Superstar riders do superhuman things but can you imagine having to pour through their data? There are some very highly skilled individuals who are just as important right next to the riders; 2026 welcomes returning faces, new combinations and formidable duos. Take a look through the 2026 rider-crew chiefs’ line-up below!
Ducati Lenovo Team
Starting with the reigning Champions, Marc Marquez will continue to work alongside Marco Rigamonti after the partnership’s success brought the title in 2025. Teammate Francesco Bagnaia has continuity too, going into an eighth season with Christian Gabbarini.
BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP
Runner-up in 2025, Alex Marquez aims for one better in 2026 with Donatello Giovanotti whilst teammate Fermin Aldeguer continues with Frankie Carchedi. The #54 is the latest rider who have won with Carchedi, along with Joan Mir, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marc Marquez.
Aprilia Racing
Marco Bezzecchi enjoyed his best-ever MotoGP campaign to take third in 2025 and has Francesco Venturato next to him again. Jorge Martin remains with Daniele Romagnoli for a sixth season, having taken the title together in 2024 before moving to the Noale factory.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Pedro Acosta and Paul Trevathan are together again in 2026 whilst one of the biggest changes in crew chiefs is for his teammate. Brad Binder’s decade-long collaboration with Andres Madrid ends as he begins working with Phil Marron. Back in MotoGP for the first time since 2016, Marron has overseen Toprak Razgatlioglu’s three WorldSBK titles since.
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
Four podiums were achieved by Fabio Di Giannantonio in 2025 so it’s no surprise that the #49 is with Massimo Branchini for 2026. Teammate Franco Morbidelli enjoyed his best season since he was runner-up in 2020 and calls on Matteo Flamigni to deliver the goods again.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
Fabio Quartararo was the top Yamaha in 2025 and now embarks on 2026’s new era of V4 equipment with his long-time crew chief Diego Gubellini whilst all remains the same with teammate Alex Rins too, working once more with David Muñoz.
Trackhouse MotoGP Team
A victory and podium in the last four GPs of 2025, Raul Fernandez was a standout performer as the season closed so unsurprisingly, he stays with Noe Herrera. It’s all the same on the other side of the box for Ai Ogura, who has Giovanni Mattarollo alongside him again.
CASTROL Honda LCR
Johann Zarco was top Honda as the final chequered flag waved at the end of 2025 and will rely on the expertise of David Garcia once more in 2026 whilst rookie teammate Diogo Moreira inherits Somkiat Chantra’s ex-crew chief Klaus Nohles.
Honda HRC Castrol
Christian Pupulin will be Luca Marini’s aide for the Italian’s quest for a first Honda podium whilst teammate Joan Mir remains with Santi Hernandez after the pair’s podiums in 2025. Hernandez is the ex-crew chief of Marc Marquez and worked with him up until the end of 2023, taking six MotoGP titles together in Honda colours (2013, 2015 – 2019).
Red Bull KTM Tech 3
Enea Bastianini’s difficult 2025 did yield a Sprint podium at Brno and a Sunday P3 in Barcelona but it did bring a mid-season crew chief change. Alberto Giribuola left after the Barcelona rostrum and was replaced by Xavi Palacin but for 2026, it’ll be Binder’s ex-crew chief Andres Madrid who is next to the Italian. Maverick Viñales doesn’t have a change of crew chief as he remains with Manuel Cazeaux but does have some new and notable backroom staff: triple MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo will be his performance coach whilst the team goes into a transition year without Herve Poncharal, instead welcoming Guenther Steiner.
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
Having been Champions with Ducati in 2024, 2025 was a learning year with Yamaha. It’ll be much the same as the V4 rolls out in 2026. Jack Miller continues to work with Giacomo Guidotti whereas triple WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu joins MotoGP with the vastly experienced Alberto Giribuola as his crew chief.