If the driver market is now over and all the boxes are in place, the market for technicians and key team figures is still in full swing. Surprisingly, Aprilia today announced the end of its relationship with Romano Albesiano at the end of this season. The man who was Technical Director of the Noale team for 11 years will move on to cover the same role in the HRC team from 2025.
The official announcement came just a short while ago, with a statement from Aprilia which not only announces Albesiano’s farewell, but makes his replacement official. From next year, we will see Fabiano Sterlacchini, former Ducati and KTM technical director, with whom he ended his relationship halfway through this year, in the garage of the Noale manufacturer.
“Aprilia Racing is proud to announce that Fabiano Sterlacchini will hold the position of Technical Director starting from Monday 18 November 2024”, reads the note released by Aprilia, which formalizes the arrival of Sterlacchini, present in the garage since the first tests Valencia next November. “The arrival of Fabiano is another important step towards further strengthening the MotoGP project after the hiring of two young and talented riders, such as Jorge Martín and Marco Bezzecchi”.
Fabiano Sterlacchini, KTM Factory Racing_Head of Technology
Photo credit: KTM Images
Sterlacchini will take over the heavy baton from Albesiano, who led the Aprilia technical group for several years. After his experience in KTM ended prematurely, Fabiano returns to an all-Italian team, where he will find an environment already predisposed to advancement and progress, having been a pioneer in various areas.
The note concludes with thanks to Albesiano, who for many years was an integral part of the Noale manufacturer, offering an important contribution to the development of the RS-GP. The Aprilia Technical Director has made the prototype a pioneer of a MotoGP that is paying a lot of attention to the work and technological and aerodynamic progress of Aprilia, a jewel also born from the mind of Albesiano: “Aprilia Racing thanks Romano Albesiano for the 11 years spent as Technical Director of the Team as well as for the 20 years spent in the Piaggio Group”.
The task that will be entrusted to Albesiano in 2025 will be important and delicate: Honda is implementing a major restructuring to try to return to the glories of the past. Just yesterday, Motorsport.com anticipated that Ken Kawauchi, until now HRC Technical Director, has been moved to the test team. Thus, Albesiano will take his place, inheriting a heavy position in a structure that is trying in every way to become competitive again.
“Honda Racing Corporation is pleased to announce the arrival of Romano Albesiano as Technical Director. Starting in 2025, Albesiano will oversee HRC’s MotoGP project and the continued development of the Honda RC213V as Technical Director. The Italian joins HRC with three decades of two-wheel and racing experience, having spent the last 11 years as part of the Aprilia MotoGP project,” reads the statement released by Honda.
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