Moto2: Forward Racing ends partnership with MV Agusta

Forward Racing will end its partnership with motorcycle brand, MV Agusta after five seasons together.

Italian manufacturer, MV Agusta will split with the former MotoGP team, Forward racing. In a statement, the team announced that the partnership would end due to ‘economic demands’.

This split means that Forward Racing will enter the season ‘on its own’ without the backing of MV Agusta. The team is developing a 2023 project for riders, Alex Escrig and Marcos Ramirez.

Alex Escrig would race in the Moto2 JuniorGP championship in 2022, finishing third in the championship. He would claim two race wins, and seven podiums throughout the year, riding for the Yamaha-sponsored team.

Marcos Ramirez will continue with Forward Racing, starting his second season with the team. He would finish 30^th in his first season with the team, with a best finish of 12^th place in America.

The highlight of the MV Agusta Forward Racing’s partnership came at the 2020 Valencian Grand Prix. Simone Corsi would claim the team’s first-ever pole position, claiming MV Agusta’s first pole since 1976.

In a statement, the team said: “After 5 years of partnership in the Moto2 World Championship, the collaboration between Forward and the motorcycle brand MV Agusta is discontinued.

“Forward Team, after careful consideration, has decided to continue the development project, whose intellectual property is owned by the Italian-Swiss racing team, on its own: MV Agusta’s economic demands are too high, compared to just using the brand in racing.

“Forward Team, in the voice of Team Owner Giovanni Cuzari, wishes the best to MV Agusta, proud to have written, in these seasons, a few small pieces of history together with the Schiranna brand. 

“The future is just around the corner and Forward Team is working on the development of the 2023 project with important ambitions and a great desire to return to success.

Just Keep Moving Forward!”

MotoGP Experience

Forward Racing entered MotoGP from 2012-2015, spending three years in the class, first entering the class with Colin Edwards. The American would finish 20^th in the championship standings, with a best result of 11^th.

The team would enter MotoGP using a CRT bike, which had the aim of reducing costs in the sport. The organisers allowed the bikes to have extra fuel, engines and softer tyres to help even out the field.

The Forward Racing team would claim their first podium in 2014, at Aragon with Aleix Espargaro. They would finish seventh in the teams’ standings and would leave the class at the end of 2015.

Images: motogp.com