It’s the end of a memorable chapter for the Racestore KTM team, who have officially announced they’ll take a sabbatical year away from the MXGP paddock.
Over the past two seasons, Racestore KTM have proudly represented the Austrian brand as the official EMX125 KTM structure, working closely with some of Europe’s brightest young talents – Gyan Doensen, Áron Katona, and Nicoló Alvisi.
The 2025 season proved to be the team’s highlight, with Alvisi clinching the EMX125 championship title after an intense year-long battle that went right down to the wire in the deep sands of Lommel. It was a remarkable achievement for both rider and team, showcasing the success of KTM’s youth development program under the Racestore umbrella.
However, after such an intense and rewarding run, the Italian-based team have confirmed they’ll take a year off from fielding a team in 2026. The good news is that this appears to be a temporary break, with plans already in motion for a major project that will see them return to the paddock in 2027.
As for KTM’s EMX125 presence, it’s understood that the manufacturer will continue with an official setup next season, managed by Thomas Traversini. One of the confirmed riders is Austrian talent Ricardo Bauer, who revealed in an exclusive interview that he will be a factory rider for 2026 – and he won’t be alone, as at least one more rider is expected to join him.
In addition, the highly promising Lucas Leok will make the step up to the EMX125 series in 2026 with KTM support, adding even more excitement to the next wave of young orange talent.
It’s a pause rather than a goodbye for Racestore KTM – and all eyes will be on what the team have planned when they return to action in 2027.
Racestore KTM posted the following message confirming the news:
With this photo, the 2025 season comes to an end. It’s been a year full of satisfaction, one in which we dominated the European 125 Championship. It’s been a wonderful journey, and it’s only right to thank KTM, all the sponsors, and everyone who contributed to this success – Thomas, Diego, Emanuele, Piraz, Simona, Vittorio, and of course the riders Aron and Nicolò.
What can I say – as in all stories, it’s right to draw a line, reflect on what has happened and what’s been achieved, and take stock for the future. We’ll be taking a sabbatical year, as we say in our world, to prepare for a very important project that will see us fully involved from July 2026 onward.
In the meantime, we’ll still be around the paddock next season, but in a slightly different way as we await some major changes. Thank you all.
