Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Moto2

Tony Arbolino
Born 3 August 2000 in Garbagnate Milanese, Italy.

Tony Arbolino was just four years old when he made his debut in Mini-Moto. In 2009, he took part in the Italian Championship, where he made steady progress. In 2015 and 2016, he raced in Spain with Paolo Simoncelli's SIC 58 team. Runner-up in his second CEV season, he made his Grand Prix debut in 2017, scoring his first two points. The following year, recruited by the Marinelli Snipers team, he regularly finished in the top ten. It was in 2019 that he reached a new milestone with seven podium finishes and two fine victories that enabled him to finish the season in fourth place. A title contender in 2020, he ended his final season in Moto3 in second place overall behind Albert Arenas. Moving up to Moto2 with the Intact team in 2021, Tony Arbolino took a promising fourth place at Le Mans. Fourteenth in his first season in the intermediate class, he was recruited by the Marc VDS team to succeed Augusto Fernandez, who had moved to the Aki Ajo team. The Italian did not disappoint his new employers. He scored his first three Moto2 wins and five podium finishes to finish the championship in fourth place. Tony Arbolino did even better last year, claiming the honorary title of vice-world champion with nine podium finishes, including three wins. The Italian was in the lead for a long time, but was eventually overtaken by Pedro Acosta, but was able to hold off Firmin Aldeguer, who proved to be a real threat towards the end of the season.

Filip Salac
Born on 12 December 2001 in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic

Filip Salac got his start in motorbike racing with the Red Bull Rookies Cup. The Czech rider has competed in three editions. In 2018, he made his name on the podium five times to finish fourth in the competition. During the same period, the Czech also competed in the FIM CEV Moto3 championship. After making his debut there in 2016, he steadily improved to finish 11th overall. In 2018, he was awarded a wild card to compete in his home Grand Prix. This enabled him to be recruited by the Pruestel GP team, with whom he twice finished in the top 10. He put in similar performances the following year with Rivacold Snipers. Unfortunately a crash ruled him out of the last two Grands Prix. Re-appointed, he scored his first podium at Le Mans in 2021. The following season, he discovered Moto 2 with the Gresini team. He finished in the top 10 on three occasions, culminating in second place in Thailand after a race cut short by rain. He continues to progress in 2023. Filip Salac came second in the French Grand Prix, scoring 110 points and finishing 11th in the world championship.

His potential convinced the ELF Marc VDS team to recruit him this year to team up with Tony Arbolino.