MotoGP deal official! Günther Steiner buys Herve Poncharal's Tech3 team

So, finally! What Herve Poncharal called " fake news " just four weeks ago became reality on Friday in Barcelona . Originally considered only as a potential investor, Formula 1 cult figure Günther Steiner is buying the Tech3 team with immediate effect. MotoGP, the French racing team, and the South Tyrolean confirmed corresponding reports from Thursday evening in an extraordinary press conference at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday afternoon.

"I would like to thank Herve for entrusting me with—as he himself puts it—his 'baby,'" Steiner began, then elaborated on his thoughts: "I've been in motorsport for a long time, but this is my first time working on two wheels. I know I have a lot to learn. But when I left Formula 1 at the end of 2023, I started looking for new opportunities for myself. I've always followed MotoGP with great interest, and when I was there in Austin last year, this idea was born. I looked for options, talked to some people, and then met Herve. Now we want to continue his success story and help MotoGP continue to grow."

The first rumors about Steiner's possible involvement in MotoGP had already surfaced at the beginning of June. "We've spoken with Günther. He's a very nice and very direct guy, which I really like. He could come on board as an investor or minority shareholder, or simply help us find sponsors," Tech3 team founder Poncharal revealed to his British colleagues at 'Crash.net' at the time.

Competing as a KTM customer team since 2019, Tech3 had made initial attempts to position itself more independently in recent months following the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer's financial difficulties. Therefore, the initial discussion only focused on Steiner's possible involvement as an investor. However, the talks with the former Haas F1 team boss apparently went so well that Poncharal recognized the 60-year-old South Tyrolean as his potential successor. Poncharal, now 68, had long made no secret of his intention to increasingly withdraw from day-to-day business in the foreseeable future.

"Nothing lasts forever, and I've been thinking about giving my life a new direction for a while. This is a very emotional moment for me; I've lived MotoGP. You can't just switch to another life. This is my family," began a visibly moved Poncharal, before explaining: "When you have a healthy child, you want it to grow and move on at some point. Then you have to pass the reins on. I've been thinking for a while about how and with whom I want to do this. Especially since Liberty joined, we've been talking to our own people, and Günther is the winner. At first, I was a little scared of him because he looks like he's about to beat you, but honestly, he's a great person. He listens to you and sees what's important to you. We're not the same, but we have a lot in common. That's why I've decided to hand the team over to him starting January 1, 2026."

The sale of the Tech3 team to Steiner and an American consortium led by Apex will go through for a reported sum of around 20 million euros. Steiner himself will become the new Tech3 CEO and replace Richard Coleman Poncharal as team principal starting next season, but otherwise, no changes are expected within the racing team (for the time being). All team members are expected to remain on board, and riders Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini already have valid contracts for 2026. What happens after that, however, is completely open. The contract between Tech3 and KTM ends at the end of the 2026 season, meaning that from 2027 onwards, Steiner could have the team supplied by another manufacturer, thus giving him free choice in his rider search. KTM currently provides both riders for Tech3, and the racing team has no freedom of choice. To ensure a smooth handover, Poncharal will continue to provide his expertise throughout the 2026 season, before likely retiring completely from MotoGP.

Tech3's current contract with MotoGP theoretically ends at the end of the 2026 season, but Steiner has reportedly already received confirmation that he will continue to compete with the racing team in the premier class in 2027. His arrival in MotoGP is likely to be very much in the interest of the new owners of Liberty Media . The Americans have already worked successfully with Steiner in Formula 1; in the Netflix documentary 'Drive to Survive,' the long-time Haas team boss rose to become one of the stars and continues to enjoy great popularity among F1 fans. Liberty Media is likely to want to turn to Steiner again in its attempt to attract new viewers to MotoGP.

Steiner as the new Tech3 owner - What do you think: A good thing or a disappointment for the iconic French team? Share your thoughts on the F1 cult figure's entry into MotoGP in the comments!