PRAMAC DUCATI:

Espargaro will ride MotoGP fulltime next season

After Mika Kallio renewed his contract with Pramac Racing Team for next season, the Italian Team line up is completed today with the signing of Aleix Espargarò. The Spanish rider, after the two good performances obtain in the Indianapolis and Misano Grand Prix, has deserved the possibility to compete in the top class on the Ducati Desmosedici SAT for the 2010 season.

With this season debut Aleix has become the youngest Spanish rider to start a MotoGP race and in this direction Pramac Racing Team Principal, Paolo Campinoti, his aiming: “Our collaboration with Ducati Corse became stronger through the years and from this season we have begun the project to become a sort of junior Team where to grow young talented riders. This year we have already obtained good results thanks to Mika Kallio performances and this is why the Finnish rider will remain with us next season. This is and will be our mentality; in fact, from this point it has begun the idea to give the possibility to Aleix to ride for us in 2010. In Indianapolis he has demonstrated to be competitive since the first laps in both track conditions, dry and wet, and in Misano he confirmed his good feeling with this category.

“We really count on him; his attitude and devotion to this sport give us a lot of trust. He is a determined rider and we are sure that he will give us a lot of satisfactions. I take this occasion to thanks Niccolò Canepa. He is a strong guy and we wish him a happy future on and off track. We remember this year results at Mugello and Donington where he made it to conquer ninth and eight position and we hope he will be able to perform at least as well by showing his potential in these last three races. His little experience didn’t allow him to perform as we all expected during this championship, but we are anyway convinced of his talent and we are sure he will be able to show it in other categories.”

Aleix Espargarò, born on July 30th 1989 in Grannolers, will have therefore the opportunity to ride with the best riders in the world: “Life can change so quickly in just a few months! At the beginning of this year I had to stay home as my 250cc Team retired from the championship and now I have the opportunity to ride with the fastest riders in the world in MotoGP category. I also had some really interesting offers from Moto2, but as soon as Paolo Campinoti made me the offer to race for his Team I took less than a second to accept. I found my self really well in the races ridden for them this season: I was enthusiastic of their professionalism. They work really close with Ducati and they have immediate technical feedback when needed. The bike has impressed me so much for its power and its manageability. I have to thanks Pramac Racing Team, Paolo Campinoti and Ducati for this fantastic opportunity they are giving me.”

Statistics Aleix Espargaro

Season – Starts – Category – Final Position

2009 – 2 – MotoGP – 13th and 11th
2009 – 2 – 250cc – 4th and 7th
2008 – 16 – 250cc – 12
2007 – 17 – 250cc – 15
2006 – 9 – 250cc – 19
2006 – 6 – 125cc
2005 – 16 – 125cc – 16
2004 – 1