CFMoto becomes fourth Pierer associate brand to enter 2022 Moto3

CFMoto has announced it will move into grand prix racing with an entry in the 2022 Moto3 World Championship, becoming the fourth brand associated with the Pierer Mobility Group to hit the track.

The firm will link up with the German PruestelGP team to enter a pair of KTM-built bikes that will run CFMoto branding and run under a Chinese flag.

Though CFMoto isn’t part of the Pierer portfolio, it is closely associated with KTM through engineering and manufacturing deals with the firm preparing to launch its new MT-800 adventure crossover, which is based on the KTM 790 Adventure. 

As such, it will become the fourth associated brand to compete in Moto3, joining KTM itself, plus Husqvarna - which competes with Max Biaggi’s Moto3 set-up - and GASGAS, which has linked up with Aspar.

The trio - all using rebranded KTM machinery - are currently dominating the Moto3 standings, filling seven of the top ten positions between them, including comfortable championship leader Pedro Acosta (KTM), plus Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) in third and Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) in fourth having won 10 of 14 races between them.

PruetelGP is yet to confirm which riders it will run as part of its new deal with CFMoto. It currently has Ryusei Yamanaka and Filip Salac racing, the pair achieving a best finish of seventh place for the team.

The German outfit hit the headlines earlier this year following the death of its rider Jason Dupasquier in an accident during qualifying for the Italian GP at Mugello.

CFMoto will become the first Chinese marque to enter Moto3, though Loncin did run a 125GP team in the late 2000s, while Zongshen competed with a 250GP team in 2005.