"Racing at its absolute finest"
Therefore, Beirer's celebration was initially subdued when Acosta took the lead in the Grand Prix. "After yesterday, you don't even dare to be normal anymore," the 53-year-old smiles.
He had simply tried to keep his composure and to enjoy the race somewhat as well. Acosta showed "racing at its absolute finest" a day after one of the toughest defeats of his career, Beirer applauds.
Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi had exerted pressure throughout the entire race. Beirer is impressed: "Managing that one-second lead throughout the entire race was racing at the highest level."
When KTM fought for survival
To put the significance of the home victory into the right context, one must look in the rearview mirror.
At the end of 2024, KTM was financially on the brink. Claims of over two billion Euros were registered in the insolvency proceedings. At the end of November, KTM AG and two subsidiaries applied for restructuring proceedings with self-administration.
The insolvency had massive effects on the workforce and also on motorsport. The future of the MotoGP project was temporarily on shaky ground, and the development of the RC16 was initially paused.
In June 2025, the restructuring was finally legally concluded. By the end of July, KTM was able to fully restart production in Austria.
From a year of crisis to a home victory
In 2026, the Austrian manufacturer started the MotoGP season with a sprint victory in Thailand, but in the summer, the next setback followed: a defective engine component caused reliability problems and numerous failures.
So lange durchzuhalten, war für mich, das Team und das gesamte Werk einfach schwierig. Wir mussten immer wieder daran glauben, dass wir es können.
However, this obstacle was also successfully overcome. Beirer emphasizes: "To endure for so long was simply difficult for me, the team, and the entire factory. We constantly had to believe that we could do it."
The motorsport boss remained composed when Acosta finally secured the victory. "I didn't want to freak out after the win, but simply enjoy it."
A huge weight has been lifted from Beirer's shoulders: "That was an enormous relief and payback for the team and our entire project. The fact that the circle closes right here in Spielberg feels incredibly good."
Acosta: The breakthrough?
With that, one can look forward to the remaining MotoGP season with full confidence. The motorcycle entourage now moves to Asia, where the Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled in two weeks.
Beirer believes that Acosta has had a breakthrough after his maiden victory: "Pedro made one or two mistakes in the past because he felt the pressure to finally win."
Ich will gar nicht abheben. Wir haben heute gewonnen, aber mein Anspruch ist nach wie vor, ums Podium zu kämpfen.
Many had said he was the best. Only a race victory was still missing for the KTM star - until today. Beirer is convinced that Acosta, whom KTM will lose to Ducati at the end of the season, can now ride unburdened.
Staying grounded
In the same breath, the KTM boss is keen to pump the brakes: "I don't want to get carried away. We won today, but my ambition remains to fight for the podium."
However, the bike has once again "improved incredibly" in recent weeks. "With this liberating blow, we will certainly be even stronger in the upcoming races," says Beirer.
