Lorenzo's Former Manager Joins Tech3 Moto2 Team

The Moto2 grid is slowly starting to fit together. Today came the announcement from the Tech 3 team that they had signed 250cc star Raffaele de Rosa and former MotoGP rider Yuki Takahashi to ride the team's Moto2 bike, built and designed by Tech 3's technical guru Guy Coulon. As team mate to the last ever 250cc World Champion Hiroshi Aoyama, De Rosa did very well indeed, winning the rookie of the year award in the 250cc class and finishing on the podium twice. After a strong year in 250s, Takahashi struggled on the MotoGP bike, but the experience in both classes should stand the Japanese rider in good stead for the new Moto2 formula.

Perhaps even more interesting was the signing of Daniele Romagnoli to the Tech 3 team. Until Sunday, Romagnoli was the manager for Jorge Lorenzo's side of the Fiat Yamaha garage, but the Italian left saying he wanted to return to a more technical role. The problem Romagnoli faced was a glut of talented engineers all on the market at the same time, with Pete Benson also still without a job as of Sunday night, despite being one of a tiny minority of engineers who actually has a world title to his name. As a result, there was no room for the Italian in MotoGP, but with the new Moto2 class requiring a number of different skills to the 250cc class it replaces, Romagnoli slotted in very well at Tech 3. He will be responsible for Raffaele de Rosa's side of the garage in the team.