Gunther Steiner shakes up Tech3’s MotoGP future: draws a line under Vinales saga and announces 2027 revolution
Tech3 MotoGP team’s newly appointed boss Gunther Steiner has delivered a seismic message to the paddock, decisively distancing himself and his team from the escalating contract dispute between Maverick Vinales and KTM. While KTM Motorsport director Pit Bearer had previously fueled speculation that Vinales could still join Tech3, Steiner has flatly refused to be drawn into the controversy, setting the stage for a dramatic change in the team’s operational independence.
Steiner made his position absolutely clear, saying: “I’m not involved in his contract. It’s a KTM contract. I saw the headlines and I thought, ‘I hope I’m not involved in this, because it doesn’t concern Tech3 or myself personally.'” The former Haas F1 team principal underlined his intention to avoid any entanglement, adding: “I don’t know what happened. If someone tells me their version, I Still have to check if it’s true, but it’s not my role. I’ve never seen his contract and honestly I don’t want to.
This strong stance is a sharp contrast to Beyer’s previous comments, where he insisted that “the door is open” for Vinales and that a seat at Tech3 could still be an option. However, Steiner is having none of it, making it clear that Tech3 will remain on the sidelines as long as the contract dispute between Vinales and KTM continues.
But the real bombshell came when Steiner announced a sweeping change to Tech3’s recruitment policy: from 2027, the team will gain full control over rider signings, breaking KTM’s previous dominance in this area. “In the future, these will be Tech3 contracts. This year, when we took over the team, all the agreements were already in place. Now, we will be on our way,” Steiner confirmed.
The announcement marks a major change in the administration of the French team, which until now had been subject to KTM’s decisions regarding its rider line-up. Under Steiner’s leadership, Tech3 is ready to assert its autonomy and chart a new course, which will no longer merely function as a satellite extension of Mattighofen’s will.
Steiner also revealed that he is in talks with several riders for the future, including Luca Marini, although he did not confirm any signings. Speaking to GPOne, he praised Marini in particular: “I’ve talked to many riders, because you don’t just pick a guy who can ride the bike. You also pick a guy who should fit into the team. I didn’t know Luca before and he made a very good impression on me. He has a lot of experience and he can help us move forward. But I want to make it clear that no final decision has been made yet.”
Steiner’s intervention marks a dramatic new chapter for Tech3, turning the narrative away from Beyer’s efforts to keep Vinales in the KTM class and hanging the Spanish rider’s future on his ability to resolve his issues with the Austrian manufacturer. At the same time, Steiner’s vision for an autonomous Tech3 recruiting its own riders from 2027 promises to upend the established order in MotoGP’s satellite team dynamics, setting the stage for an interesting power shift in the coming season.
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