KIWI RIDER 07 2018 VOL.1 | Page 19

MV AGUSTA RETURNS TO GPs n something of a shock announcement, MV Agusta has announced its return to GP racing. MV Agusta’s history is closely linked to racing, it’s the most successful European motorcycle manufacturer of all time, with 75 world titles (38 rider and 37 manufacturers) from 1952 to 1974. MV Agusta lined up for the very first race of the series that has become the MotoGP World Championship. Carlo Ubbiali scored a fourth place in the first championship year on an MV Agusta. From 1949, the champion riders, Carlo Ubbiali, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read and then, of course, Giacomo Agostini became legends, riding MV Agusta motorcycles. The success of MV Agusta also became part Italy’s history. Forty-two years later, MV Agusta is to be back in GPs joining the Moto2 World Championship with Forward Racing Team, which has been running in Moto2 since its inception in 2010, reaching the podium in the inaugural race and obtaining its first victory in the 5th Grand Prix in Silverstone. MV’s first prototype motorcycle that will run in the 2019 Moto2 World Championship is already in development, is set to debut in July 2018. “MV Agusta is the most successful brand in history of motorcycling” said Giovanni Castiglioni, President of MV Agusta. “The return of MV Agusta to the Grand Prix is a great honour for me. The Moto2 World Championship is very competitive and in order to be successful we need to apply the best of our technology and experience in racing motorcycle development”. “The dream of bringing MV Agusta back to the Wo