Guenther Steiner rules out Marc Marquez signing for Tech3, targets Moto2 rider instead
11:30, 04 Jun
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Andrew McLarneyMotoGP Reporter
Andrew McLarney is a MotoGP reporter for GPBlog. With four years experience as a professional writer across the sports and video game industries, his experience as a K1 Premier League competitor evolved into a fascination with all forms of combat sport and eventually motorsport — with MotoGP becoming his primary focus. On top of that he is also an avid follower of MXGP and AMA Supercross as well as F1 and GT racing.
Guenther Steiner has ruled out the possibility of Marc Marquez signing for his satellite KTM team, but hopes to target some raw talent from the Moto2 class instead for 2027.
Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner recently took over as CEO of KTM's Tech3 satellite team. Despite some speculation about a potential switch to Honda, it seems that the team will continue in 2027 to be supplied by KTM parts. However one area where the team may be set to change is its rider line-up.
At present, the rider market is in stand-still as the teams finalize a 'concorde agreement' with MotoGP's governing bodies. Nonetheless, there have been several widely confirmed reports about rider switches for next year, and many riders have alluded to such moves during their pre and post-race interviews this year.
One such move is that of former factory Ducati rider Enea Bastianini, who has impressed for Tech3 over the last season and a half, scoring podiums and solid points finishes in several races. As such, it seems that he is one of the most likely candidates to rejoin Ducati's Gresini team having previously raced for them in 2022.
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Steiner staying patient with rider signings
![Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini [Photo: Red Bull Content Pool]](https://r.testifier.nl/Acbs8526SDKI/resizing_type:fit/width:1280/plain/https://s3-newsifier.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/gpblog.com/images/2026-01/ktm-binder-bastianini-696a420ed23c8.jpg@webp)
Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini [Photo: Red Bull Content Pool]
As things stand, Tech3 are second-bottom in the overall team standings, so Steiner remained realistic about his expectations when it comes to Bastianini's replacement:
"I am actually pretty open to taking a chance on a Moto2 rider," he told Crash.net "I think this is an opportunity for us. As a team like us [Tech3], we cannot get Marc [Marquez], we cannot get Bezzecchi. That's reality, I cannot get around that."
"We need experience, but you can mix it up, experience and take a chance on somebody who could be the next star. So I think that is our position, where I see us. It's a chance for us. An opportunity."
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When it comes to filling the spare seat at Tech3, Steiner believes his decision to target younger talents is a strategic one, and he is aiming to select his rider based purely on merit rather than to fill any nationality quotas:
"While maybe a big team cannot take chances, we can. And maybe, I wouldn't say get lucky, because you need to do a good job and try to get the best talent out there for you. But I think that's a big opportunity for us to try to find the next talent.”
"If I could have Marc Marquez, I wouldn't care where he comes from. A passport doesn't give you a ride; a talent gives you a ride. We have to believe in the talent, not in the passport."
"I am very calm about it because most of the teams have signed their riders! So our candidates have nowhere [else] to go, to be honest!"
As for Maverick Vinales, it seems that he may be thrown a life-line and given an extension based on the fact that he was injured for most of 2025 and the start of 2026. With that said, Brad Binder could be in contention to take that seat, depending on how the remainder of his factory KTM career goes.
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