Motegi, Japan – 11 October 2015: Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS can confirm that Álex Márquez and Franco Morbidelli will be the two riders with whom the team will contest the Moto2 World Championship in 2016.

For Márquez it will be his second year with Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS in Moto2 and the reigning Moto3 world Champion will start the new season as one of the title favourites. However, the 19-year-old Spaniard can expect a serious challenge from his new teammate.

Morbidelli made his debut in the Moto2 World Championship as a replacement rider in 2013, the same season he was crowned as European 600 Superstock Champion. Top 20 finishes in the three races he contested that season were enough to secure him a permanent slot on the Moto2 grid for 2014. 

The 20-year-old Roman, who is part of the VR46 Riders Academy project, secured his first podium finish in the Moto2 category at Indianapolis this year, finishing an impressive third after a titanic battle with Johann Zarco, Dominique Aegerter and Álex Rins.

Morbidelli has been absent from the Moto2 grid since fracturing his tibia and fibula in a training accident ahead of the Silverstone race, but he is now fully recovered and will return to the championship for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. 

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal 
“Álex has shown with his progress since the summer break that he will be a contender next season, which was exactly how it was planned from the start. However, he won’t have it all his own way, of that I’m sure, because Franco is also one of the riders that I expect to see running at the front and challenging for wins next season. After all, that’s why we signed him! I think for the fans the 2016 Moto2 season will be an exciting one, as we have four or five riders in the class who are more than capable of fighting for the race win every weekend.”

Marc van der Straten: President, Marc VDS Racing Team
“Álex has shown that he now has the measure of Moto2 and I expect we’ll see him get even stronger in the last three races of this season. Next year we have high expectations of him and I’m confident he will rise to the challenge and become a regular frontrunner in the championship. I am looking forward to Franco’s arrival in the team. We were lucky enough to spend some time with him recently and I was impressed by both his determination and his attitude. He will fit perfectly into our racing family and I’m confident he’ll realise his full potential with us in 2016.”