Enea Bastianini’s form dip in the 2025 MotoGP season was influenced not only by the challenge of adapting to new machinery but also by a mid‑season crew chief change that unsettled the Italian rider, according to Tech3 MotoGP team manager Nicolas Goyon.
The seven‑time Grand Prix winner joined KTM and Tech3 last year but struggled for much of the campaign. Bastianini found it difficult to adjust his riding style from the Ducati he had ridden since his debut in 2021. His best result in the first ten rounds was seventh place, and he did not qualify higher than 16th during that period.
Performance improved at the Czech Grand Prix, where Bastianini qualified 11th and finished third in the sprint race. He followed this with another podium at the Catalan Grand Prix. However, his momentum stalled again around the time his crew chief, Alberto Giribuola, left the team.
Source: Red Bull KTM Tech3
Bastianini admitted the change was hard on him. Speaking at KTM’s 2026 launch event, he said adjusting to a new crew chief was not simple. He acknowledged that he felt mentally tired later in the season and that the crew chief change added stress, which may have undermined his results.
Goyon said the team underestimated how much Giribuola’s departure would affect Bastianini. He described the crew chief role as critical, not only for technical setup but also for supporting the rider’s mindset. According to Goyon, Giribuola was effective in that role, especially during the period when Bastianini showed strong performance.
Goyon explained that Bastianini also faced intrinsic challenges adapting to the KTM. The rider had developed a natural riding style suited to the Ducati, and forcing this onto the KTM required significant adjustments. The team experimented with various setups, but ultimately the change needed to come from how Bastianini rode the bike.
After several positive races between the Czech and Catalan Grands Prix, the departure of Giribuola preceded another dip in results. Goyon said Bastianini, who is sensitive by nature, reacted badly to the change. The team tried to dissuade the move, but Giribuola was determined to leave.
Giribuola has since joined Pramac Racing, where he will work with MotoGP rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu. For the 2026 season, Bastianini will be supported by crew chief Andres Madrid, previously with Brad Binder. Binder’s new crew chief will be Phil Marron, who worked with Razgatlioglu in World Superbike.
