MotoGP – Syahrin back in Moto2 after signing with Angel Nieto Team

Bruno Gomes

October 8, 2019

Malaysian star rider Hafizh Syahrin signs a contract with the Angel Nieto Team and will race in Moto2 class in 2020.

After two seasons racing in MotoGP for the Tech3 outfit, Malaysian star rider Hafizh Syahrin signs a contract with the Angel Nieto Team and will race in Moto2 during the 2020 season. The deal was signed today and after some uncertainty we finally know were Syahrin will race.

Hafizh Syahrin is currently racing for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team but he is no stranger to the Moto2 class. In fact, Syahrin is a two-time podium finisher in Moto2, having stepped into the podium in Motegi and Misano back in 2017.

For the last two season Syahrin made the big step up to MotoGP. He was chosen by Hervé Poncharal to replace Jonas Folger at the French team, at the time racing with Yamaha machinery.

On his rookie season Hafizh Syahrin surprised everyone by finishing in the points most of the races. He fought with Franco Morbidelli for the title of “Rookie of the Year” until the last race of the 2018 season.

This season though, the Malaysian rider hasn’t found the confidence with the KTM RC16. Although he stayed with Tech3, Hafizh Syahrin has struggled most of the season to get up to speed with the Austrian bike.

When KTM announced they would be fielding Brad Binder alongside Miguel Oliveira in Tech3, we knew Syahrin would have a difficult time to find a place to continue racing in MotoGP.

After many negotiations and rumors, Hafizh Syahrin finally signs a contract and will be going back to Moto2. To some this might look like a step backwards, but in reality Syahrin will be racing with a competitive and experienced team.

The best news is that Jorge Martinez, team boss, says that Syahrin is expected to be fighting for the Moto2 championship. This shows how important the Malaysian rider is for the Angel Nieto Team.

This is what Hafizh Syahrin has to say about the deal: “I think that together with the Angel Nieto Team we can do a good job next season. Moto2 is not a new category for me because I already spent several years there, but now I will have a different chassis, a different engine with more power and different tyres. I have raced against the majority of riders in this class and I think I can mix it up at the front. I will give my best to be a top five rider, I have faith in the team because I have worked with a few of them before, and I think we can do a good job”.