Max Nagl joins TM Factory Racing as team returns to MXGP

TM Racing has announced today that they are back racing the FIM World Motocross Championship. And they’ve made an excellent first signing.

The past two years, the Italian Factory – based in Pesaro – focused on young racers battling it out in the MX2.

Their decision to focus on youth rewarded them with excellent results achieved by Samuele Bernardini. This year the racer won the second heat of the Indonesian Grand Prix, finishing second overall at the end of the GP.

Not since 2015 has TM competed in the premier class when Davide Guarneri finished 18th in the overall championship standings.

TM now say it’s time to race MXGP again.

And they’ve signed a top class racer for the team’s MXGP return with Max Nagl joining for 2018.

“I’m very happy to be part of TM Racing Factory Team. I feel so inspired,” Nagl said.

“TM Racing Factory Team is a different reality. The team is smaller compared to others and this fits with me.

“I can’t wait to start developing the new MX 450FI machinery, as well as working side by side with such a highly motivated team.”

Max Nagl will help develop TM’s MX 450FI

The German will race using machinery that is the evolution of the prototype used in 2015. And TM says there are going to be several updates in terms of engine, frame and suspension.

The MX 450FI will undergo constant development throughout the whole season.

The aim is to move the bike’s performance forward, race after race, in order to have machinery that perfectly suits Nagl. His ideal bike you could say.

“Engaging Max in our team is a great honuor,” said team manager, Marco Ricciardi. “I have a great opinion of Max, talking from a technical point of view and especially for his professionalism and honesty demonstrated for so many years in the paddock. This is the reason why I think he is the right rider for our come back to the top class.

“To tell you the truth, I’m very proud of being part of this evolution and important project for TM Racing. The world championship enjoys great health; however, some manufacturers even bigger than ours decided to shut down their Teams in MX2 while one definitely retired from racing. On the other hand, TM Racing decided to work its way up and go back to MXGP!

“Now we have to work hard to provide Max with the best bike ever so that he could stay at the top of the standings. Furthermore, we will do our best to bring Samuele back to the goals and levels achieved at the beginning of the season. I’ve no doubts Samu will be able to recover after the bad accident which affected his season.”