Priority: Öhlins racing director Torstensson announces Moto2 offensive

For some time now, there has been a fierce battle in the GP paddock for supremacy amongst the leading suspension suppliers. The contenders are Sweden’s flagship brand Öhlins and WP Suspension, formerly Dutch but now Austrian-owned. Both companies are represented in the three Grand Prix classes, albeit with a different balance of power.

With the exception of KTM – WP is part of the Upper Austrian group – all MotoGP projects rely on Öhlins. 18 of the 22 prototypes are fitted with shock absorbers, forks and steering dampers from Sweden. Öhlins’ position is correspondingly strong when it comes to presence and success in the premier class. At the summer break, only KTM RC16 rider Pedro Acosta is breaking Öhlins’ dominance in the top 10.

The picture is entirely different in the lower echelons of MotoGP. Although the majority here also rely on products from the Öhlins group – which has been part of Brembo since 2025 – the Austrians hold the upper hand in sporting terms. With the German Liqui Moly-Intact GP Team, CFMOTO-Aspar and Red Bull KTM Ajo, no fewer than three top teams rely on WP suspension systems for their KTM and Kalex race bikes. In 2025, the Ajo team, with Jose-Antonio Rueda and WP, clinched the title in the smallest class – in 2006, five riders with WP suspension systems topped the World Championship standings.

Seit dem Frankreich-GP setzt Luca Boscoscuro auf WM Suspension

Foto: SpeedUP

The picture in Moto3 is not quite as dominant, but comparable. World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez rides on WP suspension, as do Agius (3rd), Alonso (4th) and Holgado (5th), plus Vietti and Veijer, who are also in the top 10. Particularly painful from Öhlins’ perspective: in a completely uncharacteristic move, designer and SpeedUP team principal Luca Boscosuro decided to switch equipment during the season. Since the French Grand Prix, the bikes of Celestino Vietti and Luca Lunetta have been fitted with suspension components from Munderfing.

In Sweden, they are well aware of the seriousness of the situation. Jonas Torstensson, head of racing at Öhlins, addressed the uncomfortable question in a thoroughly self-critical manner: “Yes, it hurts. The situation is currently anything but comfortable. It’s not something that happened overnight. Competition, particularly in Moto2, is extremely fierce, and it’s true that we’ve been a bit slow to react here.”

Öhlins-Sportchef Jonas Torstensson: «Moto2 wieder stärker im Fokus»

Foto: Öhlins

Öhlins’ chief racing manager continued: “At the moment, the best teams – and, to some extent, the best riders – aren’t working with us. For us, however, this is now all the more a source of motivation and a challenge that we’re rising to. We’ve analysed the situation, adjusted our priorities and made the necessary decisions. More resources are now available.”

Not to be forgotten: alongside their business in the GP paddock, the Swedish firm supplies international and national Superbike paddocks across the board. In Upplands Väsby, near Stockholm, they are aware that it currently requires more effort to close the doors that have been left open in Moto2 and Moto3.