YAMAHA MOTOR COMPANY AND RNF MOTOGP TEAM SIGN AGREEMENT FOR 2022

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and RNF Racing Ltd. signed a one-year deal for the supply of YZR-M1 bikes to the newly branded RNF MotoGP Team in 2022, with options to extend the partnership for 2023 and 2024.

Misano Adriatico (Italy), 21st October 2021

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is pleased to confirm the signing of an agreement with RNF Racing Ltd. The freshly branded RNF MotoGP Team is set for a new era as part of the Yamaha line-up in 2022 and possibly 2023 and 2024.

Sepang Racing Team is rebranded RNF MotoGP Team, with former CEO of Sepang International Circuit and Team Principal Razlan Razali remaining at the helm. The team has signed a five-year deal with IRTA that sees the remodelled set-up continue participating as an Independent Team in the premier class of the FIM MotoGP World Championship until 2026.

The signed agreement between Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and RNF Racing Ltd. foresees the satellite team leasing Yamaha YZR-M1 motorcycles for 2022, with the option to extend the partnership for the 2023 and 2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship seasons.

LIN JARVIS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, YAMAHA MOTOR RACING

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with the now rebranded RNF MotoGP Team. When Razlan Razali and the Sepang Racing Team embarked on their MotoGP adventure at the end of 2018 and the start of 2019, nobody could have expected how they would take the premier class by storm. The impressive 2019 season and exceptional 2020 season results underline the professionalism and quality of this team that will soon be renamed RNF MotoGP Team.

“The core DNA of this team remains, so we are confident to continue with them as our official supported satellite team. Moreover, Yamaha has always been clear that it wants to continue to have four bikes in total on the MotoGP grid: two bikes in the Factory Team and two bikes in the Independent team.

“We will do our best to support the newly founded RNF Racing Ltd. to achieve their goals and to provide the stepping stone for future talents to enter into the world of Yamaha in MotoGP.”

RAZLAN RAZALI

FOUNDER & TEAM PRINCIPAL, RNF RACING LTD

“We have today reached a historical milestone for the new RNF MotoGP Team. I would like to thank Yamaha for the trust and confidence given to me and the team for the upcoming season despite the changes that happened this year.

“The achievements that we have shared together in the first three years of our partnership with wins, podiums, pole positions, and awards has been memorable and motivates us towards greater heights.

“We have the experience from our past successes, supported by the same strong and passionate crew from our MotoGP garage, with a solid rider line-up, so we are set for a competitive comeback with Yamaha for the 2022 season.”

More, from another press release issued by Yamaha Motor Racing:

DARRYN BINDER JOINS RNF MOTOGP TEAM RIDER LINE-UP FOR 2022

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is delighted to announce that Moto3 talent Darryn Binder will be joining Andrea Dovizioso in the rebranded RNF MotoGP Team. The South African will race for Yamaha‘s satellite team in 2022 with an option to stay on for the 2023 MotoGP season.

Misano Adriatico (Italy), 21st October 2021

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce the signing of Moto3 talent Darryn Binder. He will be joining Yamaha‘s rebranded RNF MotoGP Team‘s rider line-up for the 2022 MotoGP season, with an option to stay on for 2023.

Following two years of riding in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, the South African started his full-time Moto3 class career in 2015. That year Binder became a well-known name thanks to his brother (Brad Binder) who went on to become the 2016 Moto3 Champion. However, Darryn has since long proven that he is an exceptional racing talent in his own right. Known for his hard racing and making use of any and every available gap during a race, the 23-year-old has ridden to six Moto3 podiums so far, including a win at the 2020 Catalan GP.

Furthermore, Darryn Binder‘s eagerness, feistiness, and seven Moto3 seasons of experience make him a perfect teammate for the vastly experienced Andrea Dovizioso, as the rebranded RNF MotoGP Team start their new and exciting chapter.

LIN JARVIS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, YAMAHA MOTOR RACING

“I want to give a warm welcome to Darryn. We are delighted that he is joining the Yamaha line-up next year. We‘ve had many conversations about who would be a good match for the new RNF MotoGP Team set-up. It‘s a fresh start for the Yamaha satellite team and that makes it all the more fitting to have a young and eager rider like Darryn join them, as Fabio and Franky did before him.

“For Yamaha the primary mission of the satellite team is developing future MotoGP talents. Darryn has already shown on numerous occasions what he‘s made of in the Moto3 class. We know he is a fast and determined rider who has got what it takes to battle at the front of the pack. Obviously, the step up to MotoGP is significant and will take some adjusting, but we feel that he‘s ready, and Yamaha and the RNF MotoGP Team will fully support him for this new and exciting challenge.”

DARRYN BINDER

RNF MOTOGP TEAM RIDER

“I‘m extremely grateful for this opportunity, as it has been a lifelong dream to race in the MotoGP category. I definitely didn‘t expect to make the jump straight from Moto3 to the highest class, but I do believe I‘m up for the challenge, and I‘m ready to put in all the hard work for 2022.

“My target at the beginning will be just to find my feet in the big class and learn as much as possible to get stronger and stronger throughout my rookie season.

“I would like to say a really big ’Thank you‘ to Yamaha and the RNF MotoGP Team for everything they have done to make this possible as well as everyone who has been involved in getting me to this point.

“I‘m now just looking forward to riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 for the first time at the end of this season.”

MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP RETURN TO MISANO FOR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH POINT

Misano Adriatico (Italy), 20th October 2021

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are ready to commence the final European leg of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, starting with this weekend‘s Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia-Romagna.

After a two-week break, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team is going into this weekend‘s Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia-Romagna with renewed energy.

The Factory Yamaha team is particularly fond of racing at the Misano track, which they view as a home GP. Fabio Quartararo enjoys riding his YZR-M1 at this venue, evident from the two second places he scored here in 2019 and 2021.

However, this upcoming round will be slightly more intense than usual for El Diablo, because he has his first opportunity to seal the deal on his 2021 MotoGP Title quest this weekend. Thanks to the Frenchman‘s brilliant second place in Austin three weeks ago, he is currently leading the championship with a 52-point advantage over his closest rival with three races remaining.

The Misano track plays a significant role in Franco Morbidelli‘s career. Not only did he ride his very first Grand Prix there in the Moto2 class in 2013, he also secured his first MotoGP victory at this circuit in 2020 and made his Factory Yamaha debut there this year during the San Marino GP.

The Italian is hoping to make the upcoming Emilia-Romagna GP another memorable occasion. Following the Misano Test and further rehabilitation for his knee injury since then, he is keen to have another go with improved feeling at this track. He is currently in 17th position in the overall rankings, with a total of 40 points.

The Misano circuit, constructed in 1972, was a regular scene for Italian Grands Prix throughout the 80s and early 90s. The 4.2 km track is ridden clockwise since a radical renovation was done to meet MotoGP’s safety regulations in 2007 that put the circuit back on the MotoGP calendar. The upgrade also included a new chicane, resulting in the current lay-out of six left and ten right corners, and giving the track increased racing excitement.

Those who wish to be reminded of the Misano track‘s lay-out can refresh their memory by watching the Emilia–Romagna GP eSport video and Franco Morbidelli’s ‘Map The Track – San Marino GP’ video.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

We are back in Misano again, ready to begin the closing chapters of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship. This is a crucial point in the season, for Fabio as well as the team and Yamaha, but we will be treating it as a ’normal GP weekend‘. By this I mean: we‘ll give it our all in every session and work together as a team. We completed the San Marino GP and the immediately following Misano Test with very positive results. We have used that data to prepare for this weekend, so we are expecting to be able to give another competitive performance.

FABIO QUARTARARO

Austin was really tough but rewarding. That second place was great for the championship, especially because we only have three GPs left. For this final part of the competition my mindset has changed a little. The last time we were in Misano, I was racing for the win and not thinking about the championship at all. Of course I will still do my best as always to get the best result possible this weekend, because that‘s what I enjoy most, but I will try to be smart about it.

FRANCO MORBIDELLI

The race in Austin was really tough, mostly because the circuit was very demanding on my injured knee. The two weeks of no racing allowed me to give the leg a bit of rest, so we now start the next Grand Prix in a better shape than we finished the previous one. We made some good progress during the Misano Test in September. We made a big step and improved my feeling with the bike considerably at this track, so I am looking forward to continue working in that direction this weekend.

Marquez and Espargaro return to Misano

The Repsol Honda Team will return to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the second time in 2021, looking to build on their first race and a fruitful test at the track.

Of all the circuits on the 2021 MotoGP World Championship calendar, only the Losail International Circuit in Qatar will have had more on-track action than Misano when the season draws to a close. With a full race weekend and two intense days of testing already done, this next Grand Prix is set to be quick from the start. Although, early forecasts are predicting decidedly cooler conditions than the previous edition.

Austin race winner, Marc Marquez arrives back in Italy after not just his second victory of his comeback season, but also in the best form of the year. Three straight top-five finishes, including a podium in Aragon and a win in Austin, demonstrate the improvements Marquez and the Honda RC213V have made since being reunited in Portimao earlier in the year. A positive result earlier in Misano, taking a late fourth place in the race, and a busy but productive test have the eight-time World Champion set up well for round 16.

Like his Repsol Honda Team teammate, Pol Espargaro is eager to return to the circuit after two weeks away and put what he learned during the post-race test to use. Espargaro earned a solid seventh place finish on his previous visit to Misano and is aiming for more after a productive two days testing at the Italian circuit. With tenth place in Austin, Espargaro has so far taken eight top-ten finishes in his debut season for the Repsol Honda Team.

As always, the weekend will begin at 09:55 Local Time on Friday, October 22 with Free Practice 1, with the Gran Premio dell’Emilia-Romagna getting underway at 14:00 on Sunday, October 24 and running over 27 laps.

Marc Marquez

“We come back to Misano in a better situation, each weekend we have been able to improve a little bit more. Now we start the last three races of the year so hopefully we can continue the trend of recent rounds and end the season well. Last race here I had a very funny battle with Miller and Mir so hopefully we can be fighting once again. Let’s see what will happen, conditions could be quite different even if it’s just a few weeks later.”

Pol Espargaro

“It’s time to focus and end the season with a strong last three races. There’s some good potential going into Misano, especially after the test where we were able to try more things. Everyone else has also had a lot of time in Misano so it’s going to be a fast weekend from the start but I think going there a few weeks later could change the situation with the temperature and the weather. Like always, we need to work from Friday and have a good Saturday to be in a position to fight on Sunday.”

Location Information

Close to the city of Rimini, the Misano Adriático circuit was constructed in 1972 and has since undergone an array of modifications. A regular scene for Italian Grands Prix throughout the 80s and early 90s, Misano returned to the MotoGP calendar in 2007.With updated facilities, track and grandstands, the Misano… read more.
 

Circuit Information

Length 4.226 kilometres / 2.626 miles

Width 14 metres

Left corners 6

Right corners 10

Longest straight 0.565 kilometres / 0.351 miles

Constructed 1969

Modified 2008

Circuit Records

Pole Position 1m31.065s (167.0 km/h) Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati, 2021)

Race Lap 1m32.242s (164.9km/h) Enea Bastianini (Ducati, 2021)

Race Time 41m48.305s (163.7 km/h) Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati, 2021)

2021 Race Winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati, 2021)

Rossi and Dovizioso set for second GP at Misano

This weekend will be the final home GP for Valentino Rossi and the second for Andrea Dovizioso in PETRONAS Yamaha SRT colours

PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team will be back in action this weekend at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Gran Premio Made in Italy e dell’Emilia Romagna, which will be the final home GP for Valentino Rossi – after a racing career that spans 26 years – and the second for Andrea Dovizioso – since he made his MotoGP return.

After ending the AmericasGP inside the points last time out, Rossi will be aiming to end the last home race of his career on a high and continue to make improvements for the final Grands Prix of 2021. As the scene of three wins, six podium finishes and one pole position in the premier class, home-hero ‘Vale’ will be hoping to give his yellow-clad home crowd something extra to cheer about this weekend.

Team-mate Dovizioso, who is also enjoying his second home race this weekend, will be returning to the scene of his PETRONAS Yamaha SRT debut and hoping to continue his points scoring ways, after ending the race at COTA 13th. Although conditions might be different to what the Italian faced at the SanMarinoGP and two-day Misano test a month ago, ‘Dovi’ is looking forward to getting back on his bike and seeing what improvements he has made since then.

Free Practice 1 will get underway at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT) on Friday for Rossi and Dovizioso, with Sunday’s 27-lap MotoGP race bringing the EmiliaRomagnaGP to a close at 2pm local time (8pm MYT).

Valentino Rossi

It’s been good to have these two weeks without races, as we had some busy times – including travelling to the USA, which was a really demanding race. During this time I’ve been training hard at home to make sure we can face the final three races of this season in the best physical condition. This second race in Misano will be tougher than the first one because it is likely to be cooler than one month ago. We need to work to give our best, try to be a bit faster than in the last races and fine-tune the settings to be more competitive. The previous race in Misano was already a really emotional moment for me and, of course, this one will be a special race at home and I really hope the Italian fans can enjoy it.

Andrea Dovizioso

I think it will be very hard to be competitive enough to make it into the top-ten, but the improvements we have made since the first Misano race are huge. I’m really happy about that. After a good experience at that race and also in America, I’m looking forward to going back to Misano. This weekend will be a good opportunity to compare the bike and where we are now to where we were one month ago at the same circuit, although the conditions might be different. I think this will help me to be faster and I’m aiming to stay within the group. I’m really looking forward to being more competitive and fighting with the other riders.