Inaugural FIM MotoE World Champion Mattia Casadei has confirmed he will return to defend his title in 2024 but will do so with the LCR E-Team.
Casadei broke through in 2023 with his run to the title, in what was also MotoE’s first season designated as a fully-fledged World Championship - having held ‘World Cup’ status in previous years - with the Pons HP Los40 Racing team.
However, with former 500GP/MotoGP outfit Pons Racing dropping out of grand prix competition for 2024, Casadei has sought alternative arrangements with Monaco-flagged outfit LCR E-Team.
He will be paired with Eric Granado who, along with Casadei, Matteo Ferrari and Maria Herrera have to date contested all five seasons of MotoE since its inception in 2019.
Casadei’s switch comes after he was tipped to progress to Moto2 for 2024 having contested the lattermost rounds of 2023 with Fantic Racing. However, his hopes of landing a ride were scuppered when the Italian outfit instead chose Andorra’s Xavi Cardelus alongside Aron Canet.
Casadei romped to the 2023 MotoE World Championship title during the Misano season finale following a campaign that came alive in the latter half of the year. Having trailed Ferrari (Gresini) and Jordi Torres returning from the summer hiatus, Casadei's run of five wins from the final eight races would see him surge past both.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Pons’ MotoE operation will be taken over by MT Helmets - MSI, in addition to taking up its Moto2 entry. The Spanish effort, which is prepared by Teo Martin Motorsport - currently races in Moto3.