The RNF Aprilia MotoGP outfit will undergo an ownership change ahead of the 2024 season after team owner Razlan Razali announced on Friday that he will leave the team.
The Malaysian took over the operation, which ran as Yamaha’s satellite team, from Petronas after the oil and lubricants giant pulled out at the end of the 2021 campaign. He changed the team’s name to RNF and captured Italian fitness brand Withu as the title sponsor, though that deal ended after just a single season.
He then sold 60% of the team to crypto sponsor Cryptodata and signed a deal with Aprilia to become its satellite partner for 2023, though according to Motorcycle Sports he never received payment for these shares from the company. They have also reportedly failed to make any payments related to the day-to-day running of the squad, as well as to Dorna for their title sponsorship of August’s Austrian Grand Prix.
With Razali failing to find any capital to continue running the team, he subsequently announced on Friday that he will leave the team at the end of the season, with a new ownership structure likely to be announced in the coming days.
“It has been an amazing run. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to manage and own a MotoGP Team in the World Championship” began Razali’s statement on his Facebook page.
“We know what it’s like to win and especially in losing. Worked with the most amazing team members from all over the world.
“We discovered a world champion in Fabio (Quartararo), we were nearly world champion with Frankie (Morbidelli), we had GOAT Vale (Rossi), MotoGP legend (Andrea) Dovi, we took the risk in Darryn (Binder) and finally the fastest dentist in the world with Miguel (Oliveira) and a champion in waiting Raul (Fernandez.)
“The team was my extended family, my 2nd home and we should be proud of what we have achieved and become. What lies ahead? It will be another beginning albeit a different one and I shall watch with the greatest encouragement and excitement.”
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