Here is a full breakdown of every premier class driver’s right hand breakdown before the 2022 season kicks off
The movement of MotoGP ™ crew chiefs is often as intriguing as the rider market itself. Although the main contenders for the championship from 2021 for the upcoming 2022 MotoGP ™ World Championship will stay with their trusted right-hand hands, it means the introduction of a few new teams and five rookies a lot of variety in the pit lane. Here’s a full breakdown of who each MotoGP ™ rider will be working with over the next season.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
After his success last year, the world champion Fabio Quartararo will not surprisingly stay with Diego Gubellini in 2022. The pair first got together when the Frenchman made his MotoGP ™ debut in 2019 and have formed a strong partnership since the factory team with El Diablo last year. However, there is a change on the opposite side of the garage: Franco Morbidelli works with Patrick Primmer.
After a fruitful few years with the experienced Ramon Forcada, Primmer, former suspension technician from Maverick Vinales, is returning to the MotoGP ™ paddock after a sabbatical in 2021 to take up his first job as crew chief.
Morbidelli confirms new crew chief from 2022
Patrick Primmer will take on the role of Yamaha rider while Ramon Forcada will work with the new RNF Yamaha team
Andrea Dovizioso will continue to work alongside Ramon Forcada after the two began their working relationship at the San Marino Grand Prix. Meanwhile, rookie Darryn Binder has teamed up with experienced Noe Herrera. Yamaha poached the Spaniard from Red Bull KTM Ajo after helping Raul Fernandez to eight wins in his rookie Moto2 ™ campaign. as Razlan Razali told motogp.com at the Jerez test, he has also worked with greats like Johann Zarco, Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira over a successful 15-year Grand Prix career.
No change in Ducati’s factory team in 2022 as both Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller remain with their respective crew chiefs. Christian Gabbarini stays at Bagnaia with high hopes to return to title triumphs after helping Casey Stoner claim the Bologna factory’s final premier class title in 2007 on Time last year.
It’s the same story in the Pramac Racing box as well, with Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco sticking to their crew chiefs in 2021. Daniele Romagnoli will sit at Martin’s side again, while Zarco will work with Marco Rigamonti. The big question now, however, is who will be the Pramac Racing Team Manager in 2022, with Francesco Guidotti likely to join the KTM factory team.
A new team and two new crew chiefs, both with strong ties to The Doctor’s past. Luca Marini will have a new partner for the 2022 season who will team up with his brother’s former crew chief David Muñoz. The Spaniard is leaving Petronas Yamaha SRT to work with Ducati for the first time. On the other side of the box, rookie Marco Bezzecchi will work with Matteo Flamigni. The former data engineer has been working at the side of the nine-time world champion for almost twenty years, but will take on his first role as crew chief for the bushy Italian in 2022.
In the Gresini garage, Enea Bastianini brings the experienced Alberto Giribuola with her. The two will start their second season together after Giribuola’s successful time with Andrea Dovizioso came to an end in 2020. While rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio will work with Donatello Giovanotti. Giovanotti was promoted from Gresini’s Moto2 ™ endeavors where he worked with Nicolo Bulega last year, and also has experience working with Luca Marini on both the VR46 Moto2 ™ squad and Forward Racing. Gresini has also added Sergio Verbena to his ranks, having worked alongside Brad Binder and then Danilo Petrucci at KTM for two years.
No change in the Suzuki factory garage as Joan Mir stays with Frankie Carchedi and Alex Rins stays with Jose Manuel Cazeaux. Similar to Pramac Racing, the question at Suzuki is who will take the vacant spot as team principal after Davide Brivio’s shocking return was recently ruled out.
Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez will work with Santi Hernandez again in 2022, while Pol Espargaro will stay with Ramon Aurin. That means Aurin will work with the same rider for the first time since 2016 in consecutive seasons, having worked with Dani Pedrosa, Jack Miller, Takaaki Nakagami, Jorge Lorenzo, Alex Marquez and then Pol Espargaro for six years.
It’s the same story in Lucio Cecchinello’s squad as Japanese star Takaaki Nakagami continues his partnership with Giacomo Guidotti and Alex Marquez starts a second season with Christophe Bourguignon.
Red Bull KTM factory race
There has been a big change at the top of the Austrian plant after Mike Leitner’s departure. Francesco Guidotti is expected to work with her new Technical Director, Fabiano Sterlacchini. Her new technical boss worked at Ducati for 17 years and rose to a management position alongside Gigi Dall’Igna before moving to the Mattighofen plant, while Guidotti returned to KTM after working for the 250cc team between 2006 and 2009 could. When it comes to crew chiefs, there is no change. Miguel Oliveira will stay with Paul Trevathan and Brad Binder will work with Andres Madrid.
A couple of new faces for Herve Poncharal to oversee 2022, and with that come new crew chiefs for Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez. The Moto2 ™ world champion will work with Alex Merhand, who after a few years as a data engineer at Tech3 will take on the role of crew chief. In the meantime, Fernandez will work with Nicolas Goyon in 2022.
No change in the Aprilia box as Aleix Espargaro continues his partnership with Antonio Jimenez. On the other side of the garage, Maverick Viñales starts his first full season with Giovanni Mattarollo. The former Aprilia chassis engineer was transferred to Viñales by the test team when the Spaniard made his debut on the Noale squad.
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