Pit Baylor stated it will not be stunning to see Honda shut the hole in MotoGP, as Honda has “double the price range” however has “by no means overtaken KTM”.
Honda and KTM have a rocky relationship, with the latter’s former CEO declaring HRC his “most hated rival” forward of the model’s 2017 MotoGP debut.
The feud stems from Honda accusing KTM of circumventing value cap guidelines within the early days of the Moto3 class.
Though tensions have simmered lately, alternatives to criticize one another are sometimes not missed.
KTM ‘proud’ of its standing regardless of tough 2025 season
Final season, Honda took benefit of the concession guidelines to develop a extra aggressive bike, successful the French Grand Prix in moist climate and taking three podiums in dry climate.
Because of this, they completed simply 87 factors behind third-placed KTM within the constructors’ standings, regardless of coming off the underside of the concession standings.
In distinction, KTM survived a 12 months of two halves with the RC16, extending its successful streak to a few seasons.
Talking at Motohall, Beiler commented on Honda’s progress and stated KTM might be extra happy with their job warding off Honda, though they did not profit from related concessions.
“Persons are shocked that Honda is coming,” he reported. velocity week As you say.
“After all, they’re at all times bringing in new options they usually have twice the price range, so that they’re getting even nearer.”
He additional added:
“Honda has closed the hole, however has by no means overtaken us.”
Having completed the 2025 season on a optimistic observe, KTM hopes to make use of this to get a extra aggressive begin to the 2026 season.
Nonetheless, he feels that final 12 months’s engine freeze imposed on non-concession rank D producers (i.e. producers apart from Honda and Yamaha) was detrimental to the Austrian model.
“The slight drawback is that Honda and Yamaha have concession rights,” he stated.
“They might at all times develop the engine additional, however we could not.
“We stay stagnant, however they’ll be capable of open up the engine from race to race and develop it additional.
“Alternatively, we race for 2 years with the identical engine, and the engine can’t be modified.”
