The double MotoGP world vice-champion, retired from Grands Prix for ten years, will return to service in 2019.
After the LCR team yesterday, the Pons HP40 team has just announced which rider will ride for them in the brand new MotoE World Championship in 2019. As surprising as it may seem, the team boss, Sito Pons, managed to convince Sete Gibernau, former MotoGP rider, double vice-world champion in 2003 and 2004 and retired for ten years, to return to service.
Gibernau, who had raced for the team in 250cc, will therefore ride in the colors of Pons Racing in MotoE next year.
Sete Gibernau : “Of course, I never thought I would come back to ride in a Championship since I definitely retired. But life always has surprises in store for us. After ten years of retirement and without taking part in competitions, I am here. I thank Sito for the opportunity he gave me and for insisting so much until he convinced me and made this new challenge a new dream in my life. I will work hard to live up to the trust Sito has placed in me. I am particularly happy to ride this new generation of electric motorcycles and to put my grain of sand into its development. I am also happy to say that I will have ridden all three generations of motorcycles that raced in the World Championship: two-strokes, four-strokes and electrics.
Site Pons : “When the new MotoE World Championship was created, it was clear to us that we were going to participate. Electric motorcycles are undoubtedly the future of motorcycling and being able to be part of it from the start makes us proud and excites us. As the category is completely new, we wanted to bring in an experienced rider and I don't see a better option than Sete Gibernau. From the moment he accepted, I was sure that he was ready and that he would give his best, as he always did during his career, to fight for the top places. His experience and abilities make him the benchmark in this category. I am very happy to have him with us and can't wait for us to start working together on this new challenge. »
