While rider moves in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship have been announced throughout the 2024 campaign, crew chief changes tend to be announced later on. At the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, Gorka Segura, currently Xavi Vierge’s (Team HRC) Crew Chief, announced he was leaving to join the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team. He’ll take the place of Giovanni Crupi as he stays with Ducati to head up their off-road programme.

Segura has been a crew chief at Team HRC since the Japanese manufacturer returned to the Championship with a full-factory effort, linking up with them in 2019 ahead of their 2020 return. He worked with Leon Haslam in the 2020 and 2021 campaigns before Vierge joined the outfit in 2022, who Segura was working with. The pair achieved one podium together, in Indonesia in 2023, while 2024 has been a year of battling back – something they have done well to become consistent top-ten finishes and getting closer to the podium.

Discussing his move away from Team HRC, as well as the highlight of his time there, Segura said during FP1: “First of all, it was an amazing five years together with HRC, I have been in contact with Leon Camier and I have a new proposal from Marc VDS, it was not an easy decision but I decided to take this new challenge and it will finish at the end of this race. Of course, the last year’s podium with Xavi was the best moment for the team.”

His move to the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team comes to replace Crupi, with the Italian, who has a wealth of Superbike experience in both domestic and World Championships, switching disciplines within Ducati after more than 20 years. He’ll move across to head up the Bologna-based manufacturer’s motocross championship programme, opening up the vacancy for Segura to slot into in 2025.

Shortly after Segura spoke, Giovanni Crupi, currently crew chief to Sam Lowes (explained why the move was happening. He said: “Big change in my life, because after 23 years of Superbike, I’m moving outside of the paddock and changing fields completely, and I will be the racing manager for Ducati for the motocross championship.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com