KTM's ongoing MotoGP reliability crisis has taken another twist after the Austrian manufacturer failed to secure unanimous approval from rival factories to inspect its sealed engines during the summer break.
The request comes after a series of engine failures throughout the first half of the 2026 season, including the frightening incident at the Catalan Grand Prix when Pedro Acosta's RC16 suddenly lost power, triggering a high speed collision with Alex Marquez. The repeated failures have raised growing concerns over both reliability and rider safety.
MotoGP's engine homologation rules prevent manufacturers from opening or modifying sealed engines once the season has begun. Any exception requires the unanimous agreement of all manufacturers in the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers Association (MSMA).
KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer admitted the team knows there is an internal problem but cannot fully investigate it under the current regulations.
"There is something wrong inside our engines. We know there's still this risk with some parts, and we have to solve it," Beirer told Sky Italia. He added that the summer break would be the ideal opportunity to identify the cause before racing resumes.
According to Beirer, Aprilia is the only manufacturer that has agreed to KTM's request, with technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini and CEO Massimo Rivola publicly supporting the move. However, the lack of unanimous approval means KTM remains unable to open the engines and investigate the fault.
The situation differs from Yamaha's engine reliability issues in 2020, when the Japanese manufacturer had already identified the faulty component before being granted permission to make repairs. In KTM's case, engineers still do not know exactly what is causing the failures, making the request more difficult for rival manufacturers to accept.
With the MotoGP title fight entering a crucial stage, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha are reportedly reluctant to approve any move that could potentially give KTM a technical advantage, even if the request is based on reliability and safety concerns.
For now, KTM must continue racing under the existing homologation rules while searching for another solution. Until all manufacturers agree, the factory cannot dismantle its engines, leaving one of MotoGP's biggest technical concerns unresolved as the championship heads into the second half of the season.
