The addition of KTM Factory Racing to the MotoGP grid in 2017 marks another major step forward for the world championship, joining Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati and Aprilia in the big leagues. And for one reason or another, grand prix racing is becoming increasingly tighter at the front in the modern era and KTM will certainly add to that depth.

KTM has proven just how capable it is in Moto3 during recent seasons (and the lower two-stroke tiers before that), capturing the 2012 and 2013 world championships with Sandro Cortese and Maverick Vinales respectively. Again in 2016 they have a comfortable lead with Brad Binder on the Ajo squad.

What’s also important is that from next year KTM will also have an indirect factory Moto2 team operated under WP Performance Systems, which is owned by the same company as KTM and resides next door to the factory. Because Moto2 has a Honda control engine, their entry won’t be recognised as a KTM, but rest assured it will be the pathway from Moto3 through to MotoGP for top KTM racers.

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And if you take notice of the motocross and supercross teams globally, KTM is a powerhouse. That’s extended to the success of their production models as well. For me, it’s not a matter of if KTM will win MotoGP races, it’s a matter of when.

“What we see now is still changing day by day, but the line is getting clearer,” explained KTM on-road technical director Sebastian Risse. “I’m really happy with the bike at the moment. The best thing an engineer can get is good feedback from the riders and we’re getting that. And the crew also did a super good job.”

For factory test rider Mika Kallio, his reuinion to date with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team has been a rewarding one. Part of the brand’s 125cc and 250cc grand prix programs between 2003 and 2008, the Finnish rider also has a wealth of MotoGP experience to his credit between 2009 and 2010 aboard a satellite Ducati.

Kallio was relatively competitive in the recent Red Bull Ring test, when you compare him to Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, but he’s well aware that it’s strictly a development role – even when he wildcards at Valencia – before Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith take charge in 2017. Still, he’s soaking up the opportunity provided by the Austrian brand.

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“The first time I was on the bike I felt the basis was there and the lap times were already on a good level,” Kallio commented. “We have needed to improve a lot of things and we did this. I think a few weeks ago we demonstrated to everyone that we’re on a good level.

“It was good to be on the bike and I really enjoyed all the laps I did. We are already quite close to our competitors and step-by-step we are improving. I would say the engine on this bike is already good and now we have four more tests before Valencia.”

There will be much interest in KTM’s MotoGP debut, however like Suzuki before it in 2014, we can’t expect too much. They will log the milage of a race weekend, gather data and put it to good use come next year when the lights go out on their racing return once and for all.