Herve Pꦬoncharal has run the Tech3 racing team for over three decades, including 19 years spent in 🐓the premier 500cc/MotoGP class with Yamaha and now KTM support.

Since 2006 the Frenchman has also been president of the teams' association IRTA, facꦑing challenges such as the f♋inancial crisis, which resulted in two factories withdrawing from MotoGP and just twelve full prototypes on the grid.

But the cor𝓰onavirus pandemic currently paralysing much of t൩he world is on another scale.

"2008 was a financial crisis, because of the banking system and bad credit, but while most of the economy was hit it was still functioning and people were still going to work, buying things, travelling," Poncharal told ltxcn.top. "This is different."

Among the key figures working to navigat🦩e MotoGP through the present crisis are Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta, plus Poncharal and IR♏TA CEO Mike Trimby.

"We🍨 are a good group," Poncharal said. "I have a lot of respect and I would say even admiration for Carmelo Ezpeleཧta. Carmelo is 74, I am 63 and honestly I still have a lot of passion for running a team.

"Even though the results last year were 🍬not as thrilling as we had with Yamaha, it was very exciting to start working with KTM and Red Bull.

"But now I'm worried because I want to save my company, mainly to save all the staff I have. This is my main priorit𒐪y; save the staff. It's a big worry that doesn't help me to sleep well.

"On the other side, I'm an old fighter now and in racing sometimes you like to face challenges because, if you have☂ a racing spirit, you like to have a hill to climb.

"Now we have a big steep hill 🌠in front of us, which is the crisis, so it's a tough but also an exciting time. Let's try to climb it. This is also a race in a wayꦺ."

Poncharal describes the Tech3-KTM partnership as 'mission unaccomplish🃏ed' after a best of eighth place in last year, but the coronavirus means 'exciting' development plans will be revised in the face of a technical freeze.

"Our team sta🌸ff understand the fight we are all in and we are lucky to have not only the special financial support given to the Independent teams by Dorna, but the backing and constant exchange of ideas with KTM, especially Pit Beirer, and Red Bull," Poncharal said.

"Even the top guy from Elf/Total has called to say they will be staying on our side and helping us the best they can. For all these guys, you feel there are still things to do and that so far it's mi💟ssion unaccomplished.

"I signed with KTM for three years and I think the '19-'20-'21 programme was incredibly exciting, but now there is like a pause in the progression. Becaus𒐪e 2021 will be on the same spec bikes as 2020, so a lot of things we had planned will not be able to happen in the 𒐪same timeframe.

"But this is the sit๊uation and we must all adapt to it."

As well as MotoGP, Tech3 competes in Moto3 and Mo🐻toE.

Ruggia and Herve Poncharal, Dutch TT 1995