Green light: KTM granted permission to ‘correct’ its MotoGP engines

It had taken a long time, but after an intensive investigation into all potential sources of fault, the KTM racing department in Munderfing, Upper Austria, had succeeded in identifying the cause of the series of RC16 engine failures. SPEEDWEEK.com reported immediately after the Sachsenring GP that KTM had submitted an application to the manufacturers’ association, the MSMA, to bring the 1000cc era to a close without any further incidents. The background to this extraordinary measure is that KTM is also one of the manufacturers that, due to the agreed freeze on engine development, is not permitted to make any updates to the engines.

However, as KTM maintains that this does not involve a change to the homologated specification for 2026, but rather a correction to faulty components supplied by a subcontractor, the request to open up the RC16 four-cylinder engine was submitted nonetheless. Initially, there were strong indications that the four manufacturers would give their swift approval, but the summer break passed before final confirmation was received from the association (MSMA).

Still using a temporary solution in England

The good news from KTM’s perspective is that the engines may be opened under the supervision of the official technical commission and rectified in accordance with the application. The bad news is that, to date, the measure has not yet been implemented. The racing department responded to an enquiry from SPEEDWEEK.com: “We can confirm that we have received the necessary authorisation to implement the corrective measures relating to the technical issue we have been addressing. We are endeavouring to implement these measures as quickly as possible. For Silverstone, we will continue to use the interim solutions currently in place.”

It remains unclear whether the affected race engines can be overhauled in time for the next MotoGP round in two weeks’ time at MotorLand Aragon under the supervision of the IRTA team association. Once the faulty components have been repaired, the KTM riders should be able to return to the originally specified maximum revs. However, on the high-speed Silverstone circuit, the four RC16 riders will once again be competing for World Championship points with reduced revs – and power.

Topic of the week

The 2027 Formula 1 grid: Will the transfer bombshell only drop in the autumn?

Summertime, holiday season, the silly season: these are the weeks when the most outrageous driver changes are usually discussed. The big news for the 2027 season is yet to materialise.

Read more

TV program

Today

Silverstone: International Livestream

MotoGP World Championship

07.08.2026 - 10:55