Moto2: The story of Speed Up, the Italian manufacturer present since the start of the "new" category

De Diana Tamantini / Corsedimoto.com

Speed Up, the name of a brand present in Moto2 since it replaced the 250cc category. Do you know the history of this Italian company? We tell it to you.

The current name of the intermediate category, today Moto2, is now ten years old. Throughout this long period, only one Italian chassis manufacturer has been present from the beginning of this new category (2010) until today. It is Speed Up, a Veneto company founded the same year as the category. It has become one of the historic manufacturers of this, even reaching the figure of eight motorcycles on the track during one of the past seasons. In this year 2020, we had four, taking into account the supply to the Aspar team. But what is its story? We tell it to you.

Its founder
It all started, as we said, in 2010. The idea came from Luca Boscosco, a former rider from Veneto, born in 1971, who competed in the 250cc world championship from 1995 to 2001. In all, he competed in 90 races with a 10th place in the world championship as his best result in 1996, the year he won the IRTA CUP, the world championship for private teams (with Scuderia AGV on an Aprilia). In his list of achievements, we also remember the European category title won in 1995. After hanging up his helmet, he remained in the world of racing, but with other activities. In 2002 he became sporting director of Gilera and Derbi, while from 2006 to 2009 he was the team manager of Gilera. His greatest satisfaction came in 2008, when Marco Simoncelli won the world championship in the 250cc category. After leaving this position, he started working on his project.

In Moto2 from the start
In 2010, the intermediate category changed its name, and not only that. Farewell to the 2 cm³ 250T, welcome instead to a 4 cm³ 600T whose engine is supplied by Honda, before finally using in 2019 the current 3 cm³ 765-cylinder Triumph. Many manufacturers immediately launched into this new category, before unfortunately gradually abandoning it afterwards. The one who still resists is precisely Speed Up (the only one who has always remained present since the beginning with Kalex). The debut took place during this very first year of the new Moto2 category: a memorable year thanks to Andrea Iannone, who scored three wins, eight podiums, five pole positions and six fastest laps in the race, to finish in third place in the world at the end of the year. And let's not forget his teammate, the only Hungarian winner, Gábor Talmácsi, author of a 3rd place alongside his winning teammate. Speed Up was the only team that year to place both drivers on the podium in the same race, in Aragón.

In 2011, with an FTR M211 chassis, things didn't go as well: the drivers were Valentine Debise and the young and promising Pol Espargaro, the latter being the only one to get on the podium, twice. He also set a fastest lap in the race.

Since 2012, the Speed Up team has been 100% Italian
Two seasons after his debut in the World Championship, Luca Boscoscuro joined forces with Eros Braconi. This is how the Speed Up Factory and from that moment on, even the motorcycle frame is manufactured in-house. A project which then becomes totally Italian, a reality made of passion and technology, the first fruit of which is the Speed Up SF12. In the official team, it was entrusted to Mike Di Meglio, replaced later in the race by Alessandro Andreozzi (both without significant results), while at Speed Master there was another for Andrea Iannone. The latter took two victories and three other podiums, as well as third place in the championship standings.

During the year, the QMMF Racing Team also placed its trust in the Italian manufacturer, leaving Moriwaki at the start of the season and renewing its trust in the transalpine manufacturer for the following years. In 2013 there is no official team, but it is the peak year for the team, with eight SF13s on track thanks to deals with Forward Racing and AGR. However, only one podium was obtained, a second place obtained by Simone Corsi Germany.

2014 to 2018
The following year, three Speed Ups were on the track, one for Sam Lowes in the official team, plus two for Anthony West et Roman ramos at QMMF. It is the Australian who brings historic success to the Dutch GP.

A partnership with the Qatari team that will continue until the team's home GP in 2017. But let's go in order. In 2015, Speed Up, with Sam Lowes, manages to keep up with Kalex, achieving a victory, five podiums in total, three pole positions and a fastest lap in the race. Results that allow the Italian company to finish for the first time in second place as a manufacturer, a ranking that it will also repeat in 2016 despite the absence of victories, counting the three podiums of Simone Corsi and the standard bearer of the QMMF, Julian Simon.

In 2017, two SF17s are on track for the entire season, driven by four drivers due to injuries and changes. Same thing in 2018, but with the SF18H, it's a return to victory. In Catalonia, fabio quartararo takes care of it, for his first success in the world championship. For the Frenchman, there are also two other podiums, a pole and a fast lap.

From 2019 with Triumph
This is the biggest change in recent years: goodbye to the Honda engine, Triumph arrives with its 765 cm³ three-cylinder in-line engine. Speed Up designs the SF19T, entrusted to Fabio Di Giannantonio et Jorge Navarro. There was no victory, but the Spaniard obtained eight podiums, four pole positions and two fastest laps in the race, which earned him fourth place in the championship. For the Italian, who has just arrived in the category as Moto3 vice-champion, it is two podiums, a pole and other solid places which allow him to secure the title of Rookie of the Year.

In 2020, the team is back with the same duo, but with the addition ofAron Canet and Hafizh Syahrin in the Aspar team, also on Speed Up. For the Italian artisan, Fabio DiGiannantonio obtains two podiums, plus a pole position acquired thanks to the Spanish rookie, best rookie of the year at the end of this complicated 2020 season. In 2021, the team will leave with four SF20Ts and two half-revised teams: in the official team, Jorge Navarro remains while Yari Montella, European Moto2 champion with the Vicenza company, arrives. On the Aspar side, we confirm Aron Canet, who will be joined by the Moto3 world champion Albert Arenas.

Outside the World Cup
Speed Up is also present in the Italian Speed Championship and the CEV. Let's start with the first: from 2016 to 2018 it was present as a manufacturer in the PreMoto3 250 4T, securing the title from the start with 12 successes. In the last year of the category she celebrated the title with the Dutchman Colin Veijer. In 2019, the team moved to Moto3 as Speed Up Junior Team, still with the same rider, and recorded a few podiums.

Since 2018, we have found the Venetian company in the CEV Moto2: the beginnings are made with Tommaso Marcon, 4th and best rookie with three podiums, plus a world wildcard. In 2019, the structure is strengthened, by confirming the Venetian pilot and adding him Yari Montella : three additional podiums for the first (and another wildcard, but with NTS RW Racing GP), one for the rookie, the only one reconfirmed for the year 2020. An exceptional season with eight victories and two additional podiums (only one blank result due to a fall in the warm-up lap), which allowed him to be crowned European champion in the category.