What GPone.com had been reporting since the San Marino GP in Misano on September 7th and 8th became obvious last weekend: Francesco Guidotti is leaving his role as team manager for the Red Bull KTM Factory Team after two years. While it was initially assumed that KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa could be taking his place take, KTM officially confirmed the Finn Ajo Ajo (56) as his successor last weekend.
There have been rumors recently in the GP paddock that Francesco Guidotti - who was responsible for Brad Binder and Jack Miller in KTM for 2023 and 2024 and knew the Australian very well from his Pramac Ducati days - is negotiating with HRC and could be taking over Alberto Puig's role as team principal for Repsol Honda in the future. Joan Mir and Luca Marini are set to be Honda riders in 2025.
Alberto Puig - who won the 500cc GP in 1995 on the Honda NSR500 in Jerez and then crashed into the airfences at 272 km/h at Le Mans the same year -was already on the verge of being replaced a year ago, after a turbulent four years with Marc Márquez's injuries and two years of Repsol Honda not winning any race.
There were recurring rumors at the Dutch TT in Assen 2023 that Puig would be replaced in HRC by former Suzuki Ecstar Team Manager Davide Brivio, who took 1st and 3rd place in the MotoGP World Championship with Joan Mir and Alex Rins during the shortened 2020 Covid season.
Yet, Alberto Puig told GPOne.com in June 2023: “I have a contract for 2024. That's all I have to say. Ask the Japanese!”
Alberto Puig, however, had to repeatedly undergo medical treatment in recent years because his left leg was severely damaged at Le Mans in 1997. There was even talk of an amputation during the months after his terrible crash.
But Puig continued to perform his functions at HRC in 2024 and is also responsible for the Honda Superbike factory team.
What was being said at Honda last year was that “Puig is too well connected at HRC. They won't get rid of him so quickly.”
Puig hasn't made many friends at HRC with his sometimes brusque behavior.
But the current news that Puig and HRC are about to part ways - because the Spaniard wants to take it easy and have his damaged and repeatedly inflamed left leg medically treated - have no real basis.
News was leaked at the Japanese GP that Alberto Puig is about to extend his contract and that the Japanese Honda managers haven't even responded to Francesco Guidotti's job offer. But the bosses at HRC are expected to announce their final decision shortly after the Japanese GP, after they've talked to the team's members, technicians, and sponsors.
For the time being, Francesco's older brother is still working for HRC as crew chief for the unsuccessful Luca Marini, who has only scored one world championship point this season.
But the working relationship between Giacomo Guidotti and Marini is anything but clear, as has been rumored for weeks. No wonder the results have been disappointing.
In the meantime, rumors have it that Giacomo Guidotti will return to Pramac next year. Paolo Campinoti's team is switching to Yamaha after 20 years with Ducati and will line up with the new Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller rider duo in 2025.
Giacomo Guidotti was first successful in the Superbike World Championship at Alstare Suzuki with Troy Corser and then worked as crew chief at Repsol Honda for the first time in the MotoGP in 2017 and 2018. He assisted Dani Pedrosa because his chief mechanic, Mike Leitner, had switched to KTM.
Giacomo Guidotti then moved from HRC to Pramac Ducati, where his brother Francesco acted as team manager for riders like Petrucci, Bagnaia, Miller, and other top riders. Giacomo then returned to Honda and assisted Taka Nakagami at LCR Honda before being brought back to Repsol for Joan Mir in 2022.
Alberto Puig (57), who succeeded Shuhei Nakamoto and Livio Suppo as Repsol Honda Team Principal in 2017, was always hard on himself. He continued his career after the Le Mans crash in 1995, despite his severe impairment and subsequently ended up on the podium again at the Le Castellet GP. “There were only two left-hand bends there, so I was able to take my chance,” he stated. But, after the 1997 Australian GP, Puig had to decide to retire with a heavy heart at the age of 30.
The Spanish rider never liked to talk about his impairment and has always covered his left leg in long pants since the accident. his leg is just skin and bones, so to speak. I once witnessed this in closed quarters during a mountain bike training session at the Phillip Island GP. We were cycling in shorts.
Alberto Puig had been a rider for eleven years. He rarely talked about the difficult time he had after the Le Mans drama but, when he did talk about it, he was succinct. “The nerves in my leg were ruined in the crash, my knees and toes were crushed, I lost all my muscles, and the bone was infected,” Alberto explained.
Some time later, Puig had to decide to have a bone transplant. He also revealed that an animal bone had been used nad even knows which animal it was. “The bone is from a cow,” the Catalan said. “It's crazy! I had two surgeries after the serious fall in 1997. I then realized that I could no longer be competitive as a rider because my left leg worked like a stick.”