The manufacturers from Bologna and Mattighofen are still focused on completing the technical puzzle for the 2023 season, and the latest move is the signing, by Ducati, of Massimo Branchini , who has worked for the Ajo-KTM team for more than ten years. and that he will make the leap to MotoGP to become Johann Zarco’s new track engineer at Pramac.
The exchange of blows began with the departure of Jack Miller to KTM, convincing his current technician, Cristian Pupulin , to pack his bags and go with him to the orange garage.
The arrival of Enea Bastianini at the official box to replace the Australian suggested that his current technician, Alberto Giribuola , would arrive with him, but the Italian also committed to KTM for 2023 in a technical coordination position.
That forced Bastianini to make a move and ask Zarco’s current chief mechanic, Italian Marco Rigamonti , to be with him in 2023.
That move left the Frenchman without a track engineer, who in Misano assured that “I already know who I am going to work with, but for now I cannot reveal his name.”
Well, as M otorsport.com has learned, the technician’s name is none other than Branchini, with whom Zarco already coincided in his time at Ajo-KTM, where he won two Moto2 world championships as his chief mechanic. Currently, Branchini is the technical boss of the World Cup leader of the intermediate class, the Spanish Augusto Fernández .
With this addition, all Ducati riders for 2023 already have their chief engineer assigned for 2023 with the exception of Alex Márquez, who is waiting for Ducati to assign him one.
Track engineers of the Ducati riders in 2023:
Pecco Bagnaia: Christian Gabbarini
Enea Bastianini: Marco Rigamonti
Jorge Martin: Daniele Romagnoli
Johann Zarco: Massimo Branchini
Alex Marquez: (waiting)
Fabio Di Giannantonio: Donatello Giovanotti
Luca Marini: David Muñoz
Marco Bezzecchi: Matteo Flamigni
