Barcelona MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Factory vs Satellite, Beloved Alberto Puig, And The Challenges Of Travel

Barcelona MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Factory vs Satellite, Beloved Alberto Puig, And The Challenges Of Travel Why are factory rides prized so highly over competitive satellite rides? Why would Alex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio leave the safe haven of a proven race-winning Ducati to take seats in the factory KTM team, aboard a bike that has not won a race since Miguel Oliveira won in a downpour at Buriram in 2022? Money, obviously. But not just money. An underrated perk is having everything arranged for you. Having someone organize all your travel for you. Being picked up from your home and driven to the airport. Having someone check in your bags, then pick them up again at your destination. Being able to concentrate on training, preparing, riding, racing, and nothing else. Life as a factory rider is very much easier. Of course, neither Fabio Di Giannantonio nor Alex Márquez have been officially announced at KTM. Nor has Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta at Ducati, Pecco Bagnaia at Aprilia, Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura at Yamaha, nor Fabio Quartararo and David Alonso at the factory Honda HRC Castrol team. Because the MSMA and MSEG are yet to come to terms about their contracts for the five-year period between 2027 and 2031. And we will not get official rider announcements until that deal is done. David Emmett Thu, 14/May/2026 - 22:20 * Read more about Barcelona MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Factory vs Satellite, Beloved Alberto Puig, And The Challenges Of Travel * 3 comments * * Log in or register to post comments