In a special Press Conference at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, GASGAS announced their presence on the MotoGP grid from 2023. The exciting news comes as Suzuki announced their early retirement from the sport a few months ago… Press Release: MotoGP.
From 2023, Spain’s iconic motorcycle brand will join MotoGP for the first time in a deal that sees the Tech3 Factory Team turn GASGAS red and officially become the GASGAS Factory Racing Team. Pol Espargaro will lead the rider line-up, with his teammate set to be announced soon.
GASGAS found fame in Trials and Enduro before finding even more success in motocross, supercross and rally recently, with a comprehensive foundation of offroad production bikes. Now, after tasting the spoils and bringing home trophies in both Moto2 and Moto3 thanks to the GASGAS Aspar Team, the brand will join the pinnacle of motorcycle racing: MotoGP.
The iconic GASGAS red and white livery will represent the sixth brand in the premier class of motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
PIT BEIRER, GASGAS MOTORSPORTS DIRECTOR: “GASGAS is a winning brand. It has reached an incredible level of performance immediately in disciplines like MXGP, Supercross, Enduro and Rally where we have taken Grands Prix, Main Events, world titles and overall winners’ trophies. It’s a relatively new brand for us and we have new goals. We hope the fans that follow ‘the red’ will enjoy the story. Thanks to our strong partner, the ASPAR team, in Moto3 and Moto2 we have been able to see the GASGAS bikes right at the front of those categories. It would be great to see the same thing eventually in the hardest class of them all. I want to thank Hervé and the Tech3 factory racing team for keeping an open mind and really supporting this change to become the GASGAS Factory Racing Team. We think it’s exciting and different.”
HUBERT TRUNKENPOLZ, MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, CMO: “Taking the GASGAS name bigger and wider than its roots in Trial has been really successful in a number of ways. After seeing what we could achieve in Moto3 and Moto2 the next question was whether we could take GASGAS to MotoGP and we’re thrilled that we can make this step. It’s a new journey and I know the brand will stand out right away. Importantly, the team, the riders, the management will help GASGAS make a splash in the premier class. That’s what we’re hoping for!”
HERVE PONCHARAL, TECH3 FACTORY RACING TEAM PRINCIPAL: “Since we joined the Pierer Mobility Group, I can tell you that it has been my happiest professional years in my life. Because, when you work with Stefan, when you work with Hubert, and when you work with Pit, of course, the target and the main thing is competition, but I also love to spend evenings with these gentlemen to talk about business, to talk about strategy, to see how our motorcycle industry is evolving. I’m really, really happy to be part of a European manufacturer and the European manufacturers all together are moving on; we can see every single Sunday on the MotoGP™ podium that they are more and more. To be a full factory GASGAS team is a big source of pride.
“If you remember well, a few years ago, there was a young man, a Moto2 World Champion, that joined the MotoGP class with Tech3. His name is Pol Espargaro. We had a great few years together when we started, we discovered the MotoGP class together, and I have always said that Pol is a real fighter, Pol was a key player in the Pierer Mobility KTM MotoGP programme, and I’m delighted to announce he is back in the family. We can’t wait to start working with him, and I think he will be a perfect ambassador for the GASGAS brand. So, this is like a fairytale; welcome back, Pol. This is also to Stefan, Hubert, and Pit to say more than me, but anyway, I’m over the moon and I think this GASGAS MotoGP project couldn’t start better than with Pol. So, this is fantastic news and I just can’t wait to be in November!
“I just feel happy, I just love challenges. This is why I’m here and racing is about challenges – industry, business challenges – and I’m very happy to be part of this new challenge.” he ends.
