The German will race for the first time with the Malaysian team next week in Barcelona.
MotoGP podium holder and Moto2 winner Jonas Folger will replace Khairul Idham Pawi in the next three rounds of the Moto2 World Championship for the Petronas Sprinta Racing team, as the Malaysian recovers from injuries sustained at the Spanish Grand Prix .
The 25-year-old German will compete in the Catalan Grand Prix next weekend as well as the Dutch GP and his home race at the Sachsenring. Folger is a direct replacement for Mattia Pasini, who raced as a substitute for the team at Le Mans and Mugello but broke his collarbone in a motocross accident after the Italian GP.
Folger has an impressive Grand Prix record, having won five races and 24 podiums, including three victories in the intermediate category. He also has considerable experience with the Triumph-powered Kalex Moto2 motorcycle through his role as lead development rider on the project during its early stages.
The Catalan Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya from June 14-16 will mark Folger's first race since the end of 2017, but he has recently participated in circuit testing as a test driver Yamaha MotoGP.
Khairul Idham Pawi is progressing well regarding his hand injuries sustained at Jerez and his recovery to be fit later this season. Petronas Sprinta Racing thanks Mattia Pasini for his services as “KIP” replacement during the last two rounds of the championship and wishes him a speedy recovery.
Jonas Folger: “ I am very excited to have the chance to compete again. I can't wait to get back on a bike and get that feeling of racing. Petronas Sprinta Racing is an exceptionally professional team in all three categories and I have known some members of the Moto2 team in the past. I'm looking forward to working with them again, especially since I have good friends there. I have good memories of Barcelona, having been on the podium and doing fast laps there in the past. It's actually one of my favorite tracks and suits my riding style well. The Kalex is a very fun bike to ride because the riding style is very similar to what you use in MotoGP. The Triumph's engine seems closer to a MotoGP, it suits me and I didn't do badly in the tests, so I can't wait to go back! ".
Razlan Razali : « This is a fabulous opportunity for Petronas Sprinta Racing to sign a rider of the caliber of Jonas Folger for the next three Moto2 races. He will bring an additional element to the team and help drive our Moto2 program forward in anticipation of the return of Khairul Idham Pawi later this season. We know that Jonas' experience in MotoGP and with the Kalex will bring us good rewards. We want the team to be as strong as possible for KIP's return as he has the best potential for a Malaysian rider in Moto2. We are working closely with KIP to ensure he returns to action at the right time.”
Johan Stigefelt: “ Jonas Folger is a great driver, so it's a great signing for us. Jonas not only has experience in Moto2, he also knows the latest Kalex very well having been the first rider in development with the Triumph engine. Jonas also has experience in MotoGP, which allows him to bring great experience to the team. The battle in Moto2 is very tight, but we know we have a lot of potential. It's totally beneficial for us to work with a driver like Jonas. We wish Mattia a speedy recovery from his collarbone injury.”
