The late Fausto Gresini’s wife-Nadia Padovani-will take over the running of his MotoGP race team as CEO as confirmed in a press release on Thursday morning.
Padovani’s role as CEO will encompass both the Team Owner and Team Principle roles, effectively fully replacing the role the two-time 125cc world champion held within his operation.
Gresini’s two sons-Lorenzo and Luca-will also become key parts of the organisation, the former being part of the administrative side of the team while the latter will work in the sporting side, travelling with the team to races as a result.
Gresini’s plans to remain in MotoGP as an independent outfit from next season following its upcoming split with partner Aprilia was also reaffirmed in the release, while the manufacturer it would move forward with will be revealed “in a matter of a few weeks.”
“I would like to think that Fausto’s two families – ours and the racing one – have joined their efforts to bring forward everything he was planning, and especially the MotoGP,” said Padovani.
“To have an independent team in the premier class is surely something very demanding, with a team to be built from scratch, but I know everyone in the company is giving their 110% to make his dream come true.
“Personally, I see it as a real mission, a challenge we will face – also and above all – thanks to the strength of Fausto, who is following us from above. We’re currently speaking with several manufacturers and in a matter of few weeks we will reveal the details of our MotoGP project.”
Gresini passed away following a battle with Covid-19 in February, just a couple months after announcing his long-standing squad would move back to being an independent racing entity for the first time since joining up as Aprilia’s factory partner for the 2015 MotoGP season.
Recent rumours have connected the Italian team with Ducati for the ’22 campaign and beyond, taking over the customer supply currently held by the departing Epsonorama Avintia operation.
It could also move the way of Suzuki as well as continue as a satellite squad for Aprilia, though both these options look less likely with the shadow of Valentino Rossi’s VR46 organisation’s MotoGP bow incoming, the seven-time premier class champion’s endeavour looking to capture a pair of GSX-RR’s for ’22.
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