Husqvarna graduates to Moto2 for 2023, signs MotoGP exile Darryn Binder

Husqvarna will be represented in the Moto2 World Championship for the first time next season after agreeing a partnership with Intact GP and hiring soon-to-be-ex-MotoGP rider Darryn Binder.

While the Swedish manufacturer is historically associated with rally raid and motocross competition, it returned to short circuit racing in 2020 with a Moto3 entry using a rebranded version of the KTM RC250GP.

A stablemate of KTM and GASGAS - which are also owned by the Pierer Mobility Group - Husqvarna is following the track of the latter brand, which made its Moto3 debut in 2020, before progressing to Moto2 this season. GASGAS will now enter MotoGP full-time next season as the branded partner of the Tech 3 Racing team using KTM machinery.

Unlike its Moto3 effort, however, Husqvarna’s move to Moto2 will be predominantly branding only now KTM no longer supplies its chassis to customer teams. However, KTM has retained a significant presence in Moto2 as the primary backer of the multiple title-winning Ajo Motorsport team.

Having competed alongside Max Biaggi Racing in Moto3, Husqvarna will for 2023 be hooking up with the German IntactGP squad in both classes.

While IntactGP have been racing with Marcel Schrotter and Jeremy Alcoba in Moto2, for 2023 line-up will comprise of Binder and Lukas Tulovic, while in Moto3 Ayumi Sasaki - a two-time race winner this season - stays on board, together with Dutch rookie Colin Veijer.

Though hugely experienced at GP level, this will be Binder’s first season of Moto2 competition having made the unusual step of reaching MotoGP straight from Moto3. 

Competing with the RNF Yamaha squad, though the South African - younger brother of KTM MotoGP race winner Brad Binder - faced criticism at the time of his signing, he has arguably performed above expectations having secured a top ten finish in only his second start, while he has out-scored fellow rookies Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez.

Team-mate Tulovic, meanwhile, returns to Moto2 three years on from his first and only season in the intermediate class. The German rider has since gone on to win a race in MotoE and was recently crowned European Moto2 Champion.

“Finally we have been able to grow the white and blue from Moto3 to Moto2 and I cannot be happier with our new partners to take Husqvarna Motorcycles into the next era,” Jens Hainbach, Husqvarna Motorcycles Head of Sports Management Road Racing. 

“2022 has been a breakthrough in Moto3 and it’s fantastic that we will continue on a solid foundation with Peter’s expertise. Jürgen knows Moto2 better than most and, overall, we believe our mix of riders for the brand combine a lot of potential and youth. It’s a strong group package and I want to thank everyone involved for bringing this all together.”