Credit: MotoGP.com

RNF Racing - currently known as WithU Yamaha RNF is set to race as Aprilia Racing's satellite team in MotoGP for two years beginning the 2023 season. The contract is renewable for another two years afterwards.

The move bodes well for RNF Racing as they continue to battle with poor results from their riders, Andrea Dovizioso and Darryn Binder who are languishing down the order. In fact, there have been rumours circulating that Yamaha is set to drop the team. It is ironic that it was the team previously known as Petronas Sepang Racing Team who gave rise to Yamaha's first champion since 2015 when Fabio Quartararo took the championship in 2021 after moving up to the Yamaha factory team.

Team principal, Dato' Razlan Razali welcomed Aprilia's proposal that RNF Racing becomes the manufacturer's satellite team. He stressed that RNF Racing will always be the birthplace of future champions for the factory team.

However, the team has not announced their riders' lineup for 2023.

The cooperation means that there will be four Aprilia RS-GPs on the grid. The motorcycle has seen much improvements over the last three seasons, culminating in this season's form which saw Aleix Espargaro taking the team's first ever MotoGP victory in Argentina. The next race saw him languishing in 9th position, but he proved that he and his Aprilia were not a flash in the pan by finishing 3rd in each of the next three rounds.