Albesiano to Honda, Sterlacchini to Aprilia in MotoGP tech shake-up

Aprilia tech boss will step into Honda breach left by Kawauchi and will be replaced at Noale by Sterlacchini

Aprilia MotoGP technical director Romano Albesiano is set to switch to Japanese rival Honda from the start of the 2025 season, while former KTM technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini will take his place at Noale immediately after the final race of 2024.

Both moves were announced just as the MotoGP bikes were heading onto the circuit for second practice at the Japanese Grand Prix today.

The Albesiano signing is the latest in a series of staff changes for struggling Honda. Yesterday, Autosport confirmed that the factory squad’s technical director Ken Kawauchi has been moved to the test team. After 11 years with Aprilia, Albesiano will step into that job as Honda looks to turn its fortunes around.

Alberto Puig, team manager at Honda, pointed to Albesiano’s experience and personality traits as key benefits for a Japanese team that still struggles with cultural clashes given the Mediterranean nature of the MotoGP paddock.

“He is a calm person, he is not a child. He is of a certain age, and he can fit in with the Japanese mentality,” Puig said. “The important thing is that he can team up with the people in Japan, and he can bring all his experience from so many years.

“It’s important to have a technical director in Europe to make things easier. The relationships on the circuit are sometimes easier for European people than for people who are not.”

Asked if Honda needed to be open to new ideas, Puig replied: “I don't agree completely. It’s not that Honda has to be open to new ideas. Sometimes people have a lot of ideas, but they have to work. We have done a lot of things, and some have worked and some have not.

“I think Romano's help is going to be very important. It's going to be very much the basis of the team.”

Over at Aprilia, Sterlacchini’s signing in Albesiano’s place is also part of a clean sweep, with new riders joining for 2025 in the form of Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi.

Aprilia sporting director Massimo Rivola commented on the wholesale changes: “I’m very happy and looking forward to it. You need to believe in yourself, your company and your people. One person cannot change a company by themselves, the company is bigger than that.

“At Aprilia we take steps forward, not backwards. And I hope that with this change and the two new riders, we’ll continue to do that.”

However Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez, who will remain with the Trackhouse team next season, did not see the loss of Albesiano in such positive light.

“It’s difficult for me because I have a really good relationship with Romano,” said Fernandez. “He worked really well at Aprilia. He’s one of the people who improved this project the most, so for me it’s really disappointing.”