Former KTM technical director Sterlacchini in advanced talks with Honda

Former KTM technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini is in negotiations with Honda to join its MotoGP ranks, Autosport understands.

Sterlacchini spent 17 years at Ducati, rising to the role of MotoGP technical director before signing with KTM in June 2021 to lead its engineering department.

In July the Austrian brand announced it had been unable to reach an agreement to renew Sterlacchini’s contract and he will leave KTM this year.

“The distance from his home, which is quite far from here [Austria], was an element to take into account, but I don’t want to use it as a main excuse,” Pit Beirer, KTM motorsport director, said last month. “We couldn’t agree on certain things about how to continue, and that’s the reason we agreed to part ways.”

Autosport understands that Sterlacchini is in negotiations with Honda to become part of the HRC structure, but if a deal is agreed he will not join until November due to his KTM arrangement.

It is not the only option on the table for the Italian, who is weighing up remaining in MotoGP or focusing on a new role outside of racing.

The negotiations with Sterlacchini show Honda’s latest willingness to open up to hiring and following the methodologies of European engineers and move away from its Japanese focus.

Last year HRC’s top management held talks with Ducati boss Gigi Dall’Igna, to try to get the services of the engineer who has transformed the Italian manufacturer into the dominant force in MotoGP in recent years.

HRC’s most recent major engineering addition was Ken Kawauchi, who was recruited from Suzuki after the Hamamatsu manufacturer closed its MotoGP division at the end of 2022.

Considering Honda’s drift this season, the manufacturer sits bottom of the MotoGP constructors’ table, and from comments made by factory riders Joan Mir and Luca Marini, it does not seem that Kawauchi’s arrival has provided the expected turnaround in performance.