The KTM exodus that suggests a management flaw

A little over two weeks ago, Autosport revealed that an agreement had been reached between the younger of the Espargaro brothers and HRC for 2021.

The news came just a day after Autosport also revealed Ducati's move for Jorge Martin, who will step up to the premier class next season with the Borgo Panigale factory, within the satellite Pramac line-up, from the KTM-backed Ajo Moto2 squad.

Over the space of a few days, KTM was forced to come to terms with the fact that it had lost two of its three most valuable assets, the other being Brad Binder.

The Austrian factory's management did everything it could to retain the services of Martin, who currently rides for it in Moto2 and scored two podiums late last year in his debut intermediate class campaign, but there was no way of changing his mind. Earlier this week, Danilo Petrucci travelled to Austria to sign a deal that will lead to him lining up on one of the distinctive orange bikes instead, alongside South African rider Binder.

Petrucci's arrival at KTM confirms Espargaro's departure for Honda, and strongly suggests that Andrea Dovizioso will be staying with Ducati to team up with Jack Miller - who will step up from Pramac next year. It is hard to imagine it would let Petrucci go unless a deal was done with Dovizioso, especially given that its only alternatives are now Johann Zarco and Francesco Bagnaia - riders who offer fewer guarantees than Petrucci, who has at least won a grand prix.

The negotiations between Ducati and Dovizioso have gone through various stages that are worth putting into context. The Italian's current contract is worth €6 million a year (for 2019 and 2020), a figure in line with the performances of a rider who has finished runner-up for the last three seasons, while still being a long way off the €25 million that Jorge Lorenzo banked during his two seasons on the opposite side of the red garage.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the finances of the entire sporting world and MotoGP is no different, forcing manufacturers to reassess their strategies and bring certain costs that have recently spiralled back under control. The highest earners will be the first to be affected.

A short while ago, Ducati made it quite clear that any offer to Dovizioso would represent a drop compared his current package. Not only that, but he would also be asked to give up some of his earnings from 2020.

As far as the rider is concerned, this is the first contract that has reflected his true worth, so you can imagine that he won't exactly be doing somersaults about the revised offer. As things stand, a deal looks more likely than it did a month ago, but with a rider as particular as Dovizioso, you never know. It wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that he could even step out of the championship altogether if the terms were not agreeable.

The reasons why the 2013 Moto2 world champion signed for Honda are as real and as strong as the headache now facing Pierer. Going on past form, we can expect the king of KTM to publicly harangue Espargaro and Martin

KTM is a different case to Ducati. Here we are talking about a team that not too long ago was dishing out advice on rider management. In an interview with Autosport a year ago, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer actually fired a broadside at Honda, who he believed had undervalued Dani Pedrosa (now working out of Mattighofen as a test rider).

"Unlike the Japanese, KTM treats its own like family," said Pierer. "We support our people in good times and also in bad. When a rider gets hurt, we protect him. Dani was allowed to leave Honda overnight after racing for them for 14 years. How can they be so short-sighted?"

Pol Espargaro might have something to say on that one.

For him, the logic behind the switch is two-fold. Firstly, he now has the opportunity to ride a bike that has won six of the last seven MotoGP titles and form part of the most successful team in the paddock.

Secondly, he feels aggrieved at how he was treated at certain moments over the past three seasons - in particular when he was injured, but also when Zarco was offered better terms for 2019 than he was, even though the Frenchman's performances were nowhere near as good as his own.

It was Pol, remember, that gave the factory its first ever MotoGP podium at Valencia in the final round of 2018.

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The reasons why the 2013 Moto2 world champion signed for Honda are as real and as strong as the headache now facing Pierer. Going on past form, we can expect the king of KTM to publicly harangue Espargaro and Martin, although equally likely is that changes are now happening behind the scenes to ensure such an exodus is not allowed to happen again.