After the riders ‘market, the MotoGP chief technicians’ market also closes. New arrivals in Ducati and KTM.
The MotoGP class riders market has closed and the starting grid is now defined for the 2023 season. But behind the scenes there is excitement for the choice of crew chiefs who will support the twenty-two riders who will participate in the next World Championship (apart from the two Suzuki ). Ducati has hired the KTM engineer Massimo Branchini who will join Johann Zarco in the Pramac team.
His current crew chief Marco Rigamonti he will switch to Enea Bastianini’s service in the Ducati factory team, after Alberto Giribuola has decided to take the opposite path, passing from Ducati Gresini to KTM. The young Italian technician will play a leading role in the development of the RC16, together with Fabiano Sterlacchini, another former acquaintance of Borgo Panigale. Same fate for Cristhian Pupulin which will follow Jack Miller in the next experience with the Austrian brand. A slice of Ducati from next year will find itself at the court of Mattighofen.
The MotoGP crew chiefs line-up
2020 champion Joan Mir has signed a two-year deal with Repsol Honda, but he won’t be able to bring his crew chief with him Frankie Carchedi, which will instead go to Gresini with Fabio Di Giannantonio. Instead the Majorcan will rely on the profound experience of Ramon Aurin in Honda, currently alongside Pol Espargarò, in the past by Alex Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa. Alex Rins’ chief technician is also leaving Suzuki, Josè Manuel Cazeauxwho will rejoin Maverick Vinales after having already collaborated in 2015 and 2016.
Pol Espargarò and the New Zealander will also find themselves in the same corner of the box Paul Trevathanalready together from 2017 to 2020. In the last two years Trevathan has helped Miguel Oliveira with the KTM RC16, the Portuguese will migrate to the Aprilia RNF from next year, where he will instead be supported by Giovanni Mattarollo.
Side note for the Catalan expert Ramon Forcada, remained out of the MotoGP paddock after Andrea Dovizioso’s early farewell to the Yamaha RNF team. The doors of the JuniorGP are open for him
Team, riders and crew chiefs of the 2023 MotoGP
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP: Fabio Quartararo and Diego Gubellini. Franco Morbidelli and Patrick Primmer.
Ducati Lenovo Team: Enea Bastianini and Marco Rigamonti. Francesco Bagnaia and Christian Gabarrini
Repsol Honda Team: Marc Marquez and Santi Hernandez. Joan Mir and Ramon Aurin.
Aprilia Racing: Aleix Espargaró and Antonio Jimenez. Maverick Vinales and José Manuel Cazeaux
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: Brad Binder and Andres Madrid. Jack Miller and Cristhian Pupulin
First Pramac Racing: Johann Zarco and Massimo Branchini. Jorge Martin and Daniele Romagnoli.
Gresini Racing: Alex Marquez and Donatello Giovanotti. Fabio Di Giannantonio and Frankie Carchedi.
Mooney VR46 Racing Team: Luca Marini and David Munoz. Marco Bezzecchi and Matteo Flamigni
LCR Honda: Alex Rins and Christophe Bourguignon. Takaaki Nakagami and Giacomo Guidotti
GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3: Pol Espargaró and Paul Trevathan. Augusto Fernandez and Alex Merhand
Aprilia RNF Team: Miguel Oliveira and Giovanni Mattarollo. Raul Fernandez and Noe Herrera.
