The 2024 season will mark the sixth for Herve Poncharal’s team in MotoGP as a KTM satellite partner, and second under the GasGas moniker after undergoing a rebrand in 2023.
Last year proved to be an immensely difficult year for Tech3, as Pol Espargaro missed the first half of the season due to serious injury and rookie Augusto Fernandez struggled to find its form.
The team managed a best result of fourth courtesy of Fernandez at the French Grand Prix, but it has now gone three seasons without a podium.
Fernandez was offered a reprieve for 2024 while Espargaro has been moved aside, despite signing a two-year deal, to make way for reigning Moto2 champion Acosta.
Acosta was a key figure in the rider market last year and was long-assured a step up to the premier class with KTM.
His MotoGP debut comes with much anticipation, having won the Moto3 title in his first season and then Moto2 within two campaigns.
On Monday, Tech3 unveiled the factory GasGas colors it will race under again in 2024 with Acosta and Fernandez.
This year’s livery is a slight departure from the 2023 color scheme, featuring more prominent Red Bull branding on the front and side of the bike.
Acosta finished his first official test on the KTM MotoGP bike in Valencia last November in 18th and just four tenths shy of his team-mate Fernandez.
The reigning Moto2 champion will get extra track time this pre-season on 1-3 February at the Sepang shakedown, which is open to test riders, rookies and riders for manufacturers with the relevant concessions.
Tech3 is the fifth team to have staged its 2024 launch presentation, following Gresini, the factory Ducati squad, VR46 and Trackhouse Racing last week.
Yamaha will be the next team to reveal its 2024 colors on the eve of pre-season testing in Malaysia on 5 February.
Pre-season testing runs from 6-8 February at the Sepang International Circuit, before two final days of running in Qatar on 19-20 February ahead of the new season starting at Losail on 8-10 March.
Photo by: GasGas Factory Racing
Pedro Acosta, Augusto Fernandez, Tech3 GASGAS Factory Racing