollars in 2023, six factory riders are still employed, just three less than last year. In addition, there are a total of eight factory riders for the MXGP and MX2 World Championship classes. Here, the number has not changed compared to 2024.
The Red Bull KTM Factory team sent superstar Jeffrey Herlings to the 450 cc MX "premier class". This team is based in Munderfing and is managed by Joël Smets. In MX2, the Belgian assists Andrea Adamo and Marc-Antoine Rossi. Claudio de Carli's team has returned to KTM from GASGAS. He now manages Red Bull KTM MX2 factory riders Lucas, Sacha, and Simon Längenfelder on their KTM 250 SX-F factory machines from Italy.
In the Motocross World Championship, Husqvarna extended its contract with the successful Nestaan team. Kay De Wolf, 17-year-old Lucas Coenen (Sacha's twin brother), and Liam Everts will form the Husky MX2 force in 2025. Mattia Guadagnini has moved to Ducati, like Tony Cairoli in 2023. At the moment, it is questionable whether the five-time motocross World Champion and 105-time GP winner Jeffrey Herlings will still be paid by KTM after 2025. Kawasaki and Triumph are luring him in with lucrative offers.
The Pierer Group has also lost the exceptional Spanish talent, Jorge Prado. The 22-year-old superstar has signed a highly lucrative three-year contract with Kawasaki. He will compete in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) for the Greens in the future and was MXGP World Champion for GASGAS in 2023 and 2024, ahead of Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings last year.
A returning four-rider Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team will feature Chase Sexton and Aaron Plessinger in the US 450 cc class alongside the 250 cc class duo Tom Vialle and Julien Beaumer in the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), which includes the AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross, and SMX Finals series.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is embracing a focused approach for the 2025 US season, entering the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) with an all-star two-rider team featuring 450 Class contender Malcolm Stewart and 250SX West Champion RJ Hampshire. Throughout the upcoming season, Stewart will once again be riding the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition full-time. Hampshire will be out to defend his 250SX crown in the Western Region, equipped with the Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition. Both long-term representatives of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, this two-rider duo sets the stage for an exciting 2025.
The new Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing team is revving its engines for the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season, starting with the AMA Supercross Championship this January. Led by the dynamic trio of Justin Barcia, Ryder DiFrancesco and Casey Cochran, the team is prepared to shake things up across all 31 SMX rounds. These three riders will be present in Anaheim 1 on Saturday, January 11th!
For the most important Enduro events like the Erzberg Rodeo, Manuel Lettenbichler and Josep Garcia will fight for glory as Red Bull KTM factory riders, while Billy Bolt remains the number 1 Husky factory Enduro star.
Most important Pierer Group Factory Riders in 2025
Red Bull KTM Dakar Rally Factory
Daniel Sanders
Kevin Benavides
Luciano Benavides
Edgar Canet (Rallye2)
Red Bull KTM MotoGP
Brad Binder
Pedro Acosta
Maverick Viñales
Enea Bastianini
Red Bull KTM Factory Test
Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaró
Ajo Moto3 team
Alvaro Carpe
José Antonio Rueda
Ajo Moto2 team
Deniz Öncü
Collin Veijer
Red Bull KTM Tech3
Valentin Perrone
Jacob Roulstone
Red Bull KTM Factory MXGP
Jeffrey Herlings
Lucas Coenen
Red Bull KTM MX2 Factory De Carli
Simon Längenfelder
Sacha Coenen
Marc Antoine Rossi
Andrea Adamo
Husqvarna MX2 Factory
Liam Everts
Kay De Wolf
Red Bull KTM SMX World Championship
Chase Sexton
Aaron Plessinger
Tom Vialle
Julien Beaumer
Rockstar Husqvarna USA
Malcolm Stewart
RJ Hampshire
Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing USA
Justin Barcia
Ryder DiFrancesco
Casey Cochran
KTM Enduro Factory
Manuel Lettenbichler
Josep Garcia
Husqvarna Enduro Factory
Billy Bolt
