The WithU RNF team will move from Yamaha to Aprilia in the coming seasons. An agreement was reached with Aprilia between Le Mans and Mugello circuit to make the team the satellite team for the Noale factory, and to supply two more Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP machines from 2023 and beyond.
The agreement comes after negotiations with Yamaha failed to yield positive results for the RNF. Team Malaysia has long hoped to act as a factory junior team, within the framework of Pramac at Ducati and Tech3 at KTM. But RNF never felt like they got the support from Yamaha they wanted.
The switch from Yamaha to Aprilia allows them to take that step. While the press release has few details, it’s clear that the RNF will get much stronger support from Aprilia than from Yamaha, with the team acting as a talent injector on their team. factory.
The deal was announced just before the MotoGP FP1, a surprising time to choose from. But that was the result of factory racer Aleix Espargaro tweeting early and then deleting RNF’s welcome to Aprilia. But by then, it was too late to withdraw.
The original plan was for an announcement to be made by afternoon, but Espargaro’s overzealous thumb forced Aprilia and the RNF to announce earlier.
RNF’s move leaves Yamaha with only two bikes on the grid for 2023. The Japanese factory has been in talks with the VR46 Mooney team to race the Yamahas next season, but the team is still gearing up to race Ducatis.
RNF’s departure is the second time a satellite fleet has left for verdant grasslands. Tech3 dropped Yamaha and switched to KTM at the end of 2018.
Source: RNF; Photo: Aprilia
