Dakota Mamola To Make Moto2 Debut
Cycle News Staff | August 25, 2014
Photography by Gold & Goose
Dakota Mamola, the son of four-time 500cc World Championship runner-up Randy Mamola, will make his Grand Prix debut this coming weekend in the British Grand Prix. The 19-year-old Californian who now lives in Spain is set to replace Nico Terol on the Aspar Moto2 team.
Mamola has been racing in the Spanish CEV series with the GRT team and now has three races under his belt in what is his debut season.
“First of all I would like to wish Nico a swift recovery,” Mamola said in a team release. “Thanks to him and the MAPFRE Aspar Team I have this incredible opportunity and I would also like to thank the GRT team for their support in the CEV. To compete in the World Championship is a dream come true; we didn’t expect it to happen this year, but this is the way it’s worked out. It is going to be a completely new experience for me and it will be a good opportunity for me to learn about Moto2. It will also be a chance to build my confidence ahead of the next round of the Spanish Championship at Navarra. I am really happy, it’s a great honor that the MAPFRE Aspar Team have turned to me as Nico’s replacement for this race. I know that they will help me a lot. I am not under any pressure and the objective is to enjoy the experience.”
The Aspar Team has been providing technical support for Mamola in the Spanish Championship. Terol is recovering from muscle fatigue issues, according to the team. He is hoping to be fit for the next round of the series in Misano, Italy.
“We are delighted to offer another opportunity to Dakota Mamola,” said team owner Jorge “Aspar” Martinez. “At the end of May we decided to support him in the CEV and he has shown the potential that he possesses as a rider. He is progressing quickly and we are sure he will continue to do so. He can go out and enjoy Silverstone because he is not under any pressure. The idea is that he continues to build his confidence on the Moto2 bike in preparation for the final few rounds of the Spanish Championship. While we are delighted to have Dakota with us in Silverstone, we want to make it clear that the MAPFRE Aspar Team’s official rider is Nico Terol, who is currently in a process of recovery, and we hope that process is swift so that he can return to racing as soon as possible.”
