• Login
  • Register
Speedcafe.com
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • PODS
  • PHOTOS
  • RESULTS
  • NETWORK 100
No Result
View All Result
  • SUPERCARS
  • F1
  • MOTOGP
  • NASCAR
  • INDYCAR
  • GT & ENDURANCE
  • KARTING
  • RALLY
  • SPEEDWAY
  • JOBS
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • PODS
  • PHOTOS
  • RESULTS
  • NETWORK 100
No Result
View All Result
  • Feed
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Photos
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
Speedcafe.com
  • Supercars
  • F1
  • NASCAR
  • IndyCar
  • GT & Endurance
  • Karting
  • Bikes
  • Rally
  • Speedway
Home Bikes MotoGP

Aussie Agius in head-to-head battle for MotoGP seat

KTM boss Pit Beirer has offered the strongest hint yet that the Austrian manufacturer may well sign Senna Agius to satellite squad Tech3.

Simon Chapman
Simon Chapman
20 Jul 2026
Simon Chapman
//
20 Jul 2026
// MotoGP
A A
0
Aussie Agius in head-to-head battle for MotoGP seat
Senna Agius on track at the Sachsenring during the Moto2 race at the Grand Prix of Germany. Image: Ronny Lekl

The Australian is in the running to graduate from Moto2 to MotoGP next year with Tech3.

It’s believed factory Honda incumbent Luca Marini will take one seat at Tech3 while Agius is in a head-to-head battle with Manuel Gonzalez for the other vacancy.

It’s added another dynamic to their Moto2 title quest this year, which sees them pitted against each other as teammates at Intact GP.

‘Manu’ Gonzalez is the most experienced of the pair. He finished second in Moto2 last year behind Diogo Moreira.

Moreira graduated to MotoGP with Honda satellite LCR while Gonzalez returned for his fifth season in the feeder series.

The KTM boss told Speedweek that Agius has arguably a higher ceiling than Gonzalez.

Complete our motor oil survey for your chance to win 1 of 5 Supercheap Auto $100 gift cards.
Take the short survey.

Agius is 21 years old and vying for the title in only his third season.

Gonzalez, 23, leads the riders’ championship with four wins to his name this season.

“Young riders are like shares. You’re speculating on how well they’ll develop in the future,” Beirer told Speedweek.

“If you ask me today who’s the better Moto2 rider? I’d say Gonzalez, no doubt about it.

“But as for who’ll end up being the better MotoGP rider – I’m not so sure about that.

“It also depends on how tall he is, how much he weighs, how he rides and how he handles the front tyre.

“We’re not making it easy for ourselves; we’ll watch the last race and decide on gut instinct.

“I see more potential for development in Senna. He’s a bit younger and, on days when he’s at his best, he’s the winner.”

Intact GP rider Senna Agius on the grid at the Sachsenring.

Intact GP rider Senna Agius on the grid at the Sachsenring. Image: Ronny Lekl

It’s the firmest indication yet that Agius may get the green light over Gonzalez.

The Spaniard has also been linked to the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), with options supposedly at Ducati and BMW.

There has been a school of thought that Gonzalez’s status as a Spanish rider may hurt his chances of graduating to MotoGP.

The motorcycle grand prix world championship is flush with Spanish riders, taking up nine of the 22 saddles. Italy is the next-best represented country with six riders.

There is thought to be some appeal for the promoter MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly Dorna Sports) in having an Australian rider on the grid.

Jack Miller, the only Australian rider in MotoGP, is expected to depart Yamaha satellite Pramac at the end of the 2026 season when his contract expires.

For Tech3 team principal Guenther Steiner, nationality isn’t a factor.

“I don’t care where their passport comes from – it’s the performance that counts,” Steiner told Speedweek.

“At the moment, it’s a bonus if you’re not Spanish, because there are already so many Spaniards there.

“That would also give sponsors the opportunity to have something different. Everyone says there are too many Spaniards, but we shouldn’t use that against Spaniards.

“If they deliver the best performances, what more could you want? Success doesn’t come from a passport, but from the person.

“If the performance is there, then you can even sell a team with two Spaniards.

“The question is always how that performance comes about. If it were all just a matter of maths, it would be simple.

“You’d just add up the results and have your decision. But you’re dealing with a person who has to work with the team, help it progress and also develop the bike.

“There are many factors involved.”

Intact GP rider Manuel Gonzalez on the grid at the Sachsenring.

Intact GP rider Manuel Gonzalez on the grid at the Sachsenring. Image: Ronny Lekl

Agius sits third in the Moto2 standings on 136 points. Gonzalez leads on 195.5 points, while second place is occupied by Izan Guevara (144 points), who is set to join Pramac in 2027.

Ahead of the most recent Moto2 race at the Sachsenring in which he finished fourth, Agius echoed the sentiment of Steiner of his passport not having any added power.

“That won’t help me. Of course, it would be good for Australia and for everyone involved if that were to happen,” he said.

“But that won’t be the deciding factor in whether I get the chance or not. That depends entirely on my performance on the track.

“Nothing else matters. It doesn’t matter which country I come from.

“I think KTM and Günther know that they’re practically the last remaining option.

“There’s nowhere else for us to turn. Günther once said: ‘When you’re the last one left, you hold all the cards.’ That’s exactly how it is.

“They set the timing and that’s perfectly fine.”

MotoGP is in the midst of a summer break and will return on August 7-9 at Silverstone for the Grand Prix of Great Britain.

KTM has its home grand prix in Austria on September 18-20 at the Red Bull Ring.

Tags: senna agius

Discussion about this post

[postcode_search_form]

Latest from Torquecafe

BYD could crack 500km/h barrier with next top speed attempt

21 July 2026

Ford invests $715 million to keep Mustang, F-150 V8 alive

20 July 2026

Latest Podcasts

PODCAST: How TRC talks will shape Supercars’ future

17 July 2026

PODCAST: The titans of Townsville

14 July 2026

Related Articles

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas presenting the MotoGP track layout to media in February. Image: Supplied

Anti-MotoGP song supporting Adelaide protest released

MotoGP
7 days ago
MotoGP
0
Lando Norris and Valentino Rossi

Norris targets Le Mans drive with Rossi

F1
1 week ago
F1
0

Platinum Partners

Latest & Trending News

Lincoln Taylor

Walkinshaw junior to make Super2 debut in Perth

Supercars
21 July 2026
Supercars
0
Oscar Piastri not looking happy

‘It sucks’: Piastri’s scathing assessment of ‘crap’ F1 regulations

F1
21 July 2026
F1
0
GT World Challenge Australia racing at Queensland Raceway

Field set for GT World Challenge Australia’s maiden Darwin visit

SRO GT
21 July 2026
SRO GT
0
Scott McLaughlin during the Music City Grand Prix at Nashville.

McLaughlin denied Nashville triumph by badly timed cautions

IndyCar
21 July 2026
IndyCar
0
Tickford director Rod Nash and new signing James Lodge

Supercars heavyweight Tickford signs Porsche rising star

Supercars
21 July 2026
Supercars
0
Senna Agius on track at the Sachsenring during the Moto2 race at the Grand Prix of Germany.

Aussie Agius in head-to-head battle for MotoGP seat

MotoGP
20 July 2026
MotoGP
0

Supercheap Auto

Weekly Poll presented by Michelin

POLL: Should Phillip Island bump Sandown from the Finals Series?

Past Polls Vote now Results
Weekly Poll presented by Michelin
2026 Supercars Championship WINS POLES PTS
1
Matthew Payne
Penrite Racing
19 3 3 1656
2
Broc Feeney
Red Bull Ampol Racing
88 4 3 1564
3
Brodie Kostecki
Shell V-Power Racing Team
17 6 5 1469
4
Cam Waters
Monster Castrol Racing
6 2 3 1461
5
Kai Allen
Penrite Racing
26 2 0 1339
2026 Formula 1 Championship WINS POLES PTS
1
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
12 6 6 204
2
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
44 1 0 159
3
George Russell
Mercedes
63 2 4 154
4
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
16 1 0 126
5
Lando Norris
McLaren
1 0 0 103
ADVERTISEMENT
[instagram-feed feed=2]
Support the partners that support Speedcafe
R & J Batteries Mobil 1 Supercheap Auto Michelin
Meguiars Coates KTM ACDelco PPQ
AASA Authentic Collectables Nueva Fastly Motorsport Australia
Green and white "speedcafe." logo on a black background, conveying a racing theme.
Speedcafe.com has been established to provide a daily motorsport news service to the industry and fans in Australia and internationally.
Follow Us

Categories

SUPERCARS

F1

NASCAR

INDYCAR

GT

MOTOGP

PHOTOS

TV

PODS

Platinum Partners

R&J BATTERIES
MOBIL1
SUPERCHEAP AUTO
ACDELCO

MICHELIN
MEGUIARS

COATES

Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily newsletter, the best way to get your news first, fast and free!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Your daily racing fix - Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily and breaking newsletter for all the latest news delivered direct to your box

SUBSCRIBE
Follow Us

Categories

SUPERCARS

F1

NASCAR

INDYCAR

GT

MOTOGP

PHOTOS

TV

PODS

Platinum Partners

R&J BATTERIES
MOBIL1
SUPERCHEAP AUTO
ACDELCO

MICHELIN
MEGUIARS

COATES

Green and white "speedcafe." logo on a black background, conveying a racing theme.

Copyright © 2026 Speedcafe.com. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Our Team /  Advertise with us / Comments Policy / Privacy Policy /

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Event guides
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Network 100

Copyright © 2025 Speedcafe.com This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Event guides
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Network 100

Copyright © 2025 Speedcafe.com This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

[mailpoet_form id=”28″]