Aleix Espargaro to join NGM Forward Racing

ALEIX Espargaro will depart from the Power Electronics Aspar team and join the NGM Mobile Forward Racing team for the 2014 season along with America’s Colin Edwards.

With Espargaro’s seat now empty for the 2014 season, rumours surrounding the 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden signing for the Power Electronics Aspar team are looking more likely to be true.

The Spaniard has shown his potential amongst the CRT machines where he’s regularly battling alongside the Factory Ducati’s as well as finishing top CRT the majority of the time.

Yamaha have agreed a deal with the NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team to lease the Yamaha package. Team Owner Giovanni Cuzari commented in August: “We agreed with Yamaha to lease the engine and the frame, the body of the bike, so we lease almost a complete bike from Yamaha. We have to take care of the fairing.

“We will use the ECU of Dorna, with 24 litres [of fuel] and one more soft tyre. Those are the rules.

“They [Yamaha] are already testing the engine with the Dorna ECU and they are very positive about that.”

With Espargaro wanting to leave the Aspar team, the 24-year-old was told he would have to buy out of his contract costing around 600,000 euros. However, Espargaro and his manager Albert Valera (who also manages MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo) managed to lower the cost to approximately 400,000 euros.  

Aspar could also be losing their second rider Randy de Puniet as no contract has been renewed as of yet, however Aprilia World Superbike rider Eugene Laverty is becoming heavily linked with the Aspar team for 2014. 

Aspar are continuing to work with Aprilia as they have introduced a complete overhaul of its bike package for the 2014 MotoGP season.