Madrid, Spain – 6 March 2015: The 12 riders united under the banner of Estrella Galicia 0,0 unveiled the livery with which they will compete in all categories of the MotoGP World Championship, together with the Campeonato de España de Velocidad Pre-Moto3 and the Junior Moto3 World Championship during a launch event yesterday in Madrid.
The union between the Marc VDS Racing Team and the Monlau Repsol Technical School, under the Estrella Galicia 0,0 banner, has produced a competitive structure that begins as riders take their first racing steps in the Spanish Pre-Moto3 Championship and ends at the very pinnacle of motorcycle racing, in the premier MotoGP class.
Representing Estrella Galicia 0,0 in MotoGP will be Scott Redding. The 22-year-old Briton re-joins the team with which he enjoyed his greatest success, to campaign one of only four factory Honda RC213V machines in the premier class this season.
Tito Rabat will spearhead the Estrella Galicia 0,0 assault on the Moto2 World Championship. The reigning champion will race with the number one on his Kalex Moto2 machine, the first rider to do so since Moto2 replaced the 250cc category in 2010. Racing alongside Rabat will be the reigning Moto3 World Champion, Alex Marquez, who steps up to the intermediate class this season.
15-year-old Fabio Quartararo, the reigning Spanish Moto3 Champion, will represent Estrella Galicia 0,0 in the Moto3 World Championship, alongside Jorge Navarro, the rider who the Frenchman beat to the Spanish title in 2014.
Scott Redding: #45 – MotoGP
“I’m really happy to be back with a team I know well and as the only rider. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, as it means all our efforts will be focussed on a single target. Coming back into the Marc VDS structure feels like coming home to me and the fact that I already know how they work will help us to achieve good results this season. We still have some work to do ahead of the Qatar race if we are to be a little closer to the fastest riders, but I’m confident we are going in the right direction.”
Tito Rabat: #1 – Moto2
“It was difficult to win the championship last season, but it will be more difficult to stay on top this year. The racing will be close this season, so we need to evolve and we will need to work hard, but this is something that motivates me. My training has gone well, I feel fitter than ever and I’m approaching this season with the same enthusiasm as before. It’s difficult to know who my main rivals will be, but we know that the level will be raised and there will be many riders going all out to beat me this season. All I can do is my best, not just when everything is going well, but also when the inevitable difficulties arise.”
Alex Marquez: #73 – Moto2
“Being part of a set up like this motivates me. This season I continue with Estrella Galicia 0,0 but everything else has changed. I have a new team, a new crew and a new challenge racing in the Moto2 World Championship. We know this will not be an easy transition, but we must stay calm, work hard and the results will come. My goal this season is to learn and prepare for 2016, but we mustn’t rule anything out. From mid-season onwards I expect to be able to fight for the podium and maybe win a race, but this could come sooner or later in the year, we will just have to see. Having Tito Rabat riding alongside me in the team is also a motivating factor, and a big help, as the data accumulated by the team will be shared with both riders. There is no pressure on me for results this year, so I can race every race as if it were my last and like this, when you are free to race, you enjoy every Grand Prix one hundred percent.”
Fabio Quartararo: #20 – Moto3
“For me it is a pleasure to be part of Team Estrella Galicia 0,0, with whom I competed and won in the FIM CEV last season. Staying within the same structure will help me grow as a rider and, already, during preseason testing we have achieved some very good results. I was very happy with both the Valencia and Jerez tests, but the best was the bike, on which I immediately felt comfortable. This year my goal is to learn the circuits which are new to me and to enjoy the season, but I would also like to achieve good results in the Grand Prix of Spain and especially at the French Grand Prix.
Jorge Navarro: #09 – Moto3
“Being a part of this team is like a dream come true for me. Yes, it also means additional responsibility, but I think I am ready to step up and face the challenge. I have a great team behind me with Estrella Galicia 0,0, where we have a competitive bike and are supported by some very passionate partners. We need to work hard from the first minute to repay the trust shown in us with good results.”
Emilio Alzamora; Team Principal – Team Estrella Galicia 0,0
“This was a very special day for Team Estrella Galicia 0,0, for the Monlau Repsol Technical School and for Marc VDS because we have presented a project that took a year and a half to bring to fruition. This union between the three parties brings a path not just for young riders to progress to the premier MotoGP class, but also for mechanics and engineers. Five years ago the Monlau Repsol Technical School joined the World Championship with Marc Márquez and from this was born the idea of joining forces with Marc VDS and Estrella Galicia 0,0 to complete a structure that competes across all classes, from grass roots to the very pinnacle of the sport.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal – Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
“The presentation here in Madrid is something we’ve been working towards for some time. Just over a year ago we had a meeting with the directors of Estrella Galicia 0,0 and from this was born the project presented today. As a result we have 12 riders competing in five different categories, which, in my opinion, is the best structure in the world for bringing young talent to MotoGP. Today the two strongest teams in the paddock have joined forces with an outstanding and passionate partner in Estrella Galicia 0,0 and I think this is not just a good day for us, but also for motorcycle racing in general.”
Ignacio Rivera: CEO Hijos de Rivera S.A.U
“Not even in our wildest dreams could we see the project that today we have presented. Inside the company we are living it with great emotion and is useful for us to increase our self-confidence and see ourselves close to bigger company groups. For us it was easy to make the decision and support motorcycle racing starting at the grass roots level, because we don’t have the budget to get a top star rider, but we have focussed our efforts to start from the bottom and reach the top with the Estrella Galicia 0,0 riders that we have helped to grow.”