NGM Mobile Forward Racing have finally confirmed the signing of Aleix Espargaro as the team prepare to run Yamaha-powered FTR motorcycles in the 2014 MotoGP season. The squad will run in the ‘open’ class next season for non-factory entries and have signed the two-time CRT champion to partner Colin Edwards on their YZR-M1 powered machine.
Espargaro leaves the Aspar outfit after two successful seasons and says he is excited by the new project at Forward Racing.
“After two years with a CRT bike, which have been very good for me, I think the time has come for me to make a change. Forward Racing approached me with an offer, a very exciting and ambitious project involving Yamaha and FTR. I believe it can be a competitive bike and the project itself with the team is something that I am excited about. I look forward to riding the bike, test, work hard and see how far we can go with it.”
Edwards has been with the team since their move up to the MotoGP class last year and is delighted to be reunited with Yamaha once again.
“I am really excited for next year. The majority of my racing carrier has been with Yamaha, from the motocross days through road racing, so I am really excited to get back with Yamaha and obviously to enter into this new project with Forward and FTR. Theoretically on paper it looks like we can compete and right now, as soon as we are done with the season we need to get to work and that’s what I do best so I am really looking forward to it.”
