Sepang Racing Team is renamed RNF Racing in MotoGP

In August, SRT announced that it would be leaving all three classes of the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the 2021 season, which has existed in Moto3 since 2015, before moving up to Moto2 in 2017 and MotoGP in 2019.

This announcement came after title sponsor Petronas confirmed his own departure from the team at the end of the current campaign.

SRT, which finished second in the drivers’ championship with Franco Morbidelli in 2020 and won six of the seven Yamaha races with Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo last year, will be renamed RNF Racing next year.

The team will continue to be led by Razlan Razali and Johan Stigefelt and will remain in MotoGP until the end of 2026 after a new agreement is reached with Dorna Sports.

Details on sponsorship, driver line-up and a new agreement with Yamaha have yet to be announced – although Andrea Dovizioso will ride with the team on a factory M1 for at least 2022.

“It was a fast journey for us. In the last few months we have made all our efforts to reposition, rename and restart as a fresh and stronger MotoGP team, ”said Razali.

“I want to thank Carmelo [Ezpeleta, Dorna CEO] for his continued trust in me to start this second chapter with a newly built team that will compete in the premier class of MotoGP for the next five years.

“For the coming season, the renamed team will continue our previously proven plan under the new RNF MotoGP Racing unit.

“Expectations will be high and we will do everything we can to meet these aspirations.

“Equipped with the experience we have gained and numerous highlights from the past, we are looking forward to the 2022 season as an even stronger team entry.”

Ezpeleta added, “It is a pleasure to continue to work and collaborate with a team structure led by Razlan Razali under the new RNF MotoGP Racing.

“Our longstanding collaboration has been exciting for both the fans and the competition.

“I know Razlan is very passionate about this project and I am sure that we will continue to see great things from the new team in the coming season and beyond.

“Razlan has been a great addition to the MotoGP family since his days in Sepang and has helped grow the sport in Malaysia and the important region of Southeast Asia in general.”

Moto3 rider Darryn Binder is believed to advance to the new RNF Racing on a ‘B Spec’ Yamaha alongside Dovizioso from SRT in 2022.

The Italian energy supplier WithU is also set to become the title sponsor, but this has yet to be confirmed.

On Friday, ex-MotoGP racer Michael Laverty announced that his new Vision Track Honda team – a team created with the aim of nurturing young British talent – will take over the assets of the SRT Moto3 team starting next year .