IN
THE
WIND
P46
NEW TEAMS IN MOTO2/3
T
eams for next year's Moto2
and Moto3 classes were
announced on the eve of the
Malaysian GP, with interesting
new names in both classes, and
more variety of chassis manufac-
turers in Moto2. No rider names
were confirmed, but there was
no surprise that one new team in
Moto2 is Rossi's two-rider SKY
VR46 squad, while two KTMs
also join the list, one to be rid-
den by new Moto3 Champion
Brad Binder.
There will also be four Suters—
two each for Keifer Racing and
the Dynavolt Intact Team. Kiefer
is currently backed by Leopard,
who continue as sponsors for
their Moto3 team, down to two
riders from this year's three.
Two Speed Up entries plus
two from Tech 3 also offer diver-
sity from the current near-mo-
nopoly by Kalex, who still furnish
22 of the 32-strong entries.
In Moto3, as expected, the
late Marco Simoncelli's father
Paolo's team is on the list,
named Sic 58 Squadra Corse,
fielding a pair of Hondas, while
another new entry is Team GB.
The three-strong SKY VR46
team is also now down to two
riders.
There are six Mahindras,
including two Peuguots, down
from 10 this year, while Honda
numbers go up to 15, with 10
KTMs.
Thus 31 riders for Moto3,
down from this year's 33, and
32 in Moto2, compared with 28
this year.
Michael Scott
BAGNAIA GETS MOTOGP TEST
Y
oung Italian Aspar Mahindra Moto3
rider Francesco Bagnaia will get a
few laps on the Aspar Ducati Desmosedi-
ci GP15 MotoGP machine after reaching
a performance target set by the team by
winning the Malaysian Moto3 race.
Bagnaia is part of the VR46 Riders
Academy and will move up to Moto2
when Rossi's Sky VR46 outfit moves to
the middleweight class next year, but will
be looking forward to his chance to fulfill
a dream by riding the Aspar Ducati at the
post-season Valencia MotoGP test on
November 15.
"I think that was the best race of my
life," said Bagnaia of his Malaysian GP win. "It is never easy to ride at the front on
your own. You have to learn where the limit is and try to stay as fast as possible. I
think I have matured because last year I would have struggled to make a race like
this, so we have taken a big step forward and I have to thank the team a lot.
"Now we can think about Valencia, where thanks to a bet I made with the team
for winning two races I'll also get to ride the Ducati." CN
Hard work does
not go unnoticed.
Bagnaia will now get
a few laps on the
Aspar Ducati as a
reward for his second
Moto3 win of the year.
