From 2001 through to the end of 2018, Yamaha partnered with French outfit Tech3 to run two satellite M1s on the MotoGP grid alongside its factory entry.
This lengthy marriage yielded 31 podiums and gave the likes of Cal Crutchlow, Ben Spies, Bradley Smith, Pol Espargaro and Johann Zarco their debuts in MotoGP.
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Tech3 elected against continuing with Yamaha from 2019 to become KTM’s official factory-backed satellite partner, while the Japanese marque linked up with the new Petronas Sepang Racing Team helmed by wunderkind rookie Fabio Quartararo.
Quartararo stunned in 2019 with six podiums before winning three times in 2020 to earn himself a move to the factory Yamaha outfit for 2021.
A difficult 2021 for SRT led to title partner Petronas quitting, with SRT itself also bringing its involvement in MotoGP to an end, leaving team boss Razlan Razali to set up an entirely new entity known as RNF Racing for 2022.
Yamaha only signed a one-year deal with RNF, which was down to legal reasons surrounding a new company linking up with a well-established and large Japanese corporation.
Despite 2022 proving a miserable experience for RNF, with it scoring just 37 points across the campaign and securing just one top 10 finish all year, as well as losing Andrea Dovizioso partway through the season to retirement, the intention was for RNF to continue with Yamaha.
Andrea Dovizioso, RNF MotoGP Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
However, as team owner Razali told Autosport in Valencia on the Monday after the season finale, RNF wanted a multi-year commitment from Yamaha which the Japanese marque could not agree to.
Therefore, RNF elected to sign a two-year deal with Aprilia to be its satellite partner from 2023 – a move which “surprised” Yamaha when it was announced in May.
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“MotoGP is a big business. We are in the pinnacle of two-wheel motorsport world championship,” Razali tells Autosport when asked if RNF planned to continue with Yamaha before signing with Aprilia.
“So, you need a long-term plan, you need a long-term strategy, from sponsors, from marketing, from whatever it is.
“And I can accept 2022 being only one year because various circumstances, but I think in the middle of the year we have shown we have delivered, we have shown we have presented ourselves, we are fully equipped.
“It’s the same…
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