Drive to Survive star wants to buy MotoGP team

MotoGP is poised to undergo a renaissance under new owners Liberty Media and a much-loved Formula One personality could help get the ball rolling. 

Former Haas F1 Team Principal and Drive to Survive star Guenther Steiner has been in talks with Red Bull KTM Tech3, but rumours of a takeover have been extinguished for now. 

Tech3 boss Herve Poncharal confirmed to motogp.com in June that he was in talks with Steiner, but he has recently dismissed any rumoured deals as “fake news”. 

Poncharal said in the June interview that he was “listening to the proposal” from Steiner, with potential involvement ranging from investment to an outright takeover. 

Some European media have reported that Steiner is finalising a €20 million deal to buy the Tech3 team with backing from Apex Capital, but Poncharal later told Italian website GPOne that “nothing is signed” and that he was “annoyed” with the rumours. 

As per the June interview with MotoGP, Poncharal hopes to maintain full control of the Tech3 team when new regulations come into effect in 2027, but he is open to financial support. Poncharal founded Tech3 with Guy Coulon in 1990. 

A move by Steiner into the world of MotoGP would be a huge boost for the premier motorcycle racing championship, given Liberty Media’s desire to increase MotoGP’s exposure and incorporate more F1-style storytelling and content. 

Liberty Media also owns F1 and is credited with rejuvenating that series and sparking the global boom in interest that has followed.  

Steiner’s profile surged after his appearance in the hit Netflix F1 series, Drive to Survive. His unfiltered and often fiery personality proved popular with fans. 

The Italian-born motorsport identity lost his position at Haas at the end of 2023. He has since worked in the media as an F1 pundit and commentator, and has also written autobiographies, embarked on a live speaking tour and acted as a race ambassador. More recently, he made a comical cameo in the Brad Pitt-led box-office hit, F1: The Movie.

Late last year it was also reported that Lewis Hamilton was interested in buying his way into MotoGP, but nothing further has emerged outside those initial talks.