Keputusan mengejut oleh Johann Zarco untuk meninggalkan pasukan KTM hujung musim ini mencetuskan persoalan, siapa yang bakal menjadi penggantinya bagi musim 2020?
Tatkala rata-rata pelumba lain telah pun terikat, timbul dakwaan bahawa slot Zarco akan diisi pelumba muda Tech3, Miguel Oliveira.
Pelumba Portugal itu tampak sebagai calon terbaik apatah lagi secara tidak langsung memiliki kontrak bersama KTM di Tech3.
Bagaimanapun, sekiranya senario itu direalisasikan pastinya akan memeningkan kepada pengurus Tech3, Herve Poncharal, yang tidak sabar menyaksikan gandingan Oliveira dan Bradn Binder musim depan.
“Saya sangat teruja dan bangga kerana kami memiliki gandingan terbaik bagi musim depan.
“Miguel (Oliveira) seorang pelumba yang hebat. Saya sudah mengenalinya untuk beberapa tahun dan dia seorang yang baik.
“Keputusan yang dilakar di Austria cukup membanggakan kerana meskipun tidak mendapat pakej yang mantap dia masih mampu mencatat keputusan baik. Saya anggap dia sebagai seorang hero.
“Miguel dan Brad (Binder) pernah sepasukan sebelum ini tetapi saya dapat berasakan saingan sengit bakal ditampilkan kedua-dua pelumba ini.
“Ketika saya sedang membayangan segala kemungkinan yang boleh dicapai dengan gandingan Miguel dan Brad tiba-tiba boom! Zarco membuat pengumuman mengejutkan itu!” jelas Poncharal.
Poncharal telah ditanyakan tentang masa depan Oliveira berkali-kali dan ketika ini soalan itu merupakan pertanyaan wajib di setiap sidang media.
Bagaimanapun, dia boleh menarik nafas lega takala pengurus KTM, Stefan Peirer, juga tidak bercadang untuk ‘mencuri’ Oliveira dari Tech3.
“Saya mahu Miguel (Oliveira) kekal disini tetapi banyak perkara boleh berubah menuju November.
“Kalau boleh saya mahu Miguel dan Brad bergandingan musim depan tetapi kita tunggu dan lihat apa yang akan berlaku selepas perbincangan,” tambahnya.
Terdahulu, Oliveira akui dia tertarik untuk berhijrah ke KTM seandainya peluang itu hadir.
Tech3 turut mengikut jejak KTM untuk meninggalkan saingan Moto2 sebaliknya sertai kelas Moto3 bagi musim 2020.
KTM mengumumkan keputusan untuk menarik diri daripada kelas Moto2, Ahad lalu selepas berakhirnya GP Austria.
Tech3 yang menjadi pasukan satelit KTM di MotoGP tahun ini selepas berpisah dengan Yamaha musim lalu telah pun beraksi di Moto2 pada 2010 menggunakan enjin Mistral 610.
Mereka akan meneruskan gandingan di Moto3 bersama KTM dan akan menawarkan dua slot pelumba.
Pengurus Tech3, Herve Poncharal turut menyuarakan sokongan terhadap KTM yang menarik diri daripada Moto2.
“Saya faham dan menyokong keputusan KTM untuk memberi fokus sepenuhnya terhadap saingan MotoGP dan Moto3.
“Kami berasa bangga kerana dapat mengibar bendera Red Bull KTM dalam kelas Moto3, yang masih asing buat Tech3.
“Bersama KTM, kami berharap kerjasama ini akan terus berkembang di samping membantu bakat muda yang akan membentuk masa depan baharu di Moto3.
“Fokus kami kini adalah mencari pelumba yang bersesuaian dengan profil kami. Kami akan bersengkang mata beberapa hari ini,” jelasnya.
Keputusan ini sedikit sebanyak memberi bayangan bahawa pelumba negara, Hafizh Syahrin, tidak akan beraksi di Moto2 bersama Tech3 dan akan sertai pasukan baharu setelah tempatnya digantikan Brad Binder bagi musim 2020 di MotoGP.
Terdahulu, rakan sepasukan Hafizh, Johann Zarco turut membuat keputusan meninggalkan pasukan itu hujung musim ini.
Tech 3 offers Hafizh Syahrin a Moto2 ride in 2020.
But the Malaysian is also hoping for an option in the PETRONAS SRT outfit.
Hafizh says that he will know by the Austrian GP.
There may be a silver lining for Hafizh Syahrin yet, now that Tech 3 has offered him a ride in their Moto2 outfit in 2020.
Tech 3 team principal Herve Poncharal confirmed the news recently, saying that the option is for Hafizh if he accepts. The Tech 3 Moto2 team also fields KTM bikes. However, unlike in MotoGP, the Moto2 bike uses KTM’s frame wrapped around the Triumph three-cylinder engine.
Poncharal said that he spoke to Hafizh a few races prior to announcing Brad Binder’s ascension to the MotoGP team. As such, Hafizh wasn’t entirely shocked by the news.
Hafiz, on the other hand, acknowledges Tech 3’s offer but is leaving options open. He looks to be more interested in joining the PETRONAS SRT outfit should a seat be available, instead.
“I speak (sic) to Herve, also I speak (sic) to Razlan (Razali, the PETRONAS SRT Boss). I cannot say 100 percent. I need to wait until maybe Austria, I will know where I go.”
Stepping back into Moto2 wouldn’t be so bad for Hafizh, since he’s now accumulated priceless experience in MotoGP. He’d been progressing well in Moto2 anyway, before he was picked to replace Jonas Folger in the Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha team in 2018.
Red Bull KTM Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal admitted that he was “very angry” at Hafizh Syahrin.
The outspoken Frenchman shared his thoughts during the Argentina MotoGP.
Hafizh Syahrin’s target is to go better than his new teammate Miguel Oliveira this year.
Oh dear, this doesn’t sound good at all. Red Bull KTM Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal admitted that he was “very angry” at Hafizh Syahrin.
The outspoken Frenchman spilled his guts when interviewed by MotoGP trackside announcer Simon Crafar during the weekend’s Argentina MotoGP.
“Hafizh, this is something very strange, but we’ve been through that before,” said Poncharal, alluding to his previous “motivational” talk with the rider at Misano last year.
Herve Poncharal – Photo credit GPOne
“He finished ninth last year for his second race in MotoGP, we know the guy has potential.”
“And yesterday FP1 was a disaster. He was looking almost like you (Simon Crafar) or me riding the bike around the track. I was really angry.”
“But after three laps in FP2, he improved by a full two seconds, which is a lot. Changed nothing on the bike, but clearly there is something is his head. At the moment he doesn’t dare to push, for reasons I can’t explain, he can’t explain.”
However, Poncharal gave assurance that the KTM Tech 3 team is fully behind Hafizh in his quest.
Hafizh Syahrin’s Thoughts
Motosport.com asked Hafizh for his opinion regarding Poncharal’s strong words. “Yesterday morning was (a) similar feeling like Qatar and also in the test. I didn’t find any good grip with the bike.”
“And after that we make a small change (which Poncharal said they didn’t change anything on the bike), and really surprised for me, and I feel a different bike, and we improve.”
Hafizh admits that that he’s still adapting to the bike. “Now I start to understand this bike more or less 90 percent. I just need a little bit more laps.”
Our Take
Before you jump on Poncharal, consider this: MotoGP is business. It’s not some fancy hobby of the rich who employ riders to blast around tracks worldwide. MotoGP is not horse racing and the riders are not horse jockeys.
Now, sponsors have the very right of seeing their logos on the bikes they sponsored and it’s not exactly cheap in MotoGP. These sponsors may say, “We use the top level of motorsports i.e. MotoGP to develop our technologies,” but it’s about brand visibility. Sponsors want to be associated with winners. Would you sponsor a fly-by-night team? You wouldn’t.
Unfortunately, only the front runners and crashers who get the most visibility during a race weekend. The cameras will focus on the front runners 99% of the time; the footage beamed into millions of homes around the world.
In other words, teams and riders at the back of the field are “invisible,” unless they crash. Even then, the front runners who crashed receive more air time. Sponsors will have a hard time justifying the costs to their stakeholders and start pressuring the manufacturer. The manufacturer then pushes the team boss, and the team boss goes down to the pits and start kicking butts.
Sepang International Circuit CEO and Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team principal, Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali was asked about Hafizh Syahrin’s performance during a recent interview. He said that he had a talk with Hafizh at Qatar. “I gave him a stern advice: Do not look at the Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team as a backup, since we’ve signed Morbidelli and Quartararo for two years,” said Dato’ Razlan.
He also added that getting into MotoGP could be relatively easy, but staying in MotoGP is entirely a different matter. “Tech 3’s target for Hafizh in 2019 was to go faster than his new teammate Miguel Oliveira.”
“I also told him to stop comparing the KTM with the Yamaha he rode last year.”
As with Poncharal, SIC supports Hafizh’s venture. “We’ve gone the whole length of trying to help Hafizh, including signing on a sport psychologist for him.
BikesRepublic.com hopes Hafizh Syahrin will rise to the challenge quickly. We understand that being a MotoGP rider isn’t easy but it’s a world based on results.
*NOTE:
Many top riders also suffered with grip at the Termas Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina. Apart from MotoGP, the circuit is hardly used throughout each year. Consequently, the surface lacks grip. Maverick Vinalez qualified second but lost 1.5 seconds per lap to winner Marc Marquez. Alex Rins could qualify no better than 16thon his Suzuki and had to be satisfied with finishing 5th. Johann Zarco on the factory KTM also suffered, finishing in 15th, one place ahead of Hafizh Syahrin. Andrea Dovizioso said he was disappointed in finishing 3rdafter nursing his worn tyres home.
There are many speculations on how Hafizh Syahrin was picked to ride for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in MotoGP.
Team principal, Herve Poncharal revealed what happened in an interview with MotoGP.
Hope his revelation puts all skepticism to rest.
This may sound like a bad sector in your laptop’s hard disk: It keeps playing back a certain track. That’s how it probably sounds like when it comes to Hafizh Syahrin, patriotism notwithsanding.
Specifically though, it’s about many – some Malaysians included, unfortunately – who still call Hafizh Syahrin’s viability as not only as a MotoGP rider (click here for our report when the news broke), but a MotoGP rider in arguably the top satellite team apart from Alma Pramac Ducati. There were vicious hissings on social media that some Malaysian governing body or SIC had “paid for his seat.”
YBhg. Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali, Chief Executive Officer of Sepang International Circuit (SIC), had dispelled the rumours during the official announcement of Hafizh been contracted by Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (click here for our coverage of the event).
Now Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s boss, Herve Poncharal put the record straight during an interview with MotoGP.
Poncharal said, “I met (Dato’ Ahmad Razlan) Ahmad Razali, the CEO of Sepang and talking to him I had a crazy idea. I asked him, ‘What about Syahin in MotoGP?’ He thought I was joking.”
He continued, “The sponsors and suppliers were asking me who I was talking about; the’d never heard of him. From then on I had to convince everyone that he was a good rider. And I would have continued even if there had been more resistance. We’re here to enjoy ourselves.”
But what prompted Poncharal to consider Hafizh. For starters, we knew that Yonny Hernandez didn’t impress during his test at SIC. To be brutally honest, the Columbian had campaigned in MotoGP for many years so that wasn’t his first outing on a MotoGP bike. Additionally and probably the deciding factor was because he had already signed on with a WSBK team. Poncharal had himself iterated that he isn’t interested in a rider who’s already contracted to others.
His answer was, “When you choose a rider, there is always an element of risk. I like people who take risks and I do it too. In competition, you have to like the challenge – if you don’t, you’re in the wrong place.”
It was also fortunate for Haifzh and us Malaysians as Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team is a non-factory team, to see Pescao 55 get his big break, as it meant that Poncharal could make his own decisions, “Team Managers of the official factories can choose the best riders because they have more money to pay them… Instead of signing a top rider, because I can’t, I prefer to take a risk on something that could turn out exciting.”
What is Poncharal’s thoughts about Hafizh now? “Now I’m really happy. I’m not saying he’s going to be the fastest but he’s doing well.”
So, it was the Frenchman who sought out Hafizh Syahrin, not the other way around, and he likes taking risks. Compris? Oui? Très bien!
The next Grand Prix round takes place at the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit in Argentina, from 6th to 8th April. Stay tuned for the latest news and race reports.
Tech 3 will not continue as Yamaha’s satellite team in 2019.
Team principal, Herve Poncharal says he’s been a offered a special deal.
Poncharal did not reveal any further details.
Just yesterday, Malaysians celebrated Hafizh Syahrin’s confirmation to ride for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team this year, but another twist in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 saga popped up today: The team has announced that it will part ways with Yamaha from the 2019 MotoGP season.
Announced together with factory team, Tech 3’s boss, Herve Poncharal stated that, “We’ve been offered a deal, that includes something we’ve been waiting for since we started with Tech 3 and I couldn’t say no.”
“A deal… we’ve been waiting for…?”
Reading through the press release in MotoGP.com did not provide further details to what Poncharal meant, and that has fed more racing fuel to the bonfire.
Our theory may be that he had been offered to run a full-fledged factory team. If this is the case, there are a few candidates: Aprilia or KTM. Suzuki may even be a long shot. Or how about a Honda satellite team? Will Poncharal actually jump over to Yamaha’s biggest rivals after being with the latter for 20 years?
However, we know what you’re thinking of: The fate of Hafizh Syahrin in 2019. Well, Hafizh did mention during yesterday’s press conference that his contract with the team is for 2018 only at the moment. But, come what may and we do pray that Hafizh is retained for the next season, whatever bike or team Poncharal chooses.
Until Yamaha finds another person or entity to run it, , it’ll leave them without a satellite team for the 2019 season.
Bekas penunggang bagi pasukan Aspar MotoGP, Yonny Hernandez, akan menggantikan Jonas Folger bagi membantu pasukan Monster Yamaha Tech 3 sewaktu ujian musim sejuk Sepang.
Penunggang berusia 29 tahun kelahiran Colombia itu akan mempamerkan kemahirannya buat kali pertama di atas jentera Yamaha M1 MotoGP.
Hernadez juga telah dikatakan sebagai salah seorang penunggang yang telah disenarai pendek sebagai penunggang bagi tahun 2018 untuk pasukan Monster Yamaha Tech 3.
Former Aspar MotoGP rider Yonny Hernandez will be stepping in for Jonas Folger to assist the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team during the Sepang winter test.
The 29 year old Columbian will showcase his skills for the very first time on board the Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike.
Hernandez is also said to be one of the riders shortlisted for the 2018 rider with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad.
The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team has announced that Yonny Hernandez will be replacing in for Jonas Folger this coming weekend at the Sepang winter test 2018. The 29 year old Columbian was selected for his vast experience on MotoGP machinery of over five years. (more…)
Penunggang MotoGP Jonas Folger telah mengumumkan bahawa dia tidak akan bertanding dalam musim 2018 MotoGP.
Setelah gagal untuk pulih secara fizikal dan mental, penunggang berusia 24 tahun dari Jerman itu telah membuat keputusan tersebut walaupun setelah melalui satu musim sebagai penunggang ‘rookie’ yang amat memberangsangkan pada tahun 2017.
Folger telah didiagnos dengan keadaan genetik yang jarang ditemui, dinamakan “Gilbert Syndrome”, di mana buah pinggangnya tidak dapat memproses toksin badannya dengan berkesan.
MotoGP rider Jonas Folger has announced that he will not race in the 2018 MotoGP season.
After failing to recover both physically and mentally, the 24 year old German rider made the decision even after an impressive rookie season in 2017.
Folger was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Gilbert Syndrome where his liver is unable to process the body’s toxins effectively.
After a stunning performance last year during his first ever season in MotoGP, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Jonas Folger has surprisingly decided to remove himself from racing for 2018. The decision came to be as the 24 year old German rider was unable to recover both physically and mentally ever since he was diagnosed with the rare Gilbert Syndrome late last season. (more…)
