KTM has in fact held talks with MotoGP champion Marc Marquez about a defection from Honda, according to Pit Beirer.

Marquez’s future at Honda has been the subject of furious speculation in recent weeks, with suggestions he might leave the Japanese marque a year before his contract runs out at the end of the 2024 campaign.

He seemed to rule that out last time out at Silverstone, where he also claimed he had no contact with KTM.

The six-time premier class champion and Beirer, KTM’s Motorsports Director, have since appeared together on the Sport and Talk programme on the ServusTV network which is owned by Red Bull, one of their common sponsors.

Marquez, who continues to struggle with an uncompetitive RC213V, lavished praise on the Austrian marque and predicted it would usurp Ducati as MotoGP’s benchmark soon enough.

“When KTM started they were last on the grid,” he noted.

“Little by little, they have been getting closer.

“Now they are the second-best constructor in the championship, but very soon, more than people might think, they will be first.

“In competition, the key is ambition. If you have ambition, you will get there.

“KTM is making very good additions at the level of engineers and also pilots.”

Beirer made a bombshell claim in response.

“It’s a compliment to us to be associated with Marc and to hear him say words like the ones he just said,” he said.

“He’s the most successful rider we have with 59 wins.

“Unfortunately, I’m afraid that Marc will not be in our line-up next year because he has a contract.

“We discussed it and he gave us a clear answer and that’s it.

“That doesn’t change the fact that we wish him all the luck in the world to get back to the top positions as soon as possible.”

That comment contradicts what Marquez said at the British Grand Prix.

There, #93 said of KTM, “I didn’t talk to them. If my manager talked to them? I don’t have this information.”

Meanwhile, Marc Marquez’s brother Alex, who won the Sprint at Silverstone, has been confirmed for another season at the Gresini Ducati squad.