They are in charge, sometimes lead and they are essential relays between the driver and the team engineers. They are the chief engineers. Formerly artisans of the shadows, they are now in full light to the point of finding themselves the toy of controversies. And the center of all recriminations. A pivotal character as well as an ideal fuse, they also have their transfer market. And it has never been so hectic in 2018. Here is the new situation for 2019…
First, let's start with stability. Assuming that you don't change a winning team, here are those who will continue their mission: Santi Hernandez will still be the shadow of Marc Marquez, Christophe Bourguignon will always be the liege man of Cal Crutchlow et Silvano Galbusera the lieutenant of Valentino Rossi. Afterwards, there are variations, like at Tech3 where if you change drivers, you don't move the frame. Fact, Guy Coulon keeps his chair which he will share this time with Miguel Oliveira instead of Johann zarco. Nicolas Goyon who served Folger in 2017, will continue to work with Syahrin.
For the rest, the chessboard is turned upside down. Judge for yourself: Casa Particular in Viñales has a new team leader, like Lorenzo and bagnaia, Iannone, Aleix Espargaro, Morbidely et zarco. And the starters are renowned. Of the kind Gabarrini et Forked.
Let's start with Aleix Espargaró who has still had three different chief mechanics over the last three months at Aprilia. There was the German Marcus Eschenbacher before being relieved of his duties as soon as he signed for the Red Bull KTM team. Pietro Caprara arrived from the Sky VR46 team where he was in charge of Open up. The agreement was not made with the Spanish pilot who will have with him Antonio Jimenez. The latter worked for Melandri et Gibernau and he was recently responsible for his compatriot Xavi Verge at Intact in Moto2.
Fabrizio Cecchini est the new contact for Andrea Iannone at Aprilia. He comes from the Gresini team, from where he took care of the Moto3 aces of the Del Conca Honda team, namely the world champion George Martin and the vice-world champion Fabio Di Giannantonio.
For its part, Jorge Lorenzo could not bring with him Christian Gabarrini. Although the latter trained at Honda. First at LCR, then at Repsol, supervising Casey Stoner et Jack Miller. But “Gaba” feels more comfortable at Ducati. He moved to Pramac to find himself alongside the promising Pecco Bagnaia.
At Repsol-Honda, we therefore allocated Ramon Aurin in Por Fuera. He was chief engineer of Pedrosa in 2015 and 2016, before taking care of Miller then Nakagami. James Guidotti, who worked with Pedrosa at HRC, was transferred to Takaaki Nakagami and CSF.
Maverick Vinales is the cleaning man at Yamaha. He parted ways after a difficult season of Ramón Forcada, who had won three MotoGP world championship titles with Lorenzo. Forked is now part of the Iwata Petronas-Yamaha satellite team, alongside Morbidely.
Casa Particular in Viñales was joined by his compatriot Stephen Garcia at Yamaha instead of Forked. He directed Mika Kallio at KTM in the summer of 2017. He was part of the Austrian factory team taking care of Bradley Smith. His sister Bea remains team coordinator at Red Bull KTM. Casa Particular in Viñales won the Moto3 World Championship with Esteban in 2013 on the Calvo KTM in the LaGlisse team.
fabio quartararo will benefit from the experience of Diego Gubellini, who worked for Gresini for 19 years. He joined Stefan bradl in the Aprilia team for a year and a half until the end of 2016 before moving to Marc VDS for Rabat in 2017, and Morbidely in 2018.
Joan Peace, 3 Moto2017 World Champion, aura Francesco Carchedi as team leader at Suzuki Ecstar. He worked for Abraham in the Ángel-Nieto-Ducati team in 2018.
In the Ducati Corse team, Dovizioso et Petrucci work with the same chief technicians as in 2018. Or respectively Andrea Giribuola et Daniel Romagnoli.
alex rins kept the Argentinian José Manuel Cazeaux at Suzuki. A person that Casa Particular in Viñales would have liked to have. He has known him since his debut in MotoGP, when he was official on the GSX-RR.
Finally, at Red Bull KTM, the New Zealander Paul Trevathan stay alongside Pol Espargaro. Marcus Eschenbacher is hired for Johann zarco.
The 2019 MotoGP teams and their chief mechanics:
Movistar Yamaha
Rossi: Silvano Galbusera
Maverick Vinales: Esteban Garcia
Repsol Honda
Marc Márquez: Santi Hernandez
Jorge Lorenzo: Ramon Aurin
Suzuki ecstar
Alex Rins: José Manuel Cazeaux and
Joan Mir: Francesco Carchedi
Ducati Corse
Andrea Dovizioso: Andrea Giribuola,
Danilo Petrucci: Daniele Romagnoli
Red Bull KTM
Johann Zarco: Marcus Eschenbacher
Pol Espargaró: Paul Trevathan
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Aleix Espargaró: Antonio Jiménez
Andrea Iannone: Fabrizio Cecchini
Alma Pramac Ducati
Jack Miller as Cristhian Pupulin
Pecco Bagnaia: Christian Gabarrini
Honda LCR
Cal Crutchlow:
Takaaki Nakagami as Giacomo Guidotti
Tech3 KTM
Miguel Oliveira: Guy Coulon
Hafij Syahrin: Nicolas Goyon
Petronas Sepang Yamaha
Franco Morbidelli: Ramón Forcada
Fabio Quartararo: Diego Gubellini
Real Seguros Avintia Ducati
Tito Rabat: Jarno Polastri
Karel Abraham: Paolo Zavalloni
