Legendary Italian manufacturer MV Agusta will return to grand prix racing next year to supply the Forward Moto2 team with chassis, after both parties agreed a four-year deal to join forces.
MV Agusta was a dominant force in grand prix racing across all classes through the 1950s, '60s and early 70s, with the firm tallying up 38 riders' titles, 18 of those coming in the premier class – most notably courtesy of 15-time champion Giacomo Agostini.
The marque withdrew from grand prix racing in 1976, though the name returned to the grid at Misano last year as part of a one-off sponsorship tie-up with the Forward Racing Moto2 team.
Ahead of this weekend's French Grand Prix at Le Mans, Forward Racing and MV owner Giovanni Castiglioni have announced a four-year partnership for the Italian marque to build chassis for Forward in the intermediate class.
Currently, Forward fields Suter chassis, and are the only team to do so after the Swiss manufacturer originally announced its withdrawal from the class towards the end of last year.
Riders Stefano Manzi and Eric Granado have found the going tough so far this season on the Suter frame, with neither scoring a point in the opening four races.
MV Agusta are the fourth confirmed chassis manufacturer to be competing in Moto2 next season, along with KTM, Kalex and NTS, with the future of the Tech3 – who will ditch its Mistral 610 frame for KTMs as part of its tie-up with the Austrian manufacturer in MotoGP – and Suter chassis unclear.
2019 will see the biggest shake-up to the Moto2 technical regulations since the class' inception in 2010, with British firm Triumph replacing Honda as sole engine supplier with its three-cylinder 765cc motor.
