Moto2: di Giannantonio leaves Gresini for Speed Up

Fabio di Giannantonio will leave Gresini and move to the Moto2 World Championship next season, after signing for race team/constructor Speed Up.

The Italian, who has agreed a two-year deal, will ride alongside Jorge Navarro - Gresini's current Moto2 rider.

Navarro has been replaced by Sam Lowes for 2019, which not only left Navarro needing a new ride but also ended di Giannantonio's hopes of moving up to Moto2 with Gresini, as he apparently expected.

di Giannantonio is currently third in the Moto3 standings, having finally taken his first grand prix victory at Brno.

"First of all I want to thank Luca [Boscoscuro] for giving me this opportunity," di Giannantonio said. "I’m happy and ready to start this new adventure!

"The Moto2 class is a demanding category and at the beginning I will take me some time to adapt, but the desire to learn is so great and I’m sure the team can help me! Now I have the last five races of this 2018, I will give my best to try and make a champion jump!”

Team manager Luca Boscoscuro added: “For me, Fabio joining the team is a big and exciting challenge and we will fight together to achieve excellent results. Fabio is a talented young man and has what it takes to compete in Moto2. We are impatient to see him on a Speed Up bike."

Speed up has won one race and taken a further podium this season with Fabio Quartararo, who is joining MotoGP in 2019.