Gresini Racing confirms independent MotoGP future from 2022

Stalwart Italian outfit Gresini Racing will revert to independent status from the 2022 MotoGP World Championship season after agreeing a new five-year deal with IRTA to stay in the series.

One of MotoGP's longest-serving outfits with its roots traced back to 1997, Gresini Racing has in that time established its status as one of the series' foremost satellite teams from the latter years of 500GP to the start of the MotoGP era.

Running Honda machinery from its inaugural year in the premier class, Gresini Racing was in 2015 upgraded to de facto works status courtesy of Aprilia after being chosen as the foundation for the Italian marque's renewed factory MotoGP effort.

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After seven seasons though, Aprilia will use the next cycle of team contracts to take its entries in-house at Noale from 2022, with Gresini Racing regaining independent status as a result.

“We’re happy to announce this agreement with IRTA, which will see us in MotoGP for five years starting from 2022. We will not be representing Aprilia as a factory team anymore, so we will continue as an Independent Team, doing so with as much will and commitment. There’s a lot of work to do and many things to define and communicate. Obviously we’re already working on this huge project, and we will reveal the details little by little. Stay tuned!”

Gresini is expected to remain within the Aprilia fold from 2022 as the manufacturer's satellite concern, which in turn increases the MotoGP field to a provisional 24 bikes and, for the first time, four Aprilia entries.