RiderTua.com – After 3 years working in Formula 1 team management, Davide Brivio returns to the MotoGP paddock at the start of the 2024 season as top manager of the Trackhouse Racing team’s motorbike racing division. He only joined the team at the pre-season test in Malaysia at the beginning of February.
3 years away from the MotoGP paddock is a long time in professional racing, does it feel like you’re in a new era? “I’m doing very well and I’m happy to be back in the paddock. The personal environment is very familiar and it’s like home. I think 90 percent of everyone in the team are old acquaintances. Plus, a lot of things have happened. On the one hand “There is an additional sprint race as a big change,” answered Brivio.
Davide Brivio: Trackhouse Racing Underneath Big Pressure in American MotoGP
Then Brivio said that the aerodynamic developments had also improved significantly, as had the various devices. Technologically there has been a leap. And according to him the level of racing has increased. Currently, 10 drivers are easily able to win the race. This is more extreme and also a positive change in terms of sports.
And according to Brivio, competition between manufacturers is also increasingly fierce. Ducati is at the front and also has a very special position with its number of bikes compared to the others…. KTM and Aprilia are also doing well. And we can feel that the Japanese manufacturer is not giving up. “This is a very exciting time,” added Brivio.
Franco Morbidelli revealed that there is a typical Italian vibe in the Pramac Racing team. How would Brivio describe the atmosphere on the Trackhouse team? “I think the vibe is very international. But of course we pay attention to the influence of the owner from America. Very healthy conditions,” he said.
Trackhouse has expertise in auto racing. At what point does Brivio expect a learning effect for MotoGP teams? “The situation is very special. We belong to the same organization. At the team headquarters everything is really under one roof. We are a big team. This means that the structures of the bike and the car learn from each other. Many processes are the same, but there are also new areas, ” he answered.
The Italian team manager added that we can all learn from Trackhouse. They have grown from scratch to becoming a winning team in Nascar racing within 3-4 years. This is what should be the way as a MotoGP team. What really helped Brivio and the team was the incredibly American way of doing things. “Special motivation unique to the United States,” he said.
Trackhouse wants an American rider but currently no potential riders are visible. What does Brivio think about this issue? He said that the joining of an American rider with this team was a good thing and would certainly be very good for the sport and its fans. “But in the end, the most important thing is the result, regardless of who the driver is. This is a natural process that we cannot speed up. What we can do is that we as an American team can be an inspiration to the younger generation and children. We have to think long term and hope for the next generation,” said Brivio.
Currently the 2027 MotoGP regulations are being discussed behind closed doors. Is Brivio also involved here? “Honestly, no. That’s the factory’s job, to negotiate through the producers’ association,” Brivio answered briefly.
What is Brivio’s assessment of the new rules for 2027? From his point of view, adapting rules is a normal process. Sticking with something for 10 or 15 years will not work in principle. There are always changes and it is a normal process for the host to question the rules of the game. There are currently three main arguments.
Security is the top priority. This is tricky, but the maximum speed is at the limit and this can help to take safer tracks by reducing cubication in this area. And the cost aspect is also important. Then there are sports shows that should perform as well as possible. These things play a major role and as Brivio said, adapting to developments is a natural thing.
Is there a standard for the American GP at COTA Texas? What result does team boss Justin Marks want? “There is no target. Justin Marks is a true racer. He can assess the situation very well. But we are all very motivated to achieve extraordinary results and of course we have greater pressure in the US,” explained Brivio.
But according to Brivio it is normal. They will try hard, but what is more important than just good results is that they continue to establish themselves as a team. We want to continue improving our processes and growing as a team. That’s the main goal. If we always work well together as a team, the results will come naturally.
