Trackhouse MotoGP Team is searching for a new rider through LinkedIn, offering a factory Aprilia bike, full medical coverage, and even champagne on Sundays. The requirements are as unconventional as the offer itself.
Trackhouse MotoGP Team has taken an unexpected approach to filling its vacant rider slot for the upcoming season, posting a job advertisement on LinkedIn in search of a new teammate for Raúl Fernández. The American team, which must replace Ai Ogura after his move to Yamaha, is offering a full-time contract with a factory-spec Aprilia and a benefits package that stands out even in the high-stakes world of MotoGP.
The vacancy comes after Ai Ogura confirmed his transfer to Yamaha, where he will join Jorge Martín. With Fernández recently securing his renewal thanks to a strong first half of the season, Trackhouse now faces the challenge of finding a rider who can match his level. Rather than relying on traditional recruitment channels, the team has opened the process to any professional racer willing to take on the challenge, using LinkedIn to cast a wider net.
Unconventional Requirements
The job description is as direct as it is tongue-in-cheek. Candidates must be prepared to race at over 200 km/h—ideally while looking forward—and translate 45 minutes of controlled chaos into calm, technical feedback for engineers. The team values speed, precision, and a healthy relationship with risk, but also expects riders to handle media duties and sponsor commitments with composure.
Among the more unusual requirements: applicants must wear leather every day, maintain a respectful (if sometimes adversarial) relationship with gravel traps, and have a resting heart rate that would concern most doctors. Experience in Moto2 or Moto3 is welcome, but the team is open to anyone with proven skill—even those who have only dominated a fiercely competitive local karting circuit.
Language skills are also key. Fluent English is mandatory, a working knowledge of Italian is a plus (especially given the Aprilia connection), and the ability to apologize at a moderate level is explicitly mentioned. Other preferences include a strong appetite for risk, zero tolerance for finishing outside the points, an irrational attachment to a race number, and a signature celebration that doesn't require the dominant wrist.
What Trackhouse Offers
The compensation package is as distinctive as the job description. The salary is described as "competitive, inversely proportional to your frequency of gravel trap visits." The team provides a non-returnable official bike, full medical insurance, unlimited ice packs, physiotherapy, and, when appropriate, champagne on Sundays. The offer even includes "a mild existential angst," a nod to the pressures of elite racing.
According to the team, the contract is full-time but subject to performance-based renewal. The position is for a direct teammate to Raúl Fernández, with the expectation of competing at the highest level in MotoGP's premier class.
Context and Outlook
Trackhouse's open call has already attracted dozens of applicants, highlighting both the competitiveness of MotoGP and the appeal of a team willing to break with tradition. While most top-level seats are filled well in advance, this move signals a willingness to look beyond the usual pool of candidates and embrace new talent in unconventional ways.
For context, MotoGP teams rarely recruit through public job postings, preferring closed negotiations and established scouting networks. Trackhouse's approach may reflect both the evolving landscape of professional motorsport and the team's desire to stand out in a crowded field. As the new season approaches, all eyes will be on who claims the seat—and whether this bold experiment pays off on the track.
