Tech3 MotoGP team manager Nicolas Goyon described the past winter as “unusual” due to the team’s ownership change, which is now led by former Haas F1 manager Gunter Steiner. Last year, the long-standing French team was sold by Hervé Poncharal to a group headed by Steiner for 20 million euros.
At the start of this year, Poncharal officially handed over control of Tech3 to Steiner. While Goyon continues as team manager, he acknowledges that the transition period has felt somewhat “strange.” Nevertheless, having the same bike, rider crew, and sponsors helped smooth the process, and day-to-day racing activities have continued as usual.
Goyon explained that working with Poncharal since 2003 has made this change quite different for him. The official management switch on December 31 meant Poncharal technically remained in charge during December but didn’t have decision-making power, needing to align with the incoming leadership. On the other hand, the new management team only began their role on January 1, so they couldn’t make decisions prior to that date.
This left the team largely to operate independently over the winter. Still, because the sponsor, manufacturer, and riders remained unchanged, the transition was relatively seamless. Since January, the new owners and Tech3 have been building their relationship, exchanging ideas and learning how the new leadership functions.
From a technical and sporting perspective, Goyon assured that operations are proceeding as before, with everything prepared and in place. He anticipates that the impact of the management change will become more noticeable around the first race, mainly in marketing and communications, while the technical side remains consistent.
Fan Take: This ownership transition is a key moment for Tech3 and could influence the broader MotoGP landscape, especially with Gunter Steiner’s F1 background potentially bringing fresh perspectives. For racing fans, it signals a bridging of Formula 1 and MotoGP expertise that could drive innovation both on and off the track.
