Austrian manufacturer KTM has officially confirmed it will supply the Tech3 team with full factory RC16s for the 2019 MotoGP season.
Tech3 has been an exclusive Yamaha customer in the premier class since its debut in 2001, but announced last week it would be ending its tie-up with the Iwata factory at the end of the 2018 campaign.
It is thought Yamaha would have pulled its support from Tech3 when Valentino Rossi entered his own team into the championship anyway.
KTM – which made its full-time MotoGP debut last season – has been keen on expanding its prescense in the series, with Tech3 boss Herve Poncheral confirming on Saturday his team will effectively become the Austrian marque's “junior team”.
“We are very happy to join forces with Tech3 in MotoGP from 2019,” KTM Motorsport Director Pit Beirer said.
“The team has many years of experience and achieved a lot of great results in this championship. Their professional structure will make us even stronger.
“Having four KTM RC16 on the grid is also another big step for us, both for the development of our MotoGP bike and expanding KTM’s structure in the paddock.
“From the Red Bull Rookies Cup up to MotoGP there is a clear path to the top. We are looking forward to start a great cooperation and I’m thankful towards Hervé Poncharal for the future trust in KTM.”
Poncharal also confirmed during the Qatar test weekend that his deal with KTM will be for three years, and is looking forward to “sharing ideas” in regards to bike development.
“This is something like being part of the family, and you know how much family means for me,” the Tech3 boss stated.
“This is exciting, and even though that bike could be right now a bit under in terms of performance compared to the bike we have now, there is room for improvement, there is room for development, there is room for sharing ideas of how to make the whole package better.”
Yamaha is yet to confirm its plans for a satellite entrant in 2019, though it is believed both Aspar and Avintia – currently customers of Ducati – are in frame to receive support from the Japanese firm.
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