Xavier Simeon and Eric Granado with Esponsorama in MotoE
Esponsorama Racing MotoE – GP of Japan – Twin Ring Motegi
Esponsorama is pleased to announce their rider line-up for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup in 2019. Xavier Simeon and Eric Granado will take part in the challenge for the first ever title in the history of motorcycling racing being contested with electric bikes, with five races on different European circuits next year and 18 riders competing with the same machines.
After a year in MotoGP, this will be a completely new experience for Xavi Simeon. The 29-year-old Belgian rider, winner of the German Moto2 Grand Prix 2015, is enthusiastic about this next step in his racing career and he hopes to be competitive and to put up a fight from the first moment on.
Eric Granado is the fastest and popular Brazilian rider and the 22 year-old has previous experience in the World Championship in Moto3 and Moto2 classes. He won the Moto2 European Championship in 2017 and now is racing in Brazil with Honda. Eric is known as a fierce fighter and there is no doubt that he will provide a spectacular show on the Energica Ego Corsa as well.
At the end of November, the first official tests of this class will take place at the Jerez circuit. On May 5th, 2019, Jerez will also host the first of the five races in the MotoE calendar next year. Simeon and Granado will then move on to Le Mans Le Mans (May 19th), Sachsenring (July 7th), Spielberg (August 11th) and Misano (September 15th).
Xavier Simeon MotoE
“Without a doubt, this will be an important step in my racing career. I love the idea of being part of the first world championship with a completely new generation of competition bikes. It will be a completely different, but at the same time a very exciting experience. I have been thinking about this change for months, because I am at a stage of my sporting career where it is very important to take the right decisions for the future. I experienced a year in MotoGP, which hasn’t been easy at all, and now I’m very happy to be part of a new adventure in this championship and with my team. I can’t wait to go testing and see what we can achieve, because even though the bikes will be completely different, the level of the riders will be as high as in the other categories. But now, there are still four races to go in the current championship. From here until Valencia, I am determined to keep fighting and working hard with the aim of scoring some points in MotoGP.”
Eric Granado
“I want to say big thanks to Raúl and Bocha and the whole team for giving me this great opportunity, I’m looking forward to start and test the bike for the first time in Jerez. The MotoE World Cup is something new for everybody. It will be a question mark how the bike will work and how we will have to adapt our riding style to be competitive. But I’m sure that with the support from the team we will be competitive from the first race. MotoE will be a milestone in road racing motorcycling and I’m pleased to be part of this new adventure. I’m ready and I’ll train hard to get to the maximum level for the first test in Jerez. I want to thank my family and all the people supporting me from Brazil. Now, full throttle!!”