Brivio returns to MotoGP with a different approach after F1

Absent from the MotoGP paddock for three years, Davide Brivio has made a welcome return to the helm of Trackhouse Racing, Aprilia's new satellite structure. It all happened in the space of a few weeks during the winter break, first with the exclusion of the RNF team by Dorna, then with the creation of this new team based on the human resources of the old one. And during the winter tests, the puzzle was completed with the hiring of the new team principal.

“I finished my previous experience at the end of last year,” says the Italian, who was initially in contact with PJ Rashidi, who previously held his new role. “Since I was free, we discussed the idea that I could help the team, do something together. I had a nice chat with him, it was interesting, and I was waiting to see what would happen.”

“Then I got a call from Justin (Marks, owner of Trackhouse), who asked me if I could be fully involved in the team. That happened a lot recently. Obviously I was happy to do something. I then went to visit the Trackhouse headquarters Racing in Charlotte and Justin had no problem convincing me.”

Brivio admitted that he “didn't really have” any other ideas at the time, but was looking at what the market could offer him. He may be polite enough not to talk about it, but perhaps he was also looking for a new personal challenge after three fairly quiet years in Formula 1.

Although he succumbed to the siren call of motorsport's premier class after Suzuki won the 2020 MotoGP title under his management, his role at Alpine remained relatively secretive. Starting as Competition Director when Marcin Budkowski was at the helm of Enstone, Brivio then became Director of Competition Projects and responsible for the Alpine Academy program for young riders, before leaving the role at the end of 2023. However, he insists that he has gathered a wealth of experience that will be useful for his return to MotoGP.

“I had a great experience with Alpine and I am really satisfied with the opportunity I had to see the world of Formula 1, to see how such a large organization works, how thousands of people interact with each other. It is clearly something that I I was curious and it was very interesting. I'm happy to have done it and I believe that returning to MotoGP I will have a different mentality and a different approach regarding some issues.”

“I understand that problems can always be there, but now I'm more calm. Coming to this new team, there's still a lot to organize, things that need to be put in place, everything happening at the last minute… But, hey , we'll figure it out. It's a tough job, but I learned a lot, professionally it's been great.”

“I'm really happy to have had this opportunity, otherwise I would have missed it somehow. When you are passionate about racing, there are great things in all categories. There are great things in endurance racing, motocross and rallying. I'm also a big fan of the WRC. You can take something from all the championships, so it's interesting to have different experiences.”

Before his move to F1, Davide Brivio gained most of his experience in motorcycle racing, mainly with Japanese manufacturers. As a pillar of Yamaha and then Suzuki, whose team he relaunched in 2015, he created a reputation as a leader of men, managing to perfectly juggle the framework imposed by Japanese managers and engineers and a largely European workforce.

Today it faces another culture with Trackhouse Racing, which leaves American soil for the first time. He has the task of accompanying the team as they discover a world championship whose heart beats mainly in Europe, but which is trying to open up to new horizons.

“This team, well established in NASCAR, wants to enter MotoGP and be successful, learning as much as possible. As a company operating in the motorsports industry, Trackhouse sees MotoGP as a great opportunity for its audience, its success throughout the world. It's an international sport, so it's an opportunity for Trackhouse to get out of the United States,” he noted. “And Trackhouse also wants to help, be part of Dorna's strategy, which foresees the growth of MotoGP in the United States. I hope we can contribute to this.”

“I really like working with different cultures. I like to learn, take and transfer, respecting all cultures and trying to mix the best of each”, explained the new team principal, stimulated by this challenge.

“What I see as exciting is the possibility of mixing these two cultures. Of course, there are great things in NASCAR, but there are also great things in MotoGP, which can be brought here. It's a great opportunity for the two worlds to look at each other each other. It's a special project, different in a certain sense. Of course, it's an Independent team, like there are many others in MotoGP, but it could be something fun.”