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Alberto Puig

Alberto Puig (born 16 January 1967) is a former professional road racer who transitioned into a prominent team management role, currently serving as the team principal for (HRC) in MotoGP. Puig began his racing career in the 1987 Motorcycling World Championship, competing primarily in the 250cc class before advancing to the premier 500cc category. Over 11 seasons until his retirement in 1997, he achieved one victory—at the in the 500cc class, marking him as the first rider to win their home premier-class event—and secured nine podium finishes across both classes. His early career included stints with in the late and early 1990s, where he raced the TZ250 and YZR250 models, finishing 16th in the 250cc standings in both 1990 and 1991 despite injuries. Later, he joined for a significant portion of his riding tenure, including a long association that foreshadowed his post-racing involvement with the manufacturer. After retiring due to injuries, including a severe accident at the 1995 , Puig established himself as a talent scout and manager within . He served as HRC Advisor and directed the and British Talent Cup from 2014 to 2017, focusing on developing young riders. In 2018, he became team manager of the Repsol Honda Team, leading it to back-to-back Triple Crowns (team, riders', and constructors' championships) in 2018 and 2019, largely through the successes of rider . As of 2025, Puig continues to oversee 's MotoGP efforts amid a challenging period of performance recovery following regulatory changes and personnel shifts, emphasizing strategic rider signings like for 2026–2028 and acknowledging Ducati's ongoing dominance as the sport's benchmark. His long affiliation with , spanning riding and management, has made him a key figure in the team's pursuit of renewed competitiveness under upcoming 2027 regulations.

Early life

Birth and family background

Alberto Puig was born on January 16, 1967, in , . Growing up in , within the region, Puig was immersed in a environment centered on motorcycles from an early age. His father, a dedicated enthusiast of two-wheeled vehicles, played a pivotal role by purchasing a Monkey 50cc for him around age seven, igniting Puig's connection to the sport. This paternal influence exposed him to riding as young as seven years old. Puig's upbringing involved practical engagement with motorcycles, leading to early involvement in riding activities around . This foundation in Catalonia's motorcycle culture provided the groundwork for his later pursuits.

Introduction to motorcycles

Growing up in a family passionate about motorsports, Puig's early interest in was profoundly influenced by his father, an avid enthusiast of two-wheeled vehicles, who purchased a Monkey 50cc for him around the age of seven. This introduction sparked his affinity for riding, as Puig later reflected, “I liked to ride and I was lucky that I was good at it.” From that young age in 1974, Puig began competing locally, starting at age seven. His progression through national series in secured sponsorship and led to his participation in the Spanish championships, culminating in his 1988 title win in the 250cc class. This success paved the way for his debut in 1987 as a wildcard rider in the 250cc class on a machine, where he made five appearances, with a best finish of 11th at the .

Racing career

250cc World Championship

Alberto Puig made his debut in the 250cc World Championship at the 1987 Dutch TT, competing on a privateer bike as a 20-year-old Spaniard transitioning from national racing. Over the next six seasons through 1993, he progressed through various Spanish squads, including the JJ Cobas team—where chassis designer Antonio Cobas prepared his machinery—the Italian-backed Aprilia team, the factory-supported Yamaha effort, and the Honda Pons outfit. These teams provided Puig with a mix of custom Spanish engineering and established Japanese and Italian technology, allowing him to build experience in the competitive two-stroke category. Puig's early years in the class were marked by steady but unremarkable results, often placing him in the mid-pack due to the limitations of his equipment compared to factory frontrunners. In 1990, riding the TZ250, he showed signs of improvement by completing enough races to secure 16th place in the overall standings with 32 points, a step up from his 23rd-place finish the previous year on the same machinery. This period highlighted his growing adaptability, though mechanical reliability and funding constraints for efforts kept him from challenging the top tier consistently. The 1991 season with the Ducados-Yamaha team offered further potential, as Puig notched competitive qualifying times early on, but a mid-season injury sidelined him for the latter half, limiting his championship haul. He rebounded strongly in 1992 aboard the , achieving three podium finishes—including second place at the , third at the , and third at the Brazilian Grand Prix—that propelled him to sixth in the final standings. In 1993, switching to the NSR250 with the Ducados Pons team, Puig maintained momentum with two podiums, second at the and third at the Grand Prix, finishing ninth overall before transitioning to the 500cc category.

500cc World Championship and retirement

In 1994, Puig transitioned to the premier 500cc class, joining the Ducados team for his debut season. Demonstrating adaptability from his 250cc experience, he delivered consistent performances, securing one at the and finishing all 14 rounds inside the top 10 to claim fifth place overall with 152 points. Riding the Fortuna Honda Pons machine in 1995, Puig achieved his career highlight by winning the at Jerez, marking the first victory for a Spanish rider in a home 500cc event and his sole triumph. He added two more podiums that year—at the and Grands Prix—before a catastrophic high-speed crash at the in severely fractured his left leg, causing him to miss several races; he returned later in the season, ending it eighth overall with 99 points. The incident initiated a series of setbacks, with ongoing recovery challenges and additional crashes in 1996 and 1997 hampering his competitiveness in the physically unforgiving 500cc machines. Despite a podium at the in 1996, he slipped to 11th in the standings with 93 points; the following year brought further decline, as he managed no podiums and concluded 12th with 63 points amid persistent pain and reduced mobility. These cumulative injuries, primarily to his leg but compounded by arm damage from high-speed impacts, compelled Puig to retire at age 30 after the , his final race. Across his 11-season Grand Prix career in the 250cc and 500cc classes, Puig earned 9 podiums—including 5 in the premier class—and 1 victory, establishing himself as a resilient competitor before injuries curtailed his riding tenure.

Managerial career

Talent development initiatives

After retiring from racing in 1997 due to a severe injury, Alberto Puig shifted his focus to nurturing emerging talent, leveraging his experience as a former rider to scout and develop young prospects. In the early , Puig played a pivotal role in establishing the MotoGP Academy, a program backed by that evolved into the , aimed at identifying and training international riders aged 13 to 16 through competitive series and structured development. Under his guidance, the academy emphasized scouting in national championships, such as spotting Australian in the 125cc series and transitioning him to the championship in 2001 ahead of his 2002 debut in the 125cc class. Puig also mentored rider , who debuted in the 125cc World Championship in 2001, and , providing both with technical support and competitive exposure that propelled their careers toward premier classes. Puig's talent development extended to Asia in 2014 when he assumed directorship of the Idemitsu , a initiative using NSF250R bikes to select and train riders from across the region, including , , and . From 2014 to 2017, he oversaw selection events and race series that identified prospects like and , who later advanced to Moto2 and MotoGP, fostering a pipeline for Asian talent into global competition. In 2017, Puig extended his efforts to by directing the inaugural British Talent Cup, another Honda-powered series that scouted UK-based riders through tryouts and races, producing future Moto3 contenders. These programs prioritized accessibility for young riders from diverse backgrounds, with Puig personally involved in rider evaluations to ensure selection based on speed, adaptability, and potential. A key success under Puig's oversight was guiding Dani Pedrosa's consecutive 250cc titles in 2004 and 2005, where his mentorship focused on refining Pedrosa's , bike setup, and race during transitions from the 125cc class, culminating in seven wins in 2004 and eight in 2005. Puig's methods across these initiatives stressed building through rigorous physical conditioning and psychological preparation, including sessions in to enhance and . training camps, held in locations like Aragón, , and various Asian circuits, incorporated simulator work, , and on-track drills to instill discipline and tactical acumen, preparing riders for the pressures of international racing. This holistic approach not only accelerated individual progress but also contributed to a broader talent ecosystem, with academy graduates forming a significant portion of MotoGP grids by the mid-2010s.

Repsol Honda team leadership

Alberto Puig was appointed as the Team Manager of the Team on January 12, 2018, succeeding Livio Suppo and reporting directly to the (HRC) Director-General Manager of Race Operations. In this role, Puig brought his experience as a former rider and talent scout to oversee the factory MotoGP outfit, focusing on strategic direction during a period of transition for the team. Puig's key responsibilities encompassed rider management, including guiding Marc Márquez through his dominant early years in the role until Márquez's departure to Ducati in 2024, integrating Pol Espargaró as a teammate from 2021 to 2023, and currently directing Joan Mir and Luca Marini for the 2025 season under the rebranded Honda HRC Castrol team following Repsol's exit. He also collaborated closely with HRC on RC213V motorcycle development to enhance performance and aerodynamics, while fostering sponsor relations to sustain the team's financial and branding ecosystem. Under his leadership, the Repsol Honda Team secured back-to-back Triple Crowns in 2018 and 2019, claiming the Riders' Championship with Márquez's consecutive titles, the Constructors' Championship for Honda, and the Teams' Championship, marking a pinnacle of success with 21 race wins across those seasons. From 2020 onward, Puig navigated profound challenges, including Márquez's at the opener, which necessitated four surgeries and caused him to miss 18 of 20 rounds that year, alongside ongoing double-vision and recovery issues that hampered performance through 2023. The further disrupted the season, leading to a condensed and testing limitations that exacerbated 's development lag. Puig oversaw team restructuring, including personnel changes and adaptation to new regulations, amid a broader decline in competitiveness that saw finish last in the Constructors' standings in 2024. In July 2020, Puig ignited controversy with public comments to , asserting that the MotoGP championship without —amid the pandemic's irregularities—would be "devalued" and that any winner could not feel fully proud, drawing criticism for undermining the efforts of rivals like , who ultimately claimed the title. As of November , Puig remains Team Manager for HRC, steering the squad through persistent struggles with the RC213V's handling and power deficits, though recent upgrades have yielded incremental progress, such as improved top speeds, while acknowledging Ducati's enduring dominance as the benchmark. In early , Puig underwent on his left leg stemming from his 1995 racing injury, causing him to miss several early-season races, yet he continued to fulfill his managerial duties.

Career achievements

As a rider

Alberto Puig's professional riding career in lasted 11 seasons, from 1987 to 1997, encompassing both the 250cc and 500cc classes. Over this period, he recorded 1 race victory and 9 podium finishes, accumulating notable results in a competitive field dominated by established manufacturers and . His sole Grand Prix win came in the premier 500cc class at the in Jerez, where he became the first to on home soil in that category—a milestone that highlighted his tenacity and skill against international rivals. Puig debuted in the 250cc class at the 1987 Dutch TT, marking the start of his international campaign after domestic success in Spain. He progressed to consistent top-ten finishes in the 250cc World Championship before transitioning to the more demanding 500cc category in 1994, where he achieved his career-high championship position of 5th overall that year, including a podium at the German Grand Prix. In total, he earned 4 podiums across 82 starts in the 250cc class and 5 podiums in 50 starts in the 500cc class (including his victory), demonstrating versatility despite frequent battles with injuries that hampered his consistency. His equipment evolved with team affiliations, featuring rides on innovative chassis like the Spanish-built Cobas (early 250cc years with KTM power), Aprilia in his debut GP season, Cagiva during mid-career transitions, before securing factory support from Yamaha in 250cc and Honda in 500cc for his strongest performances. Puig's final race was the in the 500cc class, after which persistent injuries from a severe 1995 crash forced his retirement at age 30. This endpoint underscored the physical toll of the era's high-speed machinery, yet his achievements laid a foundation for Spain's growing presence in premier-class racing.

As a team manager

As team manager for since 2018, Alberto Puig oversaw the team's resurgence, securing back-to-back Triple Crowns in 2018 and 2019, encompassing the MotoGP riders' championship with , the teams' championship for , and the constructors' title for . Under his leadership, the team achieved multiple victories in the premier class post-2018, including Márquez's wins at key races like the and the , contributing to Honda's competitive edge during a transitional period. Puig's mentorship extended to several riders whose championships underscored his talent development acumen, notably guiding to consecutive 250cc World Championships in 2004 and 2005 following his earlier 125cc title in 2003. He also played a pivotal role in launching Casey Stoner's career by spotting him in the British 125cc series and facilitating his move to the Spanish championship in 2001, where Stoner secured successes in junior categories before progressing to racing with . Puig's scouting extended to other riders, including early support for Álex 's progression through 's junior programs. For , Puig's indirect influence through 's programs supported his MotoGP titles from 2013 to 2019, with direct oversight as team manager reinforcing 's six premier-class championships during 's dominant era. Through initiatives like the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup and British Talent Cup, which Puig has overseen since the early , more than 20 riders have advanced from these programs to compete in world championships by 2025, fostering a pipeline of international talent for and MotoGP. Puig's efforts have been integral to 's sustained dominance in MotoGP across the and , where the manufacturer claimed multiple constructors' titles and supported over a decade of rider successes, including 15 championships in partnership with through talent scouting and team strategy.

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