KTM wants to continue developing rookies with Red Bull – but not with 700cc bikes!

Former Red Bull Rookie and former Moto3 and Moto2 champion Pedro Acosta was rightly the centre of attention at the recent Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg. For the Spaniard, this brought things full circle just in time for his move to Ducati. Acosta is a prime example of the unique youth development programme in the GP paddock via the ‘Road to MotoGP’ with partners KTM and Red Bull.

The Red Bull Rookies programme stands for GP training on prototype bikes

The latter are now in their 20th season running the Red Bull Rookies, a series that has quickly established itself as an unbeatable supplier of GP winners and world champions. A key factor in its success has been the race bike right from the start. Right from the start of the cup, a prototype was used whose (two-stroke) engine and chassis were already on a par with a 125cc GP machine. The youngsters were trained both technically and as GP riders, before receiving the finishing touches upon their promotion.

A similar approach was adopted in the Moto3 era, which began in 2012 with 250cc single-cylinder four-stroke engines. KTM derived a Rookies Cup specification from the RC4 GP racer, the performance of which is only a slight step below that of the Moto3 World Championship machine. The result can still be seen today in the lap times; around four seconds separate the two levels.

Red Bull Rookies Cup: Seit 20 Jahren auf KTM-Prototypen

Foto: Red Bull

However, with the Moto3 revolution drawing nearer , a reorganisation of the closely linked Red Bull Rookies Cup is also on the cards. When open competition in the Moto3 World Championship is abolished from 2028 and Yamaha becomes the sole supplier with a twin-cylinder engine of around 700 cc, the supporting series will also need to be redefined.

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This has already happened for the lowest tier of the ‘Road to MotoGP’ pyramid. In the long term, the Moto4 series, held around the world, are to be contested using Honda’s familiar 250cc four-stroke engines.

KTM and Red Bull intend to continue running the Cup

However, the technical specifications of the future Red Bull Rookies Cup race bike remain to be decided. If it were up to KTM’s Head of Motorsport, Pit Beirer, there would be no changing the Cup itself: “The partnership with Red Bull is and will remain a key part of our commitment. We want to continue working together in the future to turn young talent and the best riders into Grand Prix riders through our established structures.”

Kritischer auf die neue Moto3-Technik: KTM-Rennsportchef Pit Beier

Foto: Gold and Goose

One thing is certain: despite Yamaha taking over the category, KTM will continue to work with Ajo Motorsport beyond 2027. Contracts with the Finnish family-run business have long since been signed.

The path ahead, however, looks very bumpy when it comes to the technical specifications of the future Rookie Cup. Building a ‘soft’ version of the new Moto3 Yamaha is, as things stand, out of the question. Pit Beirer: “Against the backdrop of the new Moto3 from 2028, a larger Cup bike than before is required. However, we are not convinced by a bike with an engine capacity in the region of 700 cc. We are currently in intensive talks with the MotoGP Group and Red Bull – and are discussing the matter. The aim is to find the best technical solution with a view to the new Moto3. Beirer added to SPEEDWEEK.com: “Personally, I see 500 cc with two cylinders as the upper limit.”

Plenty of potential for conflict

What may seem harmless at first glance is actually quite intriguing and harbours plenty of potential for conflict. This is because the philosophies of Yamaha, as the future Moto3 partner, and KTM are worlds apart. Whilst the Japanese, partly for cost reasons, are focusing on a tuned-up production engine in a racing chassis, priorities in Austria have so far been set differently. Performance first, costs second – KTM follows the principles of prototype racing.

If they stick to this approach when developing a new Rookies bike, the result could be a small, high-performance twin-cylinder engine that outperforms Yamaha’s Moto3 racer. Discussions on this matter are set to continue for some time yet. There isn’t much time left, as part of the ‘Road to MotoGP’ initiative, a seamless transition with a new platform for the 2028 Red Bull Rookies Cup would be ideal.