Image: Supplied.

The GasGas Factory Racing Tech3 team will field a youthful line-up in the 2024 MotoGP season, as highly-rated Moto2 leader Pedro Acosta steps up to join current premier class rookie Augusto Fernandez.

Acosta, 19, is arguably the hottest emerging talent in the world championship paddock, claiming the Moto3 title on debut with Red Bull KTM Ajo and winning races in his maiden Moto2 season last year.

He now leads the intermediate class standings by over 50 points this year, as 26-year-old Fernandez has delivered points-scoring finishes in all but two of the 14 grands prix contested so far this season in MotoGP. Fernandez finished seventh last time out at Motegi and his best result of the season was P4 at Le Mans.

“We had an important and difficult decision to make for our GasGas team for 2024,” said GasGas Motorsports director Pit Beirer. “Augusto has made impressive first steps in MotoGP and we are totally convinced he has the speed and the intelligence to keep on progressing.

“Pedro is a very special talent who has already won so much, so quickly and 2024 will be about him learning to take the next step with the big boys in MotoGP. I want to thank Pol for everything he has done and all he continues to do for us.

“This guy is super-tough and super-determined and that’s why we want to count on him as an important part of our structure. Pol’s openness and proactiveness deserves my deepest respect.

“It underlines his greatness as a person that he gave us a helping hand in this situation. It also shows his passion for the sport and his thoughts for the future. With these pieces in place and with Hervé, Nicolas, and all the team and their experience we have an exciting year ahead for the GasGas brand.”

The KTM Group essentially had five contracted riders with four available seats across the KTM and GasGas MotoGP teams for the 2024 season, with Acosta taking the place of current Tech3 rider Pol Espargaro for a full-time position next season. Espargaro will remain within the Pierer Mobility Motorsport project next year, filling a ‘crucial and very valued position’, expected to be a testing role with wildcard or fill-in opportunities.