MotoGP: KTM reveal their 2021 livery

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team has unveiled its 2021 MotoGP livery during an online presentation today.

Held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the presentation also unveiled Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira in their new leathers and included interviews with both riders and members of the KTM management team, Pit Beirer and Mike Leitner.

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The livery itself hasn’t changed dramatically, however Binder’s number 33 is now completely yellow. The South African secured a maiden victory, at Brno, in his debut premier class campaign, ending the year 11th overall.

“2020 in general was a season where I feel we achieved a lot, a few good results and obviously with the first victory – or KTM’s first victory – being the main thing,” Binder said. “But there were also many days when we had the potential to do so much more. For sure now the margin is a little bit smaller to try and improve but I think as the season went on last year, even though we had a little bit of a slump in the middle, things got better and better.

“I felt like I was improving not only for the results but in the way approaching the weekends and going session-by-session. At the moment I feel that we have a really, really strong package. We are in a good direction and I am super-excited to get back on the bike this year.”

Binder is joined by Oliveira this season and the duo are already quite familiar with each other having been teammates in Moto3 and Moto2. Oliveira has a fantastic 2020 season, securing his and Tech3’s first-ever MotoGP victories at the Red Bull Ring and Portimao. The Portuguese star dominated his home Grand Prix at the end of the year, leading from start to finish.

“For sure to be world champion you need to have many details together at the same time and for that, depending on how the season is going and what is happening, generally we can find success through the project,” Oliveira said. “Sometimes a fourth place will be a very good result and sometimes a second place may not fulfil our expectations, but you have to work through that process and right now, as a start base, I am thinking quite hard to set a bar of results that we can consider as successful.

“For sure being better than 2020 is already a good start. It is quite a relaxing factor to know that the bike is capable of winning but at the same time you cannot take anything for granted and when it comes to repeating success it becomes harder, so I don’t see it as a static job. I think every year you need to bring something ‘up’ on your side to keep a very good level in this championship. I feel I am able to work more on details in a factory team and to at least be more consistent. I think these are the tools that the factory team is going to give me. I have full conviction in my work.”

The 2021 MotoGP season, as it stands, will get underway at Qatar on March 28. The Losail International Circuit will also hold round two the following weekend and will be known as Grand Prix of Qatar.