Word on the street is that Formula 1 World Champion and Red Bull Racing ace Max Verstappen is looking to expand his already large racing empire into the world of two wheels. Specifically, into MotoGP thanks to the acquisition by Liberty Media of the series.
The increase in eyes on MotoGP by Formula 1 personnel is easy to understand, as after Liberty Media’s purchase of Formula 1, the race has seen record-breaking attendance, fan engagement, and viewership. Folks want in on the ground floor before MotoGP blows up just like Formula 1 did. And the current rumors, as reported by Sky Sports Italy, but then downplayed by The Race, are that Verstappen was looking at acquiring either the LCR Honda or Trackhouse Aprilia MotoGP teams.
And while each makes a bit of sense in terms of entering the sport in a real and meaningful way for the multi-hyphenate racer, there’s an easy and obvious choice for Verstappen, and his father, who’s also rumored to be part of the deal. They should just buy Red Bull KTM. I mean, come on, it’s right freakin’ there for the taking.
Despite its issues, Red Bull KTM is a great choice for Verstappen for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it’s actually a front-of-the-pack team. Yes, it’s had its qualifying and racing issues, but with a steady hand and someone to lead the charge like Verstappen, the team can easily be fighting against the Aprilias and, more importantly, the Ducatis.
Likewise, it has two great racers in Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini, as these two dudes with the right machine and the right leadership could be dicing it up with the Marquez brothers of the world, as well as Bezzechi and Martin. The team itself, apart from current principal Pit Bierer, is also one of the better-run teams in the paddock. It’s got the infrastructure to make a world championship-winning team and riders. And having someone like Verstappen to guide all of this would probably go a long way in achieving those goals, especially with the new regulations set to start in 2027.
You also have the Red Bull of it all, as Verstappen and Red Bull are now basically synonymous with each other. It’s been heavily rumored that Max wanted more control over the Red Bull Racing side of things, which is why Christian Horner got unceremoniously kicked to the curb. It’d be extremely easy for him to convince the top brass at the company in him taking over the team.
Yet, Red Bull KTM also makes a ton of sense if you look at those last three letters: K, T, and M.
It’s no secret that the Austrian company has had its share of foibles in recent months, what with nearly going bankrupt. But there’s a certain looming cloud hanging over the companies head, and that’s its continued existence in MotoGP, as its insolvency manager said it would be quitting, while its new owners (Bajaj) haven’t stated publicly if it would be continuing this specific arm of racing. Having a multi-time Formula 1 world champion of Max Verstappen’s caliber, however, could go a long way at both infusing cash into the operation, as well as drawing attention to the team in a far greater manner. Those two could convince Bajaj to keep the racing arm open.
Having the likes of Max Verstappen on your side is one of those things that can’t be discounted. But for now, all we have are rumors, though we know that Verstappen, like Lewis Hamilton and now Guenther Steiner, is a big MotoGP fan. So we’ll just have to wait and see what happens, though I could easily see the above occurring, which would also help Steiner’s aspiration in the long term, as his Tech3 team also uses KTM machines…
