PUTRAJAYA – Team Principal Datuk Razlan Razali believes his CryptoDATA RNF outfit would have challenged for the MotoGP World Championships if not for the issues that have hit the team.
“We are having a bad season despite doing better after the summer break.
“However, we hit rock bottom in the last three races. Our riders were injured, and we had some internal problems within the team and also with Aprilia,” he said.
This is their first season using Aprilia bikes, after switching from Yamaha bikes last season.
“We are not stable at the moment, but we think we have learned from these issues and will rectify the problems to challenge for podium finishes in the next three races,” he told reporters after a youth motorsports panel held in partnership with the Motorsports Association of Malaysia, here today.
This is the second season for CryptoDATA RNF in the premier class of the world championships, after being renamed from the Petronas-backed Sepang Racing Team (SRT) last year.
Razlan said that this is also Aprilia’s first year of having a satellite team, and there are some teething issues with spare parts management.
“But we will stabilise the team in the next three to four years. We need to give it some time, and then we can fight for the title.
“The goal is for the team to be competitive, have podium finishers, and win a championship.
“People may say that we are overly ambitious, but we nearly won it in 2020 (with SRT), and we believe that we can do it again. But for now, we will focus on stabilising the team,” he said.
The Malaysian GP will be held at the Sepang International Circuit from Friday until Sunday. – November 8, 2023