Di Meglio begins Aspar era with aspirations of top ten finish

After a brief courting process, Mike di Meglio and the Mapfre Aspar team have confirmed the 125cc World Champion´s move up to the 250cc category for the 2009 season. The Frenchman had been in discussions with Team Principal Jorge Martinez `Aspar´ since the final race of the 2008 campaign at Valencia, with pen being put to paper shortly before this week´s lower cylinder class test in Valencia.

Di Meglio was immediately quick at the test, which concluded on Tuesday, and was able to speak for the first time about his ascension to the highly competitive 250cc series.

`I am really grateful for the opportunity given to me by Jorge Martinez. The Mapfre Aspar team is the leading team in the class,´ says Di Meglio, who has set out modest objectives for his rookie year.

`Our objective for the new season will be to finish in the top ten in the championship. I know that I have to work hard and that some circuits will be more suited to us than others. Personally the faster tracks are more suited to my style and I hope to take the occasional podium. I'm sure this will be a positive season in many aspects.´

On his Valencia outing, the young addition to the Mapfre squad added that `I am content with how these two days have gone, and the bike certainly has some `go´ in it! I am going to have to prepare myself physically and mentally over the winter in order to be ready in January.´