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KTM has parted ways with MotoGP technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini after failing to agree terms on a contract extension.
Sterlacchini arrived as KTM’s flagship signing in 2021, seen as a major coup for the team as he was considered the right-hand man of Ducati technology guru Gigi Dall’Igna during the era when the Ducati Desmosedicis went from imperfect and limited machines to the dominant force in MotoGP.
His arrival as technical director comes as part of a restructuring that saw team boss Mike Leitner replaced by Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti. Further signings from KTM to Ducati followed the following year.
But Sterlacchini’s contract was up for renewal – and news that he and KTM were parting ways was reported by Italian outlet GPOne during the German Grand Prix weekend, before being confirmed on the series’ official broadcast by KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer.
Beirer, pictured below, told MotoGP.com it had been “a stormy week” for KTM.
“Fabiano was already at the end of his contract at the end of last month, so in recent weeks we have had discussions and of course we have tried to renew a three-year contract with him.
“But in the end, we just couldn’t agree on some things.”
Beirer said Sterlacchini was homesick but that was not the “main excuse” why a renewal could not be agreed.
He praised Sterlacchini for helping the project get to “a very stable base at the moment.”
“We have a lot of great people. We found them with him over the last three years and I’m happy with what he’s done.
“We both agree not to further discuss why we don’t want to continue together, but there is no breach of contract. His contract was at the end of its term and we were unable to find a suitable agreement for the future. Overall, he leaves KTM as a friend.”
But he also said: “I’m not happy that we couldn’t finish what we started together. We had a plan, we had a mission, and somehow we had to abandon all of that.”
KTM currently sits third in the MotoGP constructors’ standings, two points behind Aprilia but well behind standings leaders Ducati.
The team has not won a premier-class Grand Prix since 2022, although Brad Binder took two sprint victories last year – and the emergence of MotoGP debutant Pedro Acosta means its medium-term title hopes look stronger than ever.
