F1 champion Lando Norris may soon test a KTM MotoGP bike, as suggested by Tech3’s Guenther Steiner. Steiner, who recently acquired Tech3 as KTM’s satellite squad, floated the idea during a Red Flags podcast episode, proposing Norris could try a MotoGP machine next year.
Norris, who clinched his first Formula 1 World Championship title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by narrowly beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by two points after a 24-race season, becomes the first British champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2020 and the first McLaren title winner since 2007. An enthusiastic MotoGP follower, Norris has spent time in the paddock over the years and even attended the 2025 San Marino Grand Prix at Misano as a guest of Valentino Rossi’s VR46 outfit.
Steiner commented that Norris would be welcome to ride Tech3’s KTM bike next year. He noted the bike’s color similarity to McLaren’s papaya/orange livery and added that they would arrange a test, though he wondered how McLaren boss Zak Brown might react to his driver switching disciplines.
The backstory: Steiner’s acquisition of Tech3 emerged from a €20 million deal to take over the KTM satellite squad from Hervé Poncharal earlier this year. While the idea of an F1/MotoGP crossover remains speculative, it would align with Liberty Media’s broader matrix of crossovers between the two premier motorsport series.
However, several potential hurdles exist. Norris’s link to Monster Energy could complicate Tech3 and KTM’s Red Bull-associated partnerships. Throughout history, a handful of MotoGP riders have stepped into F1 — including Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Marc Marquez — but the reverse—F1 drivers trying MotoGP bikes—remains relatively rare. Notably, the 2019 Valencia day when Rossi and Lewis Hamilton swapped machinery stands out as the notable exception in recent memory.
For context, Hamilton has also crossed into MotoGP media territory, joining Crash.net as a MotoGP journalist in August 2024 after five years with the Motorsport Network. This cross-pollination highlights an ongoing curiosity about the potential for more F1–MotoGP crossovers in the future, even if practical, logistical, and sponsorship considerations present real barriers.
Would Norris’s hypothetical MotoGP test influence fans’ perception of his versatility, or would it be seen as a risky sideshow to his ongoing F1 success? Share your take on whether top-level drivers should explore cross-discipline opportunities, and what the implications could be for teams, sponsors, and the sport’s competitive balance.
