What will KTM decide? Manuel Gonzalez has offers from two factory teams

Manuel Gonzalez has been competing in the Moto2 class since 2021 and has secured 9 wins, 23 podium finishes and 9 pole positions. In 2024, the Madrid-born rider finished third in the World Championship; last year he was runner-up, and at the summer break he leads the standings with 195.5 points, 51.5 ahead of second-placed Izan Guevara.

Last year, Gonzalez came off second best against the eventual Moto2 champion Diogo Moreira in the battle for promotion to MotoGP; his manager, Eddy Rovelli, has so far been unable to provide any positive news for 2027 either. After months of negotiations, there is only one seat left in the running: at Tech3 KTM.

Tech3-Eigentümer Günther Steiner

Foto: gold & goose

Steiner: Nationality isn’t the deciding factor

Team principal Günther Steiner is looking for an experienced rider – Luca Marini is the frontrunner for the seat – as well as a young one. The second spot is up for grabs between the two current Intact riders: Manu Gonzalez (23) from Spain and the Australian Senna Agius (21).

“I don’t care where their passport comes from – it’s the performance that counts,” Steiner emphasised in a one-to-one interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “At the moment, it’s a bonus if you’re not Spanish, because there are already so many Spaniards there. That would also give sponsors the opportunity to have something different. Everyone says there are too many Spaniards. But we shouldn’t use that against Spaniards. If they deliver the best performances, what more could you want? Success doesn’t come from a passport, but from the person. If the performance is there, then you can even sell a team with two Spaniards. The question is always how that performance comes about. If it were all just a matter of maths, it would be simple. You’d just add up the results and have your decision. But you’re dealing with a person who has to work with the team, help it progress and also develop the bike. There are many factors involved.”

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Young riders are like shares – you’re speculating on how positively they’ll develop in the future.

KTM racing boss Pit Beirer

KTM Racing Director Pit Beirer brings another thought into the equation. “Young riders are like shares,” explained the Radolfzell native. “You’re speculating on how well they’ll develop in the future. If you ask me today who’s the better Moto2 rider, I’d say Gonzalez, no doubt about it. But as for who’ll end up being the better MotoGP rider – I’m not so sure about that. It also depends on how tall he is, how much he weighs, how he rides, and how he handles the front tyre. We’re not making it easy for ourselves; we’ll watch the last race and decide on gut instinct. I see more potential for development in Senna. He’s a bit younger and, on days when he’s at his best, he’s the winner.”

Beirer might even take the risk of letting Gonzalez and Agius ride for Tech3, as KTM has signed two experienced MotoGP winners – Alex Marquez (30) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (27) – for the next two years. But Steiner must also be on board with this decision.

Pit Beirer

Foto: Gold & Goose

Gonzalez’s Plan B is the World Superbike Championship

Some experts in the MotoGP paddock see more potential in Agius, which is why Gonzalez has been keeping an eye on the World Superbike Championship for some time now. There, he’s at the top of the shopping list for two manufacturers: the top teams at Ducati and BMW!

You don’t need to be a prophet to predict that Gonzalez will choose Ducati over BMW if he has the choice. After all, the Aruba team has won every one of the 24 races so far this season, and has even secured a one-two finish 21 times with Nicolo Bulega and Iker Lecuona.

It’s difficult to gauge what role Gonzalez’s nationality will play for Ducati: with Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta, they already have two Spaniards in the MotoGP works team, and Lecuona also hails from the Iberian Peninsula. If Ducati signs Gonzalez, all four bikes will be in Spanish hands.

Danilo Petrucci’s BMW contract expires at the end of this season, whilst the propeller-branded manufacturer intends to continue with his ROKiT team-mate Miguel Oliveira for a further three years. Should BMW fail to secure Gonzalez, Brad Binder and Jack Miller will move up the German manufacturer’s wish list.