Ine Bastianini is now working with a third different team boss after Andres Madrid joined Tech3 and KTM hired Phil Marrone to work alongside Brad Binder.
Madrid has worked together. binding For the past decade, yet KTM After the worst season of his MotoGP career, he felt it was time for a fresh voice to support the South African. The 30-year-old dropped to 11th in the player rankings following his first podium-less Premier League season.
Marron now works as the head of the Binder team at KTMAfter agreeing to return to MotoGP after ten years in the World Superbike Championship. The Northern Irishman has supported Toprak Razgatlioglu since 2019 and helped the new Pramac MotoGP rider win three WSBK titles.
KTM moved Madrid to him and kept him in their stable Tech3 to work with Bastianini in their satellite group. Bastianini started the 2025 season alongside Alberto Giribuola, but left Tech3 midway through after agreeing to work with Razgatlioglu from 2026.
Ine Bastianini likes the ‘positive energy’ Andres Madrid brings to Tech3 as crew chief.
Bastianini insisted that Giribuola leave Tech3 early In the year If he doesn’t plan to support the Italian in 2026. Xavi Palacin, 28, has been appointed interim team leader, with Madrid starting work with Binder at KTM following the end of the 2025 season.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Enea Bastianini from net worth to career statistics
The 2026 Sepang test now offers the best opportunity to start building a bond between Bastianini and Madrid, and the Tech3 ace is “satisfied” with the first signs. Bastianini particularly liked that Madrid was bringing “positive energy” to the Tech3 garage on the first day of the test.
Bastianini said go. GPON: “I think it’s always a bit complicated at the beginning because we don’t know each other very well, but today I think we did a good job.
“I saw him smiling during the session which means he was happy with the work we did, and we joked a lot in the pits to bring some positive energy to the team.
“Today was a good day, and I think he’s a guy who can help me in the future because he understands more or less what I need. The first races will definitely confirm that. I’m satisfied with Andres.”
After ten years working with Andres Madrid at KTM, Brad Binder felt he needed a change.
Madrid has been a valuable asset to Binder’s side, allowing him to pass the course and win the 2016 Moto3 title before competing for the Moto2 crown in 2018 and 2019.
But Binder in 2010 In motorcycle racing, and KTM believed it was time for a change. Now Bastianini will be hoping Madrid can help him in the Italian’s second season at RC16, after showing flashes of potential last season.
In the year Factory KTM rider Pedro Acosta and Tech3 star Bastianini scored podiums on the RC16 in 2025, with the former taking five and the latter just one. But Bastianini finished 2025 as the third-highest points-scoring KTM rider with 112 points behind Acosta (307) and Binder (155).
