Pelumba Petronas Sprinta Racing Moto2, Xavi Vierge, telah menolak tawaran beraksi di kelas premier bersama Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT) di GP Aragon, September ini.
SRT sebelum ini telah pun memberi peluang kepada rakan sepasukan Vierge, Jake Dixon menunggang jentera M1 Franco Morbidelli di GP Britain, hujung minggu lalu.
Bagaimanapun, Dixon gagal memberi impak tatkala menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan terakhir, ketinggalan lebih 50 saat daripada pemenang, Fabio Quartararo.
Melihat kepada senario itu, Vierge membuat keputusan untuk menolak tawaran tersebut.
Menurut laporan media antarabangsa, Vierge berpendapat tawaran itu akan memberi kesan buruk pada kariernya apatah lagi dia menyedari peluang untuk dinaik taraf ke MotoGP 2022 dilihat tipis.
Keputusan itu sekaligus menyaksikan Dixon akan mendapat peluang kedua di Aragon dengan Cal Crutchlow, yang sebelum ini menggantikan Morbidelli untuk dua pusingan, akan terus mengisi kekosongan ditinggalkan Maverick Vinales di Yamaha.
Ketika Dixon beraksi bersama SRT minggu lalu, tempatnya di Moto2 telah diisi pelumba negara, Adam Norrodin.
Ketika ini masih tidak dapat dipastikan sama ada Adam akan turut diberikan peluang kedua di Aragon setelah bersara awal sewaktu di Silverstone.
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Petronas have mutually agreed to end their partnership as title sponsor of Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT).
The official announcement came after an initial report by motorsport.com that Petronas is seeking to withdraw its sponsorship from SRT on Friday.
The Malaysian giant oil company has been the title partner to SIC since 2018, with Petronas Sprinta Racing in Moto2 and Moto3 before the project was expanded to MotoGP with SRT.
“SIC wishes to thank Petronas for the unwavering support during the partnership and a remarkable journey together.
“We respect Petronas decision and mutually agreed that this partnership had accomplished its purpose and objectives. We have enjoyed a meaningful partnership with great achievements and memorable moments with the team.
“I believe this is not the end of our collaboration in motorsports as we continue our quest in nurturing Malaysia’s motorsports talents,” said Azhan Shafriman Hanif, Chief Executive Officer of SIC.
Meanwhile, Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz, Petronas Head of Strategic Communications, lamented that it was the right time to conclude the partnership.
“We entered into this partnership with SIC to showcase our R&D capabilities, and we are proud that PETRONAS Fluid Technology Solutions have been instrumental towards establishing the team’s status as a championship contender.
“Together, we have created some standout moments in the sport, serving as an indication that we have achieved what we set out to do, and we feel it is the right time for us to conclude the partnership.
“On behalf of PETRONAS, we would like to express our gratitude to SIC for their commitment towards ensuring the success of the partnership,” she explained.
Meanwhile, SIC suggests that SRT will continue in MotoGP from 2022 under a new independent entity, with an official announcement to be made soon, including the dissolution of Moto2 and Moto3.
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) dan Petronas telah mencapai persetujuan bersama untuk menamatkan kerjasama selaku penaja utama (title sponsor) Petronas Sepang Racing Team pada hujung musim MotoGP 2021.
Perkara itu disahkan menerusi siaran media yang dikongsikan hari ini.
Petronas telah pun menjadi penaja utama SIC sejak 2018, menerusi Petronas Sprinta Racing di Moto2 dan Moto3 sebelum projek tersebut dikembangkan ke MotoGP menerusi Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.
Sementara itu, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif SIC, Azhan Shafriman Hanif, menghormati keputusan Petronas yang tidak menyambung tajaan menjelang musim 2022.
“SIC mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Petronas atas sokongan mereka selama kerjasama ini berlangsung.
“Kami menghormati keputusan mereka dan bersetuju bahawa kerjasama ini telah pun mencapai objektifnya.
“Tetapi saya percaya ini bukan kolaborasi terakhir kami dalam sukan permotoran, kami akan teruskan usaha dalam mencari bakat baharu,” jelasnya.
Sementara itu, SIC memaklumkan bahawa SRT akan meneruskan saingan di MotoGP bermula 2022 dibawah entiti baharu dengan pengumuman rasmi akan dibuat dalam masa terdekat, termasuk mengenai pembubaran pasukan di Moto2 dan Moto3.
Malaysian oil giant Petronas reportedly decided to pull the plug as title sponsor for Sepang Racing Team (SRT) in MotoGP starting next season.
According to motorsport.com, SRT will also set to abandon its Moto2 and Moto3 project in an effort to protect the MotoGP team.
Moreover, it is understood that Yamaha has renegotiated its current deal with SRT, whereby two ‘B-spec’ M1 will be provided for the 2022 season instead of one factory-spec and one A-spec the team is running on at the moment.
SRT is still in a dilemma ever since Maverick Vinales decided to quit the factory Yamaha team at the end of the season, while Franco Morbidelli is expected to make the jump to the factory team as a replacement.
Meanwhile, veteran rider and 9th world champion, Valentino Rossi, is set to retire at the end of the season, leaving team principal Datuk Razlan Razali the pressure to look for two new riders for the 2022 season.
Raul Fernandez from KTM Ajo was earlier seen as a top candidate before Team Orange decided to promote him to Tech3 MotoGP.
Rossi protege Marco Bezzechi was next in line to join SRT, but the latest development suggests he will now move up to the premier class with VR46 Ducati alongside Luca Marini.
Penaja utama Sepang Racing Team (SRT), Petronas didakwa akan menarik balik penajaan pasukan itu di MotoGP bermula 2022.
Dakwaan itu timbul menerusi laporan media antarabangsa yang turut melaporkan bahawa SRT akan turut membubarkan pasukan Moto2 dan Moto3.
Difahamkan, pembubaran pasukan di Moto2 dan Moto3 dibuat sebagai usaha melindungi projek MotoGP.
Sementara itu, Yamaha turut dikatakan telah berbincang semula perjanjian bersama SRT, yang kini akan menawarkan dua jentera ‘B-Spec’ M1 bagi saingan 2022 berbanding satu factory spec dan satu A-spec yang diguna pakai musim ini.
Meskipun tiada pengumuman rasmi dari pihak Petronas mahupun SRT ketika ini namun dijangkakan pasukan kendalian Datuk Razlan Razali itu berdepan senario sukar ekoran ketiadaan penaja utama menuju musim baharu.
Manakala pembubaran Petronas Sprinta Racing Moto2 dan Moto3 juga menimbulkan satu lagi persoalan, apakah nasib pelumba tempatan antaranya Syarifuddin Azman @ Damok dan Adam Norrodin yang dikaitkan dengan pasukan itu sebelum ini? – Motorsport
After the whole debacle between Petronas Sprinta Racing, Khairul Idham Pawi, and basically the entire motorsports fraternity, fans, and enthusiasts here in Malaysia, team principal Dato’ Razlan Razali stated that there will be a chance for Malaysian talents to enter their squad as early as 2022. (more…)
The world of MotoGP has been asking whether the great Valentino Rossi will continue his racing career after the Yamaha factory squad effectively replaced him with the young and upcoming Fabio Quartararo. He still has an option to race with Yamaha as the Japanese manufacturer promises full support if he chooses to continue but with the satellite squad, Petronas SRT. (more…)
The recent outbreak of Coronavirus or COVID-19 has been wreaking havoc all across the globe but none more so than Italy, the worst country to suffer at the hands of the infectious virus outside of China. With a lot of MotoGP races cancelled and postponed, fellow Italian Franco Morbidelli, shares his insight on dealing with the current situation in Italy (credits to Petronas Yamaha SRT). (more…)
Pelumba pasukan Petronas Yamaha SRT, Franco Morbidelli disahkan bakal membuat penampilan sulung di FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) bersama SRT di Sepang 8 Hours.
Berlangsung pada 13-15 Disember ini, Morbidelli bakal digandingkan dengan juara Suzuka 8 Hour, Michael van der Mark dan Hafizh Syahrin bakal bersaing menggunakan jentera Yamaha YZF-R1.
Sepang 8 Hours bakal menyaksikan Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC) mempertaruhkan sistem lampu limpah baharu yang turut akan menyaksikan perlumbaan jentera empat roda – FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR).
Sepang 8 Hours dan WTCR akan berjalan di bawah kempen Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2020.
Pengurus Petronas Yamaha SRT, Dato Razlan Razali teruja dengan perkembangan ini.
“Tiada cara yang lebih baik untuk memberikan sokongan terhadap kempen Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2020 menerusi Sepang 8 Hours dan mempertaruhkan gandingan pelumba bertaraf dunia. Kami yakin Franco, Michael dan Hafizh mampu membawa pasukan menaiki podium,” jelasnya.
Sementara itu, Fanco Morbidelli turut tidak sabar untuk beraksi dalam perlumbaan yang dianggap masih asing bagi kariernya.
“Saya sangat berminat untuk mengetahui format perlumbaan jenis ‘endurance’ ini. Ia sesuatu yang berlainan dan ketika Razlan memaklumkan kepada saya mengenai perlumbaan ini, saya berkata ‘Apa salahnya mencuba?’,” katanya.
Pada masa sama, pelumba pasukan Petronas Yamaha SRT itu mengakui tidak sabar untuk beraksi menggunakan jentera ‘production’.
“Penting untuk mengekalkan momentum sebaik musim MotoGP berakhir jadi perlumbaan pada bulan Disember akan membantu dalam mengekalkan prestasi saya, saya pernah berlatih menggunakan jentera R1 sebelum ini,” tambahnya.
Sepang 8 Hours akan berlangsung dari 13 hingga 15 Disember ini.
Sky Sports broke the news of Hafizh Syahrin stepping up to MotoGP.
He will replace Jonas Folger in the Monster Yamaha Tech3.
Sepang Racing Team signs on Zulfahmi Kharuddin in place of Hafizh for Moto2.
In what seems like the convulated plot of twist of a Hollywood movie ã la Memento, Hafizh “Pescao” Syahrin goes into MotoGP for 2018.
Plot Twist #1
In an earlier news we reported that SIC Racing Team will run a Moto2 team with Hafizh Syahrin as the contracted rider, after the affable rider was unceremoniously dropped first by Petronas Raceline and then Petronas Sprinta.
That had almost ruled Hafizh out of the 2018 Moto2 Championship, until SIC’s Chief Executive Officer, YBhg Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali threw in a lifeline by providing Hafizh a seat on the newly formed SIC Racing Team Moto2 bike.
Plot Twist #2
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider, Jonas Folger was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called Gilbert’s syndrome, and had to be ruled out from this year’s MotoGP championship, which left the team boss, Herve Poncharal scrambling to locate a replacement.
Jonas Folger
Yonny Hernandez who was axed by the now Alma Pramac Ducati for 2018 got the tap and tested out the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 bike during the 2018 Sepang Official MotoGP Test just a few days ago.
Yonny Hernandez. Picture from MotoGP.com
That seemed like somewhat of a contradiction to what Poncharal said about being not keen to offer the seat to already contracted riders, after all, and Hernandez had already inked a deal with Pedercini Kawasaki to compete in the World Superbike Championship.
Consequently, the rumours circulated incessantly in the paddock that Monster Yamaha Tech 3 is still on the lookout for a rider during then entire duration of the Winter Test at SIC, and Hafizh’s name was mentioned.
In fact, Poncharal was sitting just a metre away from us in the Media Centre and had mentioned to his crew about his concerns regarding Hernandez. (He was speaking in French but with Hernandez’s name being mentioned amongst sighs kinda paints the picture.)
But, but, but, Hafizh Syahrin is already signed to SIC Racing Team, right? RIGHT?
Plot Twist #3
So ok, Hafizh Syahrin already has a confirmed seat in Moto2 this year.
Think again! Sky Sports MotoGP broke the news of Hafizh being signed on by Monster Yamaha Tech 3 and the internet went bananas.
SIC then announced a couple of hours ago that another Malaysian GP legend, Zulfahmi Khairuddin will ride for the team. He is already slated to start the Moto2 pre-season testing at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain beginning 6th February.
Zullfahmi had raced in the 125cc GP from 2009 to 2011, and in Moto3 afterwards from 2012 to 2015, before moving to the Supersports World Championships for 2016 and 2017, riding a Kawasaki ZX-6R. His new team feels that he has the experience on 600cc racing machinery.
While SIC Racing Team didn’t exactly shed light about Hafizh Syahrin’s future, YBhg. Dato’ Ahmad Razlan had said before that he hopes Hafizh will eventually make the jump to the premiere class.
There’s no official word from Hafizh, either. Will there be a Plot Twist #4?
