MotoGP News: Maffei says Hamilton wants to buy MotoGP team

Why would Lewis Hamilton buy into a team that would lose factory support after 2026, unless they decide to become a customer team like Gresini is with Ducati, using year old bikes?

That is the only plan that makes sense now given KTM’s financial situation.

Austrian newspaper Der Standard has reported that insolvent “KTM wants to quit motorsport, specifically from the MotoGP, Moto3 and Moto2 road racing series, after the 2026 season.”

According to the Der Standard report, KTM management expects “significant PR damage” if it quits MotoGP before this point.

KTM has contracts with its four riders Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder, Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini until the end of the 2026 season as well as a contract with Dorna Sports (i.e. the owner of the MotoGP series).

December 27, 2024

In this original post below, it was clear that Lewis Hamilton is interested in partial ownership of a MotoGP team. He was looking at the Italian Gresini team.

He has repeatedly confirmed his MotoGP interest on the record, but now he may be looking in a different direction – bankrupt KTM.

With reported liabilities around $3 billion, KTM is currently insolvent and undergoing a process of self-administration under Austrian law – and it has been suggested as part of that process that a cost-saving withdrawal from MotoGP may be required.

KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer told Speedweek.com that “very interesting discussions” have taken place between KTM and Hamilton’s camp – and that his interest in having a MotoGP team is “no secret”.

Talking to Speedweek.com Beirer has acknowledged KTM is open to outside investment into its MotoGP program. It’s likely they would love to take some of Hamilton’s millions off him

September 12, 2024

(GMM) The CEO of Formula 1’s owner Liberty Media, Greg Maffei, has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton is interested in buying a MotoGP team.

A few months ago, when it emerged that Liberty was also acquiring the two-wheeled equivalent of F1, rumors began to swirl that Hamilton is eyeing the Ducati-linked MotoGP team Gresini.

The seven time world champion, however, was very careful with his words when asked about the rumors at the British GP.

“I’ve always loved MotoGP,” he said at the time. “I’m interested in the potential growth of the sport, but I haven’t looked that far into it just yet. But anything’s possible.”

But Greg Maffei, the Liberty Media CEO, has now confirmed Hamilton’s very real interest in buying a MotoGP team.

“When we confirmed that we were taking over MotoGP, we immediately received calls from people saying ‘I want to buy a team’,” he said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia and Technology conference.

“People like Lewis Hamilton.”

When asked why the 39-year-old F1 driver and others might suddenly have real interest in buying into MotoGP, Maffei added: “Because they saw what we have done with Formula 1 and they want to jump on the bandwagon.

“We would like to continue such discussions,” he is quoted as saying by Speed Week, “but now we have to wait for the EU’s approval.”

But once that approval comes, Maffei already has plans to add a second MotoGP race to the annual calendar.

“In the USA we currently have Formula 1 races in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas,” he said, “so we definitely see room for a second (MotoGP) race in America.

“We sense the opportunity to do for MotoGP what we have already done for Formula 1.”