After two incredible years together, Joe Roberts and The American Racing Team will split up at the end of the 2020 season. The American Racing Team is delighted that Roberts is moving to another Moto2 team to advance his career and is very grateful for the last two years of mutual success.
The goal of the American Racing Team and the American Racing Academy is to give American riders the opportunity to showcase their talent in the MotoGP paddock. Joe Roberts is the first rider to take this opportunity and have had some incredible success and is currently about to expire his contract with the team. With current teammates Marcos Ramirez With a two-year contract, Roberts will now take the next step in his career and move to another top team in the championship. He will maintain his ties to Eitan Butbul and John Hopkins throughout his career.
In the coming weeks, The American Racing Team will announce who will partner Ramirez for the 2021 season. In line with the ultimate goal of the American Racing Academy, the new addition is another competitive American driver who has the opportunity to prove his talent in the MotoGP paddock.
“John Hopkins and I originally teamed up to form the American Racing Academy to” successfully “bring American riders back to the MotoGP paddock.” – said Eitan Butbul – Team Owners and Managers – This could be achieved with the American Racing Moto2 Team as the perfect platform, with Joe being our first American rider to take on this new challenge. I believed in Joe’s talent from the day we worked together in 2018 (as his personal manager) and with the hard work of the American team we managed to achieve the goal of showing Joe the potential, a top -Become a candidate. At the same time, there has recently been a great opportunity to bring on a very strong American talent for the 2021 season, and with Joe Roberts at the end of his current contract with the team and Marcos Ramirez on a two-year deal that demonstrates constant improvement was the best option, Joe to join another Moto2 team that he thinks is strong and competitive enough to advance his career. The move is in line with the goal of making the leap into the MotoGP championship in the coming years. The American Racing Team is fully committed to delivering on the American Racing Academy’s promise to successfully bring strong American talent back into the MotoGP paddock. “
“I just want to start by saying It has been an absolute honor to work with The American Racing Team and Joe Roberts this season – said John Hopkins – Joe’s manager and riding coach – can share my years of experience and play a role in helping him reach his true potential and see how he finally secures his place as a contender for the Moto2 championship. I can honestly say that it was more rewarding to see him successful than my own racing success! Of course I’m sad to see him leave the American Racing Team, but together with Eitan Butbul we are still his personal manager and we fully support his decision. We wish him well and will continue to give him our full attention and support as he progresses his career. Lastly, while bittersweet, it’s a great opportunity to deliver on our promise when we started the American Racing Academy earlier this year which was to get more Americans (successfully) back into the MotoGP paddock and that American Racing Moto2 team as the perfect platform to use it like that. We have new and exciting things to share soon, so stay tuned! ”
“I’d like to say a big thank you to Eitan Butbul, John Hopkins and the entire American Racing Team – it’s done Joe Roberts – I really feel like I’ve made a big step as a driver with the program we had this year. We have a fantastic season together and they are a great bunch of guys. Eitan, John and I agree that it is time for me to take this next step towards becoming a world champion. I wish the American racing team all the best and support their goal of bringing the Americans to world standards. The plan now is to continue the season strong. John, my crew boss Lucio and my boys and I will concentrate 100% on giving the maximum in all five remaining races of the season and winning races. “