Moto2: Marcos Ramirez signs to join American Racing in 2024 to replace Skinner

Marcos Ramirez has signed to race for the American Racing Team next season.

Recent Moto2 podium finisher Marcos Ramirez will race for the American Racing Team next year. The Spaniard will join the team which he has raced with for the final half of the 2023 season.

Ramirez joined the American Racing team after the summer break in Austria this season. The deal came as Sean Dylan Kelly departed from the team mid-contract before later finding a ride with Forward Racing.

Since joining the team mid-season, Ramirez was straight inside the points and finished 14^th in the Austrian Grand Prix. His best result of his Moto2 career came at the recent Malaysian Grand Prix, claiming his first podium.

Rory Skinner was contracted to race for the team next year after signing a two-year deal at the beginning of the season. However, Skinner will not race under the American Racing banner next season with his future unknown. The best result of his season came in Australia, where the Scots finished 12th – scoring his first points.

The American Racing Team provided an update on Skinners’ current contract situation. In a statement on social media, the American Racing team wrote: “We believe in him and know he has the talent to be competitive in Moto2. We as a team are currently working on how to best secure his future on the World Stage while continuing to support him during the coming off-season and beyond.”

At the beginning of the 2023 season, Skinner said: “I’m delighted to be joining American Racing for the next two seasons. Racing in the Grand Prix paddock is every rider’s dream, and opportunities like these don’t come along often, especially for British riders.”

It has been a learning year for Skinner who moved to Moto2 after two years in British Superbikes. Skinner raced for FS3 in BSB and is now managed by American Racing team boss, John Hopkins.

Joe Roberts looks to be joining Ramirez in the team next season, who recently signed to return to the team. Roberts last raced for the team in the 2020 Moto2 World Championship, spending two years with the team. The American scored three pole positions and one podium with the team before joining Italtrans Racing.

Speaking about the deal in August, Roberts said: “I’m excited to be back with American Racing. We had a great season together in 2020 and feel we can bring that magic back again next season. So I’m looking forward to continuing what Eitan, John, Avner, and I started.”

Image credit: motogp.com