Bagnaia set to make Moto2™ move with new VR46 team

Italian moves up to the intermediate class in 2017

Sky Racing Team VR46 have announced another step in their efforts to support young Italian motorcycling talent with a new Moto2™ team to take to the grid in 2017. The first piece of the new puzzle has been announced as the signing of Francesco Bagnaia to ride one of the two machines in the intermediate class, with the Italian set to move up from the PULL&BEAR Aspar Mahindra Moto3™ squad for the 2017 season.

Bagnaia is currently fourth in the Moto3™ world championship standings, laying a good foundation for the next step of his career after racing for Sky Racing Team VR46 in 2014 and then moving to Mahindra machinery for the following two seasons - taking the manufacturer’s first win in Assen this season.

Francesco Bagnaia: "I am happy to be able to reach another milestone of my career at Sky Racing Team VR46. Moving to Moto2 is a great opportunity for growth. I am proud to be able to face this new challenge with a team that for me is like a family."

Pablo Nieto, Team Manager: "We are very proud to announce that in 2017 we will have 4 young Italian talents on the track. We will continue in Moto3 with two KTM machines, and we will redouble our efforts – in the intermediate category of the world championship. The line up of the Moto2 team will be completed later, but we are happy to have Francesco Bagnaia back with us once again. After the interruption of the relationship between the team and Romano Fenati, we have decided to continue with our initial project of two Moto2 machines in the intermediate class. We will take a few weeks to decide who will join Bagnaia in this new challenge. We’re motivated to accompany ‘Pecco’ in this change of category and will put all of our commitment and professionalism into the project.”