THE NEW TEAM KÖMMERLING GRESINI MOTO3 PROJECT IS UNVEILED
Faenza (Italy), 14 February 2019. A brand-new journey awaits Gresini Racing in the Moto3 class. This year, the team led by Fausto Gresini will face the challenge of trying to improve on what was a superb 2018 campaign, which saw the Italian squad winning on every front. The ingredients for another successful season are all in place.
First of all, the all-new line up: the quick and experienced Gabri Rodrigo and the up-and-coming Riccardo Rossi are the riders chosen to race in Gresini’s colours in 2019, with similar motivation but different goals for their first year with the team: Spanish-Argentine Rodrigo will aim for the title, while the Italian rookie Rossi will try to impress in his maiden season in the series.
The new, Kömmerling-sponsored Honda NSF250RW will also be one to watch. A new, captivating livery design will hide a series of technical improvements under the white-and-blue fairings, which include a new swingarm, an updated chassis with new carbon fibre elements – including the airbox – a new spec Honda engine and a seamless gearbox. These are only some of the additions for a bike that, on paper, will be as competitive as ever.
After the encouraging results of the tests at Valencia and Jerez, Rodrigo and Rossi will soon be back on track in Southern Spain (20-22 February) before heading to Qatar in early March. The new season will begin one week later (10 March) at the Losail International Circuit.
GABRIEL RODRIGO #19
“This is the most important season of my career and I’m super motivated. I trained really hard during winter and I’m ready for the 2019 season. I feel we can do great things together and I hope results will be on our side in what is going to be an exciting year. Winning the title is something that has been on my mind: I joined the team who has literally dominated the 2018 campaign on all fronts, so have all the ingredients to do well – if not great – are there. Many of my rivals from last year have moved up to Moto2 and I’ve grown a lot as a rider, so let’s give it a try!”
RICCARDO ROSSI #54
“I want to start by saying that the bike is truly beautiful. It has been a long winter: I trained as hard as I could, despite a small fracture in the middle finger of the right hand – which didn’t stop me! I cycled, worked out in the gym, did motocross riding and a lot more. I did it all with a lot more intensity compared to previous years. The goal for 2019 is clear: I want to improve on the bike and learn from the team, while trying to get the Rookie of the Year award.”
FREDERIK DECLERCQ – CEO Profine Italia:
“We are of course very happy to be the main sponsor! Our choice, to sponsor this activity together with our customers, is no coincidence. We can especially appreciate the dynamic that comes from this sport: fast, powerful, dynamic. But it is not just the sport, but especially the team behind it that seems to suit us: a healthy mix of Youth and experience, ambitious and mostly Italian. This is how we feel and we want to reflect on this.
We wish our team success and, above all, a lot of fun in achieving their goals”.
FAUSTO GRESINI – Team Manager
“Every season works more or less like the previous one, but it can also shape very differently. This 2019 has a very peculiar flavour: it will all be new, but passion, determination and motivation will stay the same – as they’ve been for the last 20 years. We’ve got riders of great talent, a beautiful and competitive Honda bike and a new sponsor that joined us with a long-term partnership plan. We’re excited to get back in the swing of things and feel the excitement of it. It won’t be long before our season debut in Qatar and I can’t wait. I would like to thank everyone who joined us here today, it’s always very emotional to begin with such a new challenge ahead.”
