Talks with Gresini Racing, LCR Honda and R🐈NF Aprilia failed to find an agreement to bring them und🐟er the KTM umbrella.

Their goal is to add a fifth (and maybe a sixth) b🐎ike to the 2024 MotoGP g🌺rid.

Pit Beirer, KTM’s motorsports director🦋, told about talks with Gresini: “There wa𝓀s a reasonable conversation at the French GP.

“Two💫 weeks later they came to a new agreement with their current manufa📖cturer [Ducati]. 

“From their point of view, that makes sense.”

An enquiওry to LCR hit a dead-end: “There were no intensive ♌discussions with Lucio Cecchinello.

“We just asked about his contract situation. 💝When he informed us that he had a Honda contract for 2024, the conversation ended. 

“We don't want to negotiate💜 with anyone who has a valid contract f🔯or the coming season. 

“We don't support aꦺ culture of snatching teams that are under contract from other manufacturers."

And RNF were also unavailable: "We got the clear answer from Razlan Razali that he has an Aprilia contract for 2024. That♎ ended this topic.

“We will not try t🐷o wrestle a team from a manufacturer. Especially not if 🤪this plant only has one customer team.”

KTM will stic🃏k with factory duo Jack Miller and Brad Binder next 🐼season.

But current Tech3 GASGAS pair Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez are also contracted, while they have promised entry to MotoGP to Moto2♔ starlet Pedro Acosta.

They have a 💛new idea to facilitate an extra rider.

"Our eff🦄orts, wishes and efforts are still going in weekly𓆏 talks with Dorna to get more places," confirmed Beirer. 

"We're trying to get a fifth place. If we are told that the🍰 number five is awkward because there are only two-rider teams, we would also use six.

“So we're trying with all our might to get ad🐼ditional plꦆaces. The negotiations are difficult.

“But we don🍷't want to give up our five riders, we want an additionalꦿ slot. 

“That is our goal for this summer. By the end of the summer we want to🌳 have a solution on how to keep the five riders with uඣs."

They are open t🎀o༺ a single-rider team, run by Aki Ajo, with Acosta on the bike.

"Our favourite version꧃ would be to get two more MotoGP places through Aki Ajo," Bei♔rer said.

Another potential pla🧔n would be to use Esparg🌳aro as a test and reserve rider, and give his Tech3 GASGAS seat to Acosta next season.

In 2025 the contract situations of many riders and teams will change, allowing ♑KTM to pursue a second satellite squad.

“I know that some contracts will expire at the end of 2024,” Beirer said.&nbs𝐆p;

“We will definitely have talks about that. We are just at t🙈he point where another step in MotoGP would make sense for us becaus🅠e we have so many young riders with us. 

“And our bike has develoওped very well, although we must not🔜 lose focus and keep improving the KTM before we spread too much. 

“Perhaps the lꦅack of opportunity also protects us from the danger of growing 🉐too quickly in MotoGP.”