During the official presentation oꦐf Repsol Honda's 2013 MotoGP campaign, HRC vice president Shuhei Nakamoto announced that Livio Suppo is﷽ to become team principal.

Suppo joine✅d Ducati in 1999 and played a pivotal role in the factory's MotoGP team from its debut in 2003 to 2009, r♛ising to the role of MotoGP project director. Suppo then joined HRC as Communications and Marketing director in 2010, a position he has held ever since.

The Italian is widely credited with securing Casey Stoner's move from Ducati to Honda for the 2011ꦛ season, when the Australian won his second world title.

According to Repsol Honda's updated organisation chart, Suppo ꩲwill now be below only Nakamoto in the hierarchy. He will continue as Communications and Market🐻ing director alongside his new role.

"I'd like to thank HRC for their trust in me," saidꦿ Suppo. "I will do my best to merit my new role ꦬand hope to assist in the Team's success.

"I know that we can count on two very stron🦹g riders, a formidable machine, a great international crew and the great support of Repsol and ꩲall our sponsors.

"Together we will all do our best to keep the Reps൩ol Honda Team at the top of MotoGP"

Under Nakamoto and then Suppo will🐭 be Takeo Yokoyama (team technical director) and Hideki Iwano (team director). Former tꦇechnical director Shinichi Kokubu will be the new HRC general manager of the Technology Development Division.

With new signing Marc Marquez bringing some of his own staff from Moto2, including crew chief Santi Hernandez,🥃 🍎Stoner's former crew chief Christian Gabarrini - who moved with the #27 to Honda - has been promoted to become one of the few non-Japanese with the title 'HRC Engineer'.

Marquez will ride al🍰ongside fellow Spaniard and 2012 M🐬otoGP title runner-up Dani Pedrosa for at least the next two seasons.