Epsonorama Racing have confirmed the signings of Moto2 title challengers Luca Marini and Enea Bastianini for the 2021 MotoGP season.
Bastianini’s appointment at the Spanish squad has been expected for some time after he announced he had signed a contract to compete in the ’21 premier class campaign with Ducati back at the San Marino Grand Prix in September.
With the Italian manufacturer having already confirmed its factory and satellite lineups-with current Epsonorama Racing man Joahnn Zarco moving to Pramac-this left only Epsonorama as a potential berth for Bastianini.
Marini has been rumoured to replace Esteve Rabat in the team over the past few weeks, with half-brother Valentino Rossi’s VR46 academy confirmed as having a heavy presence on Marini’s Desmosedici.
He will run a similar livery to the one he currently campaigns with the VR46 squad in Moto2 as aprt of the deal, while Bastianini will run a different scheme-potentially in a similar vein to that of Zarco and Rabat’s this season.
VR46 have also handed over their pair of KTM Moto3 machines to the Epsonorama squad so it can run a two-man lightweight class campaign next season, confirming VR46 pilot Niccolo Antonelli as one its competitors this afternoon.
This also brings to an end the VR46 organisation’s official prescence in Moto3 after six years in the class, culminating in a best riders championship finish of fourth for Romano Fenati in ’15-though Celestino Vietti currently sits third overall in this year’s standings.
It has not been confirmed which specification Ducati the duo will campaign, with the most likely outcome being that Epsonorama will continue to run a pair of year-old machines.
“I am very happy to go up to MotoGP with Ducati and Esponsorama Racing,” said Bastianini.
“Now I have to concentrate on finishing the season as I would like to go up as World Champion, although I know it will not be easy.
“Next season several riders will make the leap to MotoGP, we will start a new adventure together with the fastest riders in the world in which I think that together with the team I will be able to achieve good results.”
“Competing in MotoGP is every rider’s dream,” added Marini.
“Having this great opportunity and being able to share it with the Sky Racing Team VR46, Esponsorama Racing and Ducati is even better.
“In these years with the team I have gained experience, I have grown and I have achieved the first important results. We are in a crucial phase of the season, we will continue to work hard to reach the maximum goal before making this big step together.”
Bastianini currently sits second in the ’20 Moto2 points standings with just three rounds remaining this season, seven points down on leader Sam Lowes having bagged three victories so far this season with the Italtrans outfit.
Marini meanwhile has also scored three wins so far on his way to third overall currently, though a recent poor run-in which he has failed to finish higher than 11th in the past three encounters-has seen him drop from the head of the standings to 23 behind Lowes.
Epsonorama’s announcement means that the ’21 MotoGP field is now nearly complete, with just one final spot to be decided alongside Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia.
The Noale-based marque is holding out hope for Andrea Iannone’s 18-month doping suspension to be dropped when the verdict of his recent appeal is revealed later this month, though if that fails ousted LCR Honda pilot Cal Crutchlow looks likely to join the outfit.
Rabat’s landing pad looks less certain, though it’s thought he was offered a ride in the World Superbike championship with one of Ducati’s customer teams in order to help him make the decision to leave the premier class easier, this the path would become clearer for Marini to be signed.
