The team manager of the official KTM structure in MotoGP Francesco Guidotti feels more and more at home in Mattighofen and this is not only due to the fact that he has adapted gradually over the months that have passed since taking office after leaving Pramac. This good feeling also comes from the fact that more and more of his former Ducati colleagues are joining him. The two chief mechanics Alberto Giribuola and Cristian Pupulin are the latest recruits for the Austrians coming directly from Borgo Panigale. The same goes with Jack Miller, who is the third new rider for the 2023 season, with Pol Espargaró, back after his Honda failure, and the rookie Augusto Fernandez, crowned with his Moto2 world title. New faces for Brad Binder who had joined those of Miguel Oliveira, Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner in 2022. Guidotti looks back on these departures which caused a lot of noise…
What happened at KTM so that in 2023 only one driver remains from the 2022 season, out of four on the squad? We never got the answer from the German-speaking staff and we must therefore rely on the Italian's insight. Francesco Guidotti. The latter explains what looked like a sweep from the outside. We read of him on GP One : " we didn't change riders and restructure the team because we weren't happy with the old ones, but because we needed feedback from riders who also rode other bikes "He assures.
Then he elaborates: “ with Miguel Oliveira we tried to make several offers. I understand that in some ways he felt a little reduced and sidelined, but we were really sorry to lose him ". And he comes to the two sensitive subjects… “ As for Gardner and Fernandez, there are a number of circumstances where no one is directly responsible, but there is responsibility on both sides. And when we found ourselves at a crossroads, we had to make a choice you know ».
Francesco Guidotti: “ the intention was to change drivers, but not three out of four«
« The intention was to change pilots, not three out of four, but circumstances sometimes change the will he adds. " However, we remained on very good terms with everyone and we hope that this can be a “goodbye”, especially with Fernandez and Oliveira, who grew up with the Red Bull KTM project. In the future, there will be a way to try again together ».
Guidotti ends with the certainty of having made a good deal with an Australian he knows well… “ We'll get Jack back in his best moment, both personally and professionally » declared the Team Manager. “ Already, during the last two years with us, he had experienced significant personal growth. Then, the transition and the responsibility of an official team certainly gratified him and gave him a different level of self-confidence than before. In the meantime he also grew up and got married. She's a different person now ". But always with the same good state of mind.
