KTM hired many new team members for MotoGP in the last few years, like the team director Francesco Guidotti or the technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini. Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport director, is happy with the structure, but admitted that little changes may always occur.
The leader said that he considers the current working group is very solid and strong: ‘The door is always open, but to answer much more clear I feel now we have a really, really, complete package. So it’s not we are still looking left and right, who is there. But I feel we’ve got some great people on our side – not just from the technical skills, also from the human side, good people, becoming friends in a very short time. I feel we have now a really, really strong package’.
Beirer then explained the hiring process in the last few years: ‘Austria had to learn how to build a MotoGP bike from zero, but over the years a lot of knowledge came into our company and we could build a great base. But then we were missing some things – especially on the data side and electronics side. And the guys who came just made us stronger. Fabiano had to settle down as our technical leader for the entire road race program, so he is not here to be a guest from Italy and give us some news. He is here to lead our whole road racing operation in this company. So all these things, they became together as a great puzzle and I’m super super happy; I feel it’s complete’.
Currently, KTM is open to technicians from other countries, but also developing Austrian talents, as Beirer said: ‘As usual by nature, some people will leave us on the future and some people will come. But I feel still this will always be a mix of home-based people. We have a huge program going on developing our own apprenticeship from Austria learning, bringing students from Austria to build them up. Every moment we have a bike somewhere in an university in Austria to motivate to bring younger generations and people from here. And any international person who wants to join our project is welcome. But of course there is also some difficulties behind bringing international people: they have to move, let’s see how the family is adapting. Most of the time, the boys or the girls adapt very quickly to the job, but then it’s the family, the friends, the children, the schooling system – all of this also has a heavy load on all these projects. So that’s an open process, but let’s say I’m really happy, I feel complete, but we are always open to little changes’.