KTM has revamped its Tech3 roster for 2021, with Iker Lecuona and Danilo Petrucci pushed aside to make way for current Moto2 championship leaders Gardner and Fernandez.
Gardner currently leads his rookie team-mate Fernandez at Ajo Motorsport with 39 points in Moto2, the latter winning the Aragon Grand Prix last weekend.
MotoGP will race the first of two Grand Prix at the venue next weekend in Misano, with the paddock being left for two days of official testing during the season on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
Motorsport.com has learned that Gardner and Fernandez will get their first taste of KTM MotoGP machines during this test.
While the VR46 team will confirm Marco Bezzecchi’s promotion from Moto2 to MotoGP during the Misano weekend, no test appearance on the Ducati satellite is currently planned.
KTM has also confirmed that Dani Pedrosa’s proposed wildcard for the San Marino GP has been withdrawn.
The 31-time MotoGP winner should compete for the second time in 2021 after the Austrian Grand Prix, but will only drive the Misano test instead.
Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow confirmed last weekend that he will not be present at the Misano test and will instead run a private run on a 2022 M1 prototype in Aragon at the end of the month.
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During the Aragon weekend, Motorsport.com confirmed that outgoing Tech3 rider Lecuona will switch to World Superbikes in 2022 after agreeing a deal with Honda.
His current Tech3 team-mate Danilo Petrucci has also signed a deal with KTM to compete in the Dakar Rally next season after telling Motorsport.com back in June that he was planning a rally switch should he be in lose the MotoGP.
Petronas SRT will announce its new structure for 2022 this weekend in Misano after the Sepang Racing Team’s withdrawal from MotoGP in late 2021.
Andrea Dovizioso will celebrate his MotoGP return at Misano with SRT to replace Franco Morbidelli, who will replace Maverick Vinales on the Yamaha factory team.