Optimism around KTM has been qu꧅elled by Simon Crafar’s concerns over their🌠 preseason.

Jack Miller and Brad Binder te💛sted a bold aero design and various set-up configurations over t🐈he two-day Qatar test.

KTM had been tipped by many to be Ducati’s closes✱t challengers when the 2024 MotoGP season begins.

But is their 💖competitiveness better than their♌ humble lap times in Qatar?

Broadcaster and ex-rider Crafar insisted:ꦇ “💙That is the million dollar question!

“I 𓃲have really believed in KTM because they have brought so much.

The riders confirmed that it is better.

“When I say so🌱 much, a couple of specs of engines.

“I asked Brad about the new engine. He said: ‘It’s great, I can’t feel anything different, it just gets quicker to the rev limit’꧂.

“They have worked on electro🎃nics, exha♛usts, the aero is confirmed as better.

“But I still haven’t seen what I was expecting.

“I🍷 was expecting, like last year, when it ౠall came together, to see the results of all of this.

“I’ll be honest, I’m a little b🐠it nervous for them that it hasn’t turned up yet.

“It is the last minute. I really don’t know…

“I don’t think we’ve seen what I expected, that KTM wo🌳uld ge𒀰t close to Ducati.

“Aprilia, on the one-off lap, was the only one closeꦡ [to Ducati].

“Brad, in his defence, did a big l🥀ong run. They he ca🍷me in and put two softs on, just to have a go.

“He must have been൲ tired, after two days, then☂ did a long run.

“What I’m saying is that there’s a chance still that we will ෴see 🐻what I’m talking about at the first race. What I am expecting, like last year.

“Both KTM riders are ‘racers’ - they d🍒ig something deeper out, at a race ev꧅ent.

“I think everyone wౠill agree with that. Their te🐻am do.

“There’s a good chance of seeing it. But I’m a little nღervous for them, that we haven’t seen it on papeꦺr yet.”

Bi💛𝔍nder was fourth-fastest on Monday, with Miller 14th.

They were ninth and 11th respectively on Tuesday.

KTM will run Miller💖 and Binder as their factory duo, and have Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez in their Tech3 GASGAS project.

The manufacturer also has the st🔯rong testing duo of Pol Espargaro and Dani෴ Pedrosa in reserve.

The season begins in Qatar on March 8.