A MotoGP™ rider’s right-hand man plays a pivotal role in having a successful season. Crew chiefs usually come in high demand, just like the MotoGP™ rider market, and after a few notable changes for 2019, the same can be said once again in 2020.
Here’s a full rundown of who will be working with whom this coming year:
Yamaha
The biggest change for the 2020 season comes in Valentino Rossi’s side of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP garage after The Doctor decided 2019 would be his last year with Silvano Galbusera. After five years together, Galbusera, who will remain with Yamaha in a testing capacity, has been replaced by David Muñoz. The young Spaniard will be working in MotoGP™ for the very first time after, most notably, helping Pecco Bagnaia to the Moto2™ World Championship in 2018. Meanwhile, Esteban Garcia will remain with Maverick Viñales after a successful first year together. Plus, in the Petronas Yamaha SRT garage, Fabio Quartararo sticks with Diego Gubellini, whilst Franco Morbidelli’s crew chief will once again be Ramon Forcada.
Honda
2019 Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) retains his trusted right-hand man Santi Hernandez, while brother Alex Marquez inherits Jorge Lorenzo’s 2019 crew chief, the vastly experienced Ramon Aurin. In the LCR garage, Takaaki Nakagami will be with Dani Pedrosa’s former crew chief Giacomo Guidotti for a second year, while Cal Crutchlow will continue to be supported by Christophe Bourguignon.
Ducati
In the Ducati Team garage, both Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci keep their respective crew chiefs: Alberto Giribuola and Daniele Romagnoli. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) also sticks with Christian Pupulin, while Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) will be with Jorge Lorenzo’s former Ducati crew chief, the experienced Christian Gabbarini for a second year. In the Reale Avintia box, Jarno Polastri stays put with Tito Rabat, while new boy Johann Zarco brings in Marco Rigamonti. The Italian has plenty of Ducati experience after working with Andrea Iannone from 2013 through to 2016 before following him across to Suzuki.
Suzuki
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) keeps Jose Manuel Cazeaux by his side for 2020 and there’s no change on the opposite side of the garage as Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) continues to work with Britain’s Francesco Carchedi.
Aprilia
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) will look to get the very most out of Aprilia’s brand-new machine alongside Antonio Jimenez for 2020.
KTM
In the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing garage, Pol Espargaro remains with likeable Kiwi Paul Trevathan, while Brad Binder will work alongside Sergio Verbena, who will be a crew chief in MotoGP™ for the first time since working with Stefan Bradl at Forward Yamaha in 2015. At Red Bull KTM Tech 3, Nicolas Goyon will work with rookie Iker Lecuona, while Guy Coulon sticks with Miguel Oliveira.