Racing, Riders, and Rossi: Carlo Pernat’s Grand Prix Saga Comes To An End
Dean Adams
Famed rider manager and Italian racing insider Carlo Pernat at CotA MotoGP last season. He has emphysema and because of it won't be doing MotoGP any more.
In a surprising announcement, Carlo Pernat, the legendary rider manager and perhaps the ultimate Italian MotoGP insider, has revealed that he will no longer be a full-time member of the MotoGP paddock in 2025.

Pernat has been an influential figure in Grand Prix and MotoGP racing for almost four decades. His impact on the sport is immense. Pernat and rider Loris Reggiani were instrumental in convincing Aprilia to enter Grand Prix racing, dragging the off-road Italian manufacturer into roadrace competition and helping shape its future in the sport. Since then, Pernat has been an unrelenting force, managing a long list of top-tier talent, including nearly every Italian rider in the paddock—with the notable exception of Valentino Rossi. He also managed the late Marco Simoncelli until his tragic passing.

Pernat cited health concerns as the reason for his decision to step away from the racing world.

Over the years, he has become a popular figure on MotoGP podcasts and telecasts, known for his colorful personality, flamboyant style, and unfiltered opinions. As the old aphorism goes, "Every man must be true to his nature," and Pernat exemplified this, never shying away from speaking his mind. Unlike many successful rider managers who prefer to operate behind the scenes, Pernat thrived in the spotlight, often adding his unique flair to the Machiavellian world of MotoGP rider contracts.

The complexities of MotoGP’s rider market recently put Pernat in a challenging position. In early 2024, Marc Marquez orchestrated a high-profile move to the factory Ducati MotoGP team. This triggered a rapid and dramatic reshuffling of the paddock’s lineup, leaving Pernat’s star client, Enea Bastianini, unexpectedly vulnerable. Despite winning races in 2024, including the Italian Grand Prix, Bastianini was unceremoniously removed from the factory Ducati Corse team for 2025. He was ultimately placed with the financially struggling KTM squad, a significant downgrade in status and opportunity. The fallout highlighted the harsh realities of the high-stakes MotoGP rider market.

One of the most famous anecdotes about Pernat involves Valentino Rossi. As a young and ambitious rookie—and the son of former Grand Prix rider/hippy Graziano Rossi—Valentino reportedly begged Pernat to take him on as a client. Rossi said he would sign a lifetime contract but Pernat declined, citing his already full roster of riders. Decades later, now ex-rider Rossi has built an empire as a manager and mentor, representing numerous Italian riders through his VR46 brand and essentially controlling the future of Italian talent in MotoGP and Moto2. Meanwhile, Pernat’s last client, Bastianini, has since transitioned to representation by an F1-focused agency.

Carlo Pernat’s departure from the MotoGP paddock marks the end of an era. His legacy as a passionate, outspoken, and transformative figure in motorcycle racing will not be forgotten.
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