Cuzari's arrest has thrown the team into disarray. Forward Racing team, consisting of MotoGP riders Loris Baz and Stefan Bradl, and Simone Corsi and Lorenzo Baldasari in Moto2, will not compete at the upcoming Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP round on August 9 following the arrest of team owner Giovanni Cuzari and the freezing of team assets and funds by Swiss authorities.
Cuzari is under investigation for tax evasion and other financial impropriety, with the immediate future of the team now in serious jeopardy.
Forward Racing is still hoping to complete the season when the European rounds resume in the Czech Republic on August 16.
In a statement released on the team's website, it states, "In the aftermath of the arrest and the charges against Giovanni Cuzari, director and owner of Forward Racing, the Team, through its closest collaborators, has returned to work immediately to stem the possible consequences of this situation, in order to continue its sport activity and to end the current season, following also the desire of Giovanni.
"Unfortunately, the reaction of the sponsors, the main source of income of an independent team, was immediate and resolute. Inevitably some of them canceled the existing contracts and interrupted payments, creating further financial troubles that could jeopardize completely the surviving of the Team."
Forward Racing team manager Marco Curioni went a step further, saying, "Only in the last hours we have glimpsed the real possibility to overcome this situation. I hope to have Giovanni – who until proven to the contrary he is correct to assume innocent – soon with us and available to find a solution. In this dark moment, several "partners" and "friends" have understandably distanced himself from the team and then for this reason I want to thank those who are helping us."
