Austrian manufacturer KTM is set to enter MotoGP in 2017, and has set high targets for the next five years of their contract with the MotoGP World Championship promoter Dorna. The project was officially launched in the assembly hall of the KTM engine factory, close to the company's headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria.

KTM will race the premier class in motorbike racing this year with Spanish ace Pol Espargaró and Britain's Bradley Smith at the helm of the brand new RC16 bike.

Both riders had their first experience on the KTM machine during last year's November test at Valencia, as well as at Sepang and Phillip Island in early 2017. Only two days after the last lap of testing at the iconic track in Australia, Smith and Espargaró were present to show off the illustrious new colors and fairings of their Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 bikes.

And KTM aims high – as they always do in racing. To open up the launch, 2017 Rally Dakar winner Sam Sunderland and runner-up Matthias Walkner rode their 450 Rally Replica machines into the auditorium, and their success was used to describe KTM's desire to win.


It was made clear that 2017 "will be a learning year", according to KTM CEO Stefan Piere. "But KTM is there to fight for the win and the World Championship as in every project we start – be it Rally Dakar, MotoCross, SuperCross in America, Moto3 – and so on," he added.

Riders Pol Espargaró and Bradley Smith said, that the base of the RC16 is already a good race bike.

"Luckily we had Mika [Kallio, development tester], because he did a huge job", Espargaró said. "It was a good bike with a good level right from the beginning."

Smith especially hailed the approach of KTM. "I like their self-confidence and their self belief. It means they believe in what they're doing. Honestly, they've made this work in the other fields they've been a part of,"the Brit said.

KTM will have another test at the Losail International Circuit prior to the MotoGP season opener at the very same track on March 10.