On Sunday a🉐t Valencia, rumours began circulating that Johann Zarco might become a factory KTM MotoGP rider in 2019.

Zarco has enjoyed a stellar rookie season in the premier-class, with three podiums, two pole positions and sixth (as the top satellཧite rider) in the world championship for Monster Yamaha Tech 3.

Such performances mean the Frenchman would b♏e in contention for a factory Yamaha seat in 2019, should Valentino Rossi retire or Maverick ꦐVinales part company with the official team.

But perhaps Zarco would not be pꦚrepared to wait and see if a factory space develops, instead taking his future into his own hands by agreei🔴ng to join KTM?

The KTM race team would only call the rumours 'interesting', but Red Bull-backed has today published quotes from CEO Stefan Pierer, who names Zarco as the🐟 'the only MotoGP rider I'm seriously considering for 2019':

"When I look at the championship table, there's no-one I can think of except Zꦜarco, to be honest.

"He won the Moto2 World Championship for two years with Aki Ajo and won the Red Bull Rookies Cup on a KTM. He knowsܫ KTM.

"If you ask me,🎐 I would say: 'This is the only MotoGP rider t⭕hat I'm seriously considering for 2019'."

Of the team's current line-up, Pierer made no mention of Bradley Smith but 'intends' to keep Pol Espargaro for 2019, when KTM 𝔍should also run a satel✅lite team.

M🌼arc VDS is named as one of the possible candidates and could be used to give KTM♊'s Moto2 stars Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder a MotoGP debut.

"We now have such a successful Moto2 team w✱ith Oliveira and Binder. These two riders are💎 capable of MotoGP for 2019.

"In the long run, Brad Binder will also become a t🌄op MotoGP rider. He is a god on the b♛rakes.

"If you win the Moto2 world championship for KTM in 2018, then you're in MotoG🌜P for 2019. But that can also b♚e with the satellite team."

However Pierer ruled🎃 out a bid for Honda's reigning four-t🐷ime MotoGP champion Marc Marquez.

"Iไ'm quite honest: Márquez is such an unique talent, in a🦋 league of his own. If he wins, it is Márquez. If he loses, my motorcycle is to blame. Moreover, such a signing would be counterproductive to our junior program, which we have built so carefully."