The Gresini Racing headquarters in Faenza, Italy, was the scene of the official presentation of the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2, taking part at the 2017 Moto2 World Championship with a Kalex machine ridden by Jorge Navarro. The young Spaniard, who turns 21 just today, together with the team manager Fausto Gresini, took the covers off the bike with which he will make his debut in the hard-fought intermediate class of the World Championship.
Already fighting for the top positions in 2016, the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 launched an ambitious project, therefore giving continuity to its growth path, investing on young talented riders thanks to the valuable support of Federal Oil (at the sixth year of partnership with Gresini Racing), market leader in lubricants for motorcycles in Indonesia – a country with an expanding motorcycling market for motorcycles and where MotoGP enjoys a tremendous interest from the media and the fans.
Born on February 3rd, 1996 in La Pobla de Vallbona, near Valencia, Jorge Navarro faced his first full season in the Moto3 World Championship in 2015, clinching the “Rookie of the Year” trophy with four podium finishes. Last season saw him third overall in the final standings with two GP wins (Barcelona and Aragon).
The first test of the year for the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 is scheduled for 18 and 19 February at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain
Jorge Navarro:
“The official presentation of a new season is always a very special moment; for me this year it’s even more exciting, because it marks the beginning of an exciting adventure inside a solid and ambitious project. I had the opportunity to ride the Kalex Moto2 machine last November, although actually the test was halted by my physical problems. During the winter I had time to recover and now I feel stronger and stronger every day and full of energy; in addition, I can count on a few more days of rest before getting back on track, so I think that I can be fully fit ahead of the first test of the year. I will work together with the team trying to progress step by step, in order to learn and to adapt in the best possible way to this category. I know I can do well, because I have everything I need, that’s a great team and a great bike!”.
Fausto Gresini:
“Our program in the Moto2 World Championship together with Federal Oil continues to be a very ambitious project: in the 2017 season we will bring to the Moto2 debut one of the most talented riders expressed by Moto3, Jorge Navarro. A rider of undoubted talent, which in 2016 was still one of the great protagonists of the smaller displacement, despite some injuries have not allowed him to fully express his potential. Jorge has a great desire to do well and last November, although he was not in the best physical condition, he already wanted to try the Kalex to start getting to grips with a totally new category for him; later he had time to undergo surgery, to train a lot and recover his physical fitness; a necessary ‘set-up’ that will allow him to face in the best possible way the upcoming test in preparation for the first race in Qatar. Of course we are aware that he’s a rookie and therefore we cannot expect to be among the teams that can aspire to the fight for the World title, but I think we can grow up quickly and start in a short time to fight for important results”.
