MV Agusta launches bike for grand prix racing return

MV Agusta signed a four-year deal with existing Moto2 team Forward Racing to participate in the intermediate class, with the Swiss team's former constructor Suter staying on as a technical partner.

There was controversy surrounding the team's 2019 line-up as original duo Romano Fenati and Stefano Manzi had a scandalous incident at Misano, leading to the former to be banned for the rest of the year. His deal with Forward and MV Agusta was subsequently terminated.

While the team was reported to be close to a change of heart that could have resulted in Fenati being reinstated, it eventually settled on Dominique Aegerter to partner Manzi in 2019.

"I am really happy and proud to be part of the MV Agusta Forward Racing Team project," said Aegerter, who moves across from Kiefer Racing. "This will allow me to contribute, also thanks to my skills, to the development of the new F2 [bike].

"Everything will be new to me, both the bike and the team, but the first impressions are really positive: the guys are competent and professional, I'm sure we'll work well throughout the year.

"We will have a great responsibility and a glorious name to bring to the track but step by step we will find the best way for this exciting adventure."

Manzi added: "Next season will be my second with this team. It will be an incredible year, all to be discovered, where we will bring back to the track after so many years the manufacturer MV Agusta: we will have a completely new bike, built from scratch, and this gives me a lot of enthusiasm and energy.

"We have already tested the F2 on the track and it responded well right from the start. I'm comfortable on the bike and I can't wait to get on track in the tests we're going to do in a few days in Spain."

MV Agusta was a dominant manufacturer in the early era of grand prix motorcycle racing, winning 18 titles in the 500cc class between 1956 and 1974.

John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read all became multiple champions with the brand, which more recently has raced in World Superbike (pictured below) and World Supersport.

The MV Agusta WSBK project was wound up for the 2019 season, but the marque will continue in SSP with Raffaele de Rosa and Federico Fuligni as its riders.

Jordi Torres, MV Agusta Reparto Corse

Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images