Aleix Espargaro has voiced strong support for Alberto Puig following Honda’s announcement that the long-serving team manager will move into a new advisory role from 2027.
Honda confirmed during the Catalunya MotoGP weekend that Puig will step away from his current position after nearly a decade leading the factory squad. The Spaniard will instead take on a senior advisor role within Honda Racing Corporation as the manufacturer continues reshaping its MotoGP project for the future.
Espargaro, who joined Honda as a test rider after retiring from full-time racing at the end of 2024, praised Puig’s leadership and his close relationship with riders inside the paddock.
The former Aprilia rider said Puig has always been someone who stood by the riders and defended them, adding that working with him over the past year had given him an even greater appreciation of his management style.
Source: Motorsport.com
Although Puig’s role is changing, Espargaro made it clear he still expects the veteran Spaniard to remain influential behind the scenes as Honda continues its rebuilding process.
Puig took charge of Honda’s factory MotoGP team in 2018 and oversaw Marc Marquez’s final championship-winning years with the manufacturer. He also remained one of the key figures guiding Honda through its difficult post-Marquez transition period.
Honda has shown signs of progress this season after several difficult years, with Espargaro previously expressing confidence that the Japanese manufacturer can eventually return to the front of MotoGP.
Speculation is already growing over who could replace Puig as team manager, with reports linking current Trackhouse Racing boss Davide Brivio to a future role within Honda’s MotoGP structure.
