KTM RC16

The KTM RC16 is a prototype grand prix racing motorcycle which was developed to race in the MotoGP series by KTM, starting from the 2017 season.

History

The RC16 made its debut as a wildcard entry at the 2016 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix with test rider Mika Kallio. For KTM's return to MotoGP in 2017, their new factory team signed 2009 125cc runner-up, Bradley Smith and the 2013 Moto2 Champion, Pol Espargaró from Monster Yamaha Tech 3. Their team principals are Pit Beirer and Aki Ajo who is also Red Bull KTM Ajo's team principal.

On November 18, 2018, the RC16 achieved its first ever podium finish, having finished in 3rd place in the 2018 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix with Pol Espargaró, after starting the race from 6th on the grid. Starting from 2019, the French private team Tech3 became KTM's first satellite team.

For the 2020 season, KTM completely redesigned the RC16 chassis based on feedback from development rider Dani Pedrosa. The upgraded RC16 features a hybrid chassis design (combining elements of twin spar and trellis frame designs) manufactured from steel, and a carbon fibre swingarm. In 2020 Brad Binder achieved KTM's first win as a constructor in the premier MotoGP class at the Czech Grand Prix. Miguel Oliveira took KTM's second race win, and first for satellite team Tech3, just two rounds later at the Styrian Grand Prix. Oliviera repeated the feat for KTM's third victory with a win at the season-closing Portuguese Grand Prix. With a further five third-place podiums from Pol Espargaró, the KTM factory team finished third in the teams' championship and KTM finished fourth in the constructor's championship, ahead of Honda and Aprilia.

Designation

The motorcycle's name derives from KTM's long-standing usage of the "RC" designation (short for "Road/Competition") for its sportbikes, beginning with the RC8, RC 390, and RC 125 production models and also applied since 2012 to the RC250GP Moto3 machine. The "16" designation is related to the number of valves in the engine (4 valves per cylinder x 4 cylinders), keeping with KTM tradition as used in similars designations such as the former V-twin 1190 RC8 model and the various LC4 single-cylinder models.

Specifications

Dimensions and weights
Wheelbase	1400 mm
Height	1000 mm
Dry weight	160 kg
Tank capacity	22 L
Mechanics
Engine type	four-stroke V4
Displacement (bore, stroke)	1000 cm3 (Ø81mm, 48.5mm - suspected based on MotoGP bore limits)
Cooling system	liquid
Valvetrain	DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, pneumatic springs, gear drive
Fuel induction	digital electronic indirect multi-point port injection
Ignition	variable advance CDI
ECU	Magneti Marelli (series spec ECU)
Power	>265 bhp (198 kW) @ 18,500 rpm
Maximum engine speed	18,500 rpm
Transmission	6-speed seamless-shift sequential manual, final chain-drive
Starter	push start
Exhaust system	Akrapovič titanium twin 2-into-1 system (one per cylinder bank)
Electronic strategies	drive by wire, engine braking, traction control, wheelie control, quick shift+
Lubrication	Dry sump. Factory supplied by Motorex (2016–2022) later Mobil 1 (2023–present) and Tech3 supplied by Elf (2019–2023) later Motul (2024–present)
Chassis
Frame	Steel hybrid construction, adjustable rake angle and swingarm pivot (2016-2019: tubular steel trellis)
Swingarm	Pivoted, carbon fibre construction (2016-2019: aluminium construction)
Bodywork	Carbon fibre (Wethje Carbon Composites)
Fork	WP Suspension USD
Rear suspension	WP Suspension monoshock
Brakes, front	2x 320/340mm carbon or steel discs, Brembo four-piston radial calipers
Brakes, rear	steel disc, Brembo twin-piston radial caliper
Wheel, front	Marchesini 17"/4.00" forged magnesium rim, Michelin tire
Wheel, rear	Marchesini 17"/6.25" forged magnesium rim, Michelin tire
Sources:

Complete MotoGP results

Motorcycle summary

These results are accurate up to the 2025 French motorcycle Grand Prix.

Races won: 7

2020: Miguel Oliveira 2, Brad Binder 1 (3 in total)

2021: Brad Binder 1, Miguel Oliveira 1 (2 in total)

2022: Miguel Oliveira 2 (2 in total)

Podiums: 30

2018: Pol Espargaró 1 (1 in total)

2020: Pol Espargaró 5, Miguel Oliveira 2, Brad Binder 1 (8 in total)

2021: Miguel Oliveira 3, Brad Binder 1 (4 in total)

2022: Miguel Oliveira 2, Brad Binder 3 (5 in total)

2023: Brad Binder 5, Jack Miller 1 (6 in total)

2024: Brad Binder 1, Pedro Acosta 5 (6 in total)

Poles: 4

2020: Pol Espargaró 2, Miguel Oliveira 1 (3 in total)

2024: Pedro Acosta 1 (1 in total)

Legend

Year	Team	Tyres	Riders	Races	Riders' standings	Teams' standings	Manufacturers' standings
No.	Name	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	Pts	Pos	Pts	Pos	Pts	Pos
2016		QAT	ARG	AME	ESP	FRA	ITA	CAT	NED	GER	AUT	CZE	GBR	RSM	ARA	JPN	AUS	MAL	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	36	Finland Mika Kallio																		Ret			0	NC	0	NC	0	NC
2017		QAT	ARG	AME	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	NED	GER	CZE	AUT	GBR	RSM	ARA	JPN	AUS	MAL	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	36	Finland Mika Kallio									16		10			11				Ret			11	24th	—N/a	69	5th
38	United Kingdom Bradley Smith	17	15	16	14	13	20	DNS	Ret	14	Ret	18	17	10	19	17	10	12	11			29	21st	84	10th
44	Spain Pol Espargaró	16	14	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	18	11	13	9	Ret	11	11	10	11	9	10	Ret			55	17th
2018		QAT	ARG	AME	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	NED	GER	CZE	AUT	GBR	RSM	ARA	THA	JPN	AUS	MAL	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	36	Finland Mika Kallio				10			Ret		DNS												6	25th	—N/a	72	5th
38	United Kingdom Bradley Smith	18	Ret	16	13	14	14	Ret	17	10	Ret	14	C	16	13	15	12	10	15	8		38	18th	89	9th
44	Spain Pol Espargaró	Ret	11	13	11	11	11	11	12	Ret	DNS			Ret	DNS	21	12	Ret	Ret	3		51	14th
76	France Loris Baz												C									0	NC
2019		QAT	ARG	AME	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	NED	GER	CZE	AUT	GBR	RSM	ARA	THA	JPN	AUS	MAL	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	5	France Johann Zarco	15	15	13	14	13	17	10	Ret	Ret	14	12	Ret	11								27 (30)	18th	134	8th	111	5th
44	Spain Pol Espargaró	12	10	8	13	6	9	7	11	12	11	Ret	9	7	DNS	13	11	12	11	10		100	11th
82	Finland Mika Kallio														17	Ret	14	Ret	15	12		7	26th
France Red Bull KTM Tech3	27	Spain Iker Lecuona																			Ret		0	NC	42	10th
55	Malaysia Hafizh Syahrin	20	16	18	19	14	Ret	Ret	15	16	Ret	Ret	13	15	21	20	19	15	16	15		9	23rd
88	Portugal Miguel Oliveira	17	11	14	18	15	16	12	13	18	13	8	Ret	16	13	16	12	DNS	DNS			33	17th
2020		SPA	ANC	CZE	AUT	STY	RSM	EMI	CAT	FRA	ARA	TER	EUR	VAL	POR
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	33	South Africa Brad Binder	13	Ret	1	4	8	12	Ret	11	12	11	Ret	7	5	Ret							87	11th	222	3rd	200	4th
44	Spain Pol Espargaró	6	7	Ret	Ret	3	10	3	Ret	3	12	4	3	3	4							135	5th
France Red Bull KTM Tech3	27	Spain Iker Lecuona	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	10	14	Ret	14	15	14	9		WD								27	20th	152	7th
88	Portugal Miguel Oliveira	8	Ret	6	Ret	1	11	5	Ret	6	16	6	5	6	1							125	9th
2021		QAT	DOH	POR	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	GER	NED	STY	AUT	GBR	ARA	RSM	AME	EMI	ALR	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	26	Spain Dani Pedrosa										10											6	25th	—N/a	205	5th
33	South Africa Brad Binder	14	8	5	Ret	13	5	8	4	12	4	1	6	7	9	9	11	10	7			151	6th	245	6th
88	Portugal Miguel Oliveira	13	15	16	11	Ret	2	1	2	5	Ret	Ret	16	14	20	11	Ret	Ret	14			94	14th
France Tech3 KTM Factory Racing	9	Italy Danilo Petrucci	Ret	19	13	14	5	9	Ret	Ret	13	18	12	10	15	16	18	Ret	Ret	18			37	21st	76	11th
27	Spain Iker Lecuona	17	Ret	15	17	9	11	Ret	17	Ret	15	6	7	11	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	15			39	20th
2022		QAT	INA	ARG	AME	POR	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	GER	NED	GBR	AUT	RSM	ARA	JPN	THA	AUS	MAL	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	33	South Africa Brad Binder	2	8	6	13	Ret	10	8	7	8	7	5	11	7	8	4	2	10	10	8	2	188	6th	337	2nd	240	4th
88	Portugal Miguel Oliveira	Ret	1	13	18	5	12	Ret	9	9	9	9	6	12	11	11	5	1	12	13	5	149	10th
France Tech3 KTM Factory Racing	25	Spain Raúl Fernández	18	17	16	19	DNS	WD	Ret	21	15	12	Ret	21	18	13	20	18	15	16	15	12	22nd	14	27	12th
87	Australia Remy Gardner	15	21	17	20	14	20	Ret	19	11	15	19	18	20	19	16	19	Ret	15	18	13	23rd	13
2023		POR	ARG	AME	SPA	FRA	ITA	GER	NED	GBR	AUT	CAT	RSM	IND	JPN	INA	AUS	THA	MAL	QAT	VAL
Austria Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	M	26	Spain Dani Pedrosa				76								46									32	19th	—N/a	373	2nd
33	South Africa Brad Binder	6	171	135	21	62	5	Ret6	45	39	22	Ret4	145	44	Ret2	6	4	32	Ret5	57	32	293	4th	456	4th
43	Australia Jack Miller	74	6	Ret9	33	Ret	76	63	Ret	87	155	8	Ret	147	64	79	7	16	86	9	Ret	163	11th
France GasGas Factory Racing Tech3	37	Spain Augusto Fernández	13	11	10	13	4	15	11	10	118	14	9	16	Ret	7	Ret	Ret	17	14	159	Ret	71	17th	95	11th
44	Spain Pol Espargaró	DNS								12	166	Ret	Ret	13	15	Ret	18	18	15	18	14	15	23rd
94	Germany Jonas Folger			12	17	13	19	17	14													9	25th

* Season still in progress.