The American outfit takes over the grid slots previously occupied by the RNF Racing team, after it folded at the end of the 2023 campaign.
RNF, run by Razlan Razali, was denied a place on the 2024 grid by MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports over “repeated infractions and breaches of the Participation Agreement affecting the public image of MotoGP”.
This was down to title partner and majority team shareholder CryptoDATA having not paid a number of bills to the championship and various suppliers.
In an interview with Autosport upon the announcement his team’s collapse, Razali – who retained a 40% minor stake in the squad – blamed CryptoDATA for his team’s folding.
NASCAR outfit Trackhouse Racing had already been evaluating a MotoGP entry for 2025 but accelerated this for 2024 and took over the old RNF team.
As such, Trackhouse has become Aprilia’s satellite outfit and retains all of RNF’s personnel and structure, as well as riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez.
Having formally announced its MotoGP team last December, Trackhouse launched its 2024 season on Friday night in Los Angeles.
The striking red, white and blue colour scheme is the evolution of the livery Trackhouse showcased when it officially announced its entry to MotoGP in December.
Trackhouse is forming a closer working relationship with Aprilia than RNF had, and is set to field a factory bike for Oliveira in 2024.
Last year, RNF ran two year-old RS-GPs for Oliveira and Fernandez, enjoying a best result of fourth at the British Grand Prix with the former.
Trackhouse’s entry into MotoGP comes as the series looks to expand in the North American market, which was first signalled by Bridgepoint Capital (Dorna’s owner) installing former NBA chief Dan Rossomondo as Dorna’s chief commercial officer last year.
The team will make its home debut on 12-14 April weekend at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin for the Americas GP at round four on the calendar.
Ahead of its MotoGP debut in Qatar on 10 March, Trackhouse does already carry a penalty after a collision involving Oliveira in the Qatar GP last November netted him a long lap penalty.
Due to injury forcing him to miss the final races of 2023, Oliveira’s penalty carries over into the new campaign.
Trackhouse is the fourth team so far this year to have unveiled its 2024 livery, after Gresini, the factory Ducati squad and VR46 held their launch events last week.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Autosport.com – MotoGP – Stories…