RNF riders “have a lot to prove, considering where we're racing…”

RNF team boss Razlan Razali thinks Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez will be fired up to perform at the home MotoGP event of ex-employer KTM, in Austria this weekend.

MotoGP desk_1

16 Aug 2023

Miguel Oliveira, British MotoGP, 4 August

Their pair also arrive fresh from claiming the team’s best RS-GP finishes last time at Silverstone.

Oliveira narrowly lost out to former KTM team-mate Brad Binder for the final podium position at the British Grand Prix, where ex-Tech3 rider Fernandez claimed a personal MotoGP best of tenth.

Adding further incentive, RNF co-owner CryptoDATA will be title sponsor of the event.

“The Austrian Grand Prix this week will be a special one for the team and its partners, as CryptoDATA will be the event sponsor," Razali said. "We would like to continue where we left off last time out in Silverstone and continue to fight and be competitive, keep a good momentum to do well.

"We know where to improve, especially in qualifying for both our riders, Miguel and Raul. It’s also a Grand Prix where both of our riders have a lot to prove considering where we will be racing. It’s going to be another good weekend, because of our partners CryptoDATA and the riders.”

The stop-go Red Bull Ring presents a very different challenge to the high-speed twists and turns of Silverstone, where Oliveira climbed from 16th on the grid to third place with two laps to go.

Oliveira said: “The Red Bull Ring is a track that looks challenging for our RS-GP, but I’m really looking forward to continue the good form that we showed in Silverstone with specific focus on qualifying in order to try to get a better starting position and be able to charge for more. I’m definitely looking forward to it and I’m very motivated!”

Fernandez, a Red Bull Ring Moto2 winner in 2021, added: “I’m really happy to go to Austria. I have good memories from there and I’m also very enthusiastic after we did a fantastic job during the last race weekend.

“I’m optimistic as we start to show our potential, which is something we weren’t able to do in the past.

“We need to be consistent and try to continue like this because this is the way not just to show what we can do, but also to enjoy riding the bike, which should be the main goal and leading to the result.”