Moto2: 2022 rookie profile – Filip Salac

Czech rider Filip Salac joins the Gresini Moto2 team for the 2022 season.

20-year-old Filip Salac is looking to make a splash in the intermediate Moto2 category for the 2022 season after progressing from PrustelGP to the Gresini team.

Salac’s move to many people could be described as surprising given he has a single podium and pole position in the lightweight Moto3 class, however much like many of the other Moto2 rookies this year he is graduating due to his size and the fact that the middleweight class often suits more riders than the Moto3 class.

Many riders have been promoted to Moto2 throughout history despite a lack of prominent results in Moto3/125cc and have done extremely well, reasons for promotion often include being too big for a Moto3 bike, preferring more power and general feelings of dissatisfaction in Moto3.

Salac took his only Moto3 podium at Le Mans in 2021.

Salac has proven many times that he has the outright speed and natural talent to battle amongst the best and was often described as a dark horse in Moto3, his Le Mans 2021 podium and Sachsenring pole position prove he’s got what it takes to ride at the front, however problems with the Honda of the Snipers Team meant that he parted ways with this team midway through 2021 and moved back to the PrustelGP squad, achieving consistent results on the more competitive KTM machinery.

Graduating to Moto2 looks to be the most logical option for the youngsters career as he continues to learn his craft, at 20-years-old he’s got more than enough years to prove himself.

Featured images – Gresini / MotoGP