“Customer teams” from Ducati, Honda, KTM and Yamaha have been riding at a very similar level to the factory teams for several years: No surprise for Herve Poncharal
For some years now, the MotoGP scene has thrived on an extremely balanced field. The result is often extremely exciting races. It’s no longer just the classic factory teams that decide victories and podium places among themselves. The so-called satellite teams, which used to be called customer teams, have also been regularly competing at the top of the field for some years now.
“I think it’s important to mention that the satellite teams are now riding at a much higher level,” says Herve Poncharal, who in addition to his role as Tech 3 team principal is also chairman of the MotoGP team association IRTA.
“A decade ago we were already riding. But at that time we were seen by the manufacturers more as an extra burden on their shoulders,” Poncharal recalls of the time when the customer teams were more ornamental accessories than serious competitors in the field.
“We were also in the race a decade ago.
“The manufacturers had to supply us in order to get a reasonable grid together. But most of the time we got the parts that would otherwise have been discarded. We were told, just give us a little money for it, but do your own thing. We are the ones fighting for the world championship,” said Poncharal, whose Tech 3 team was a Yamaha customer team for years before the cooperation with KTM.
For some years now, not only Tech 3 has been much more competitive than they were at the beginning of the MotoGP era. Nowadays, almost all satellite teams enjoy official factory support. And something else is different: since 2016, the entire MotoGP field has been riding with standardised electronics from Magneti Marelli. In previous years, it was common for each manufacturer with a MotoGP factory team to develop its own electronics.
In the six seasons since the introduction of unified electronics, 13 Grand Prix victories have been taken by satellite teams: Petronas-Yamaha won six times (Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli), LCR-Honda three times (Cal Crutchlow), Tech-3-KTM twice (Miguel Oliveira), Marc-VDS-Honda once (Jack Miller) and Pramac-Ducati also once (Jorge Martin). In 2020, more than half of the 14 races of the season were won by satellite teams.
“Together with Dorna and IRTA, pressure was put on the MSMA,” Poncharal refers to the MotoGP manufacturers’ association and says: “This work was very productive. Today there are basically no more satellite riders and factory riders. Everyone is on the same level and most of the satellite riders are contracted directly to the respective manufacturer.”
“This shows that all the work we have done over the last ten years has paid off,” Poncharal speaks on behalf of the team’s association IRTA. Addendum: “I don’t think it’s crazy anymore to believe that a rider from a satellite team can become world champion at any time. “
