Moto2: Corsi to replace Aegerter at MV

Simone Corsi has been confirmed as joining the MV Agusta Forward Racing team for the 2020 Moto2 world championship.

The Italian veteran will take the place of Dominique Aegerter, as team-mate to Stefano Manzi.

Aegerter's plans are less clear, with the Swiss rider reported to be exploring options in MotoE alongside a possible test riding role.

"First of all I want to thank Dominique Aegerter for the wonderful season together and for the beautiful person he is; it is difficult to find such good people," said Forward team owner Giovanni Cuzari, who signed Aegerter after Romano Fenati's planned contract was dissolved in the aftermath of Misano 2018. "I wish him all the best for next season and hope to see him again soon."

Corsi has claimed 21 podiums, including five wins, since his debut back in 2002 but has been absent from the rostrum since 2016. He previously raced for the Forward team from 2013-2015.

"About Simone Corsi, it's a 'welcome back' in the sense that he's already run several seasons with my team and I'm happy he's back to race with us and with the most titled Italian brand in the world," Cuzari added.

Corsi began this season with Tasca racing but was dropped during the summer break in favour of Mattia Pasini, later returning as a substitute rider at NTS.

"I'm happy to be back in action in 2020 and even more to do so with a brand as important as MV Agusta," Corsi said. "I would like to thank Giovanni Cuzari, RPM and the whole team for the trust they have given me and I hope to be able to repay them in turn with results, to be able to bring the famous Italian brand MV Agusta back to the top of the ranking.

"I saw that in recent races the bike has grown a lot, Manzi has achieved good results so I'm even more motivated and ready for this new challenge."

Manzi has taken top-ten finishes in two of the last three races, although the bike's best result so far is his seventh place earlier in the year at Assen.

Aegerter - who took his only Moto2 win in 2014, being disqualified from a follow-up victory at Misano 2017 - also claimed his best of the season, with ninth, at the Dutch round.

Manzi is 20th in the world championship and Aegerter 23rd ahead of this weekend's Valencia finale.