Two of MotoGP's most senior pit-wall jobs were filled within hours of each other on Wednesday, both set in motion by Davide Brivio's decision to leave Trackhouse for Honda at the end of the season.
Trackhouse moved first, confirming Francesco Guidotti as its new team manager with immediate effect, starting at this weekend's Czech Grand Prix at Brno. The Italian returns to the paddock after a spell as a television pundit, having previously run Pramac and then KTM's factory effort from 2022 until the middle of 2024.
"First of all, I have to thank Justin for his trust. I'm thrilled to be back and I couldn't have hoped for a better opportunity than this," Guidotti said. He also pointed to a reunion with the marque he once served in World Superbikes: "Returning to work with Aprilia also feels special to me - a lot of good memories and friends."
Team owner Justin Marks framed the hire as a cultural fit as much as a racing one, calling it "a thrilling development for Trackhouse to formally announce Francesco Guidotti as our new MotoGP Team Manager." He added: "Francesco has a long and successful career in professional motorcycle racing but, just as importantly, he fits the culture and vision of our company."
There is no clean handover. Brivio will keep running Trackhouse's day-to-day operations through the end of 2026, leaving Guidotti to concentrate on medium- and long-term strategy - most pressingly the 2027 rider line-up, where Enea Bastianini is the preferred option and Raul Fernandez's chances of an extension are improving. Trackhouse is also virtually certain to remain Aprilia's satellite squad.
The same Brivio move opened the other door. Honda confirmed that Mikihiko Kawase will take over as HRC Castrol team manager from 2027, the role Alberto Puig has held through the marque's lean years before stepping into an HRC advisory position. Kawase is not an outside hire: he joined HRC in 2012, led the project that won the 2019 Moto3 title, and has served as the team's technical manager since 2024.
"I am honoured to have this opportunity to lead a team with this much history and success," Kawase said. "I must thank Honda for this opportunity and also Alberto Puig who has already been a great mentor and advisor for many years."
The timing is deliberate. The 2027 season brings the biggest rule change MotoGP has seen since the move to four-strokes - a switch to 850cc engines alongside a sweeping aerodynamic and technical overhaul - and both Honda and Trackhouse are reshuffling their management ahead of it rather than during it. Exactly where Brivio fits at Honda once he arrives has not been spelled out, but the chain reaction his exit triggered is now resolved at both ends.
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*Originally published on [Motorsports Global](https://motorsports.global/article/guidotti-lands-trackhouse-role-as-honda-names-puig-successor). Visit for full coverage.*
