Valerio Lata could be set for a return to KTM colours in 2027, with the talented Italian expected to join the Factory Red Bull KTM team under the highly successful De Carli setup.
Lata is no stranger to the Austrian manufacturer. Before signing with the official HRC Honda team for the 2025 season, he spent several years racing under the Marchetti KTM awning before his spell with Beddini GasGas, where he established himself as one of Europe’s brightest young prospects.
The 21-year-old has fond memories of his previous spell with KTM, having won the 2021 EMX125 championship. Since then, he has continued to develop and, despite still being early in his professional career, remains one of the riders regarded as having significant long-term potential.
After two seasons with HRC Honda, a change appears to be on the horizon. Lata is expected to sign for the Factory Red Bull KTM team, linking up with the De Carli team – a structure widely regarded as one of the strongest and most successful in the MXGP paddock.
It is understood that HRC Honda held an option to retain the Italian for 2027 but have chosen not to stand in the way of a move back to KTM. If the deal is completed, Lata would become part of a new-look De Carli KTM line-up. Maxime Renaux is also widely expected to join the team for the 2027 MXGP World Championship, signalling a major change for the squad after its successful partnership with the Coenen brothers.
Nothing has been officially confirmed at this stage, but all indications suggest that Lata’s future lies back with KTM as teams start to put their 2027 plans into place.
More news coming from the paddock soon.
