Moto2: Cardelus signs as Dixon's team-mate

The Angel Nieto Team has completed its 2019 Moto2 line-up by announcing that Xavi Cardelus will ride alongside Jake Dixon.

The Aspar-run squad is returning to the Moto2 class, with KTM machinery, after transferring its MotoGP places to the new Sepang Yamaha team.

After several wild-card appearances earlier this year, Cardelus was signed by Snipers to take over from the sacked Romano Fenati for the rest of this year, but is still awaiting his first grand prix points.

“I am very grateful to the Angel Nieto Team and Jorge Martinez ‘Aspar’ for this fantastic opportunity to race with them in the Moto2 World Championship in 2019,” Cardelus said.

“This has been a good learning year for me, contesting a few rounds as a wildcard and now ending the season with the Marinelli Snipers team.

“I am growing as a rider and gathering experience, and the step up to being a full-time rider next season, in such a prestigious and high-level team as the Angel Nieto Team, means a huge step up in my career and I plan to pay them back with hard work.

“With the arrival of the new 765cc engines it is also a new era for the series and I think it should suit my riding style. I am going to give it my very best to get up to the same level as this great team.”

Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’ added: “We are going back to the intermediate category, which has given us so many great memories in the past, with a line-up of young riders that we hope to grow with.

“Xavi Cardelús has an exciting future ahead and after a year of getting to know the World Championship circuits, he will now have a full season with the Ángel Nieto Team. He makes the move at the same time as the switch to Triumph engines, which will equal the category out again and could prove to be a great advantage for us.”