RNF Racing was a Malaysian independent Grand Prix motorcycle racing team that competed in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The team last competed with Aprilia motorcycles in the MotoGP class as a satellite team under the name CryptoData RNF MotoGP Team , and in MotoE under the name RNF MotoE Team .
26-597: The Sepang Racing Team (formerly known as SIC Racing Team) was a Malaysian Grand Prix motorcycle racing team which operated until the end of 2021, and was owned by the Sepang International Circuit . First established in 2015 in the Moto3 class and expanded in 2019, it fielded teams in MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 championships. The MotoGP team was formally called Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (Petronas Yamaha SRT) , while
52-453: A clockwise direction, is 5.543 km (3.444 mi) long, and is noted for its sweeping corners and wide straights from 16–22 m (52–72 ft). The layout is quite unusual, with a 0.927 km (0.576 mi) long back straight separated from the pit straight by just one very tight hairpin . Other configurations of the Sepang circuit can also be used. The north circuit is also raced in
78-442: A clockwise direction. It is basically the first half of the main circuit. The course turns back towards the pit straight after turn 6 and is 2.706 km (1.681 mi) long in total. The south circuit is the other half of the racecourse. The back straight of the main circuit becomes the pit straight when the south circuit is in use, and joins onto turn 8 of the main circuit to form a hairpin turn . Also run clockwise, this circuit
104-476: A factory-specification Yamaha YZR-M1 . Darryn Binder was promoted from the Moto3 Petronas Sprinta Racing team as the team's second rider, aboard a 2021-specification Yamaha machine. Naming rights for the team were secured by Italian energy and telecommunications brand WithU in early 2022, and the team raced under the name WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Racing . On 27 May 2022, it was announced that
130-423: A grid slot at least until the end of 2026. Razali confirmed the significance of the team name as coming from the initials of his family name as well as the names of his children (Razali, Nadia and Farouk). On 30 October, RNF announced that Stigefelt would split from the team under "mutual agreement". The team continued in 2022 under a number of SRT's previous agreements, with Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso on
156-627: A lot of stress on drivers due to high G-Force. It is locally known as the Genting Curve. Turns 7 and 8 (the KLIA curve) make up a long, medium-speed, double-apex right hander, and a bump can cause the car to lose balance here. Turn 9 is a very slow left-hand hairpin (the Berjaya Tioman Corner ), similar to turn two but uphill. Turn 10 leads into a challenging, medium-speed right hander at turn 11, requiring braking and turning simultaneously. Turn 12
182-597: A presence in the Moto2 and Moto3 class, Malaysian rider Khairul Idham Pawi joined the team on their new Triumph-powered Kalex machine. In the Moto3 class, Sasaki remained alongside new signing John McPhee . McPhee gave the team their first ever Grand Prix victory at the French Grand Prix. The team also expanded into the new MotoE series, signing British racer Bradley Smith . Following Petronas withdrawing its sponsorship at
208-605: A series of major infrastructure projects in the 1990s under Mahathir Mohamad 's government, the Sepang International Circuit was constructed between 1997 and 1999 close to Putrajaya , the then-newly founded administrative capital of the country, with the intent of hosting the Malaysian Grand Prix. The Malaysian climate means the circuit is known for its unpredictable humid tropical weather, varying from clear furnace-hot days to tropical rain-storms. The circuit
234-481: Is 2.609 km (1.621 mi) in length. Sepang International Circuit also features kart racing and motocross facilities. Sepang starts with a long pit straight where the DRS zone exists – crucial for drivers to get a good exit out of the last corner to gain as much speed as possible. Turn 1 is a very long, slow corner taken in second gear. Most drivers brake incredibly late and lose speed gradually as they file round
260-692: Is a motorsport race track in Sepang , Selangor , Malaysia. It is located approximately 45-kilometre (28 mi) south of Kuala Lumpur , close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport . It hosted the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix between 1999 and 2017, and is also the venue for the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix , the Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race , and other major motorsport events. Previously known as
286-509: Is a flat-out, bumpy left which immediately leads into the flat right at turn 13, then the challenging ' Sunway Lagoon ' curve at turn 14. Similar to turn 11, it requires hard-braking and steering at the same time. It is taken in second gear. The long back straight can be a good place for drivers to overtake as they brake hard into turn 15, a left-handed, second-geared hairpin but drivers are advised by experts to be careful not to get re-overtaken as they come into turn 1. The official lap record for
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#1732872089801312-399: The 2021 season , the principal sponsor Petronas announced they would be removing their support for the team at the end of the season, and shortly thereafter SRT announced they would cease all racing activities at the end of the season. Control of the team and its assets were taken over by Razali and Stigefelt to create the rebranded RNF Racing team, with an agreement from Dorna Sports for
338-483: The 2019, 2020 and 2021 MotoGP seasons. Signing French rookie Fabio Quartararo and Italian rider Franco Morbidelli and being joined by Petronas as title sponsor, the team became Petronas Yamaha SRT . The team expanded their partnership with Petronas further at the 2019 Dutch TT , when the Malaysian oil company also joined the team as technical partner, with the team switching to Petronas' Sprinta engine oil. Retaining
364-451: The Moto2 and Moto3 teams were named Petronas Sprinta Racing Team (Petronas SRT) . Following the 2021 season, the MotoGP team became known as RNF MotoGP Racing , with Moto2 and Moto3 being disbanded. Several aspects and team members from the Moto3 crew were recruited by Michael Laverty for his new VisionTrack Honda Moto3 team. The team first raced in Moto2 in 2014, with former Grand Prix racer Johan Stigefelt launching his own outfit in
390-512: The Sepang F1 Circuit, it was renamed the Sepang International Circuit. On 31 October 2023, it was announced that Petronas has acquired the naming rights to the circuit for three years in an undisclosed fee. The circuit was designed by German designer Hermann Tilke , who would subsequently design circuits including in Shanghai , Sakhir , Istanbul , Marina Bay , and Yas Marina . As part of
416-532: The Sepang International Circuit is 1:34.080, set by Sebastian Vettel during the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix . As of November 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Sepang International Circuit are listed as: RNF MotoGP Racing The team's origins began with the Sepang Racing Team (SRT) under ownership by the Sepang International Circuit and managed by circuit CEO Razlan Razali and former racers Johan Stigefelt and Wilco Zeelenberg . During
442-529: The corner, similar to Shanghai's first turn but slower. Turn 1 leads straight into Turn 2, a tight left hairpin which goes downhill quite significantly. The first two corners are quite bumpy, making it hard to put power onto the track. Turn 3 is a long flat out right hander which leads into Turn 4 – known locally as the Langkawi Curve – a second gear, right-angle right-hander. Turns 5 and 6 make up an incredibly high-speed, long chicane that hurts tyres and puts
468-643: The end of 2021, the MotoGP team became known as RNF MotoGP Racing , with Moto2 and Moto3 being disbanded. A large part of the Moto3 operation was acquired by ex-racer Michael Laverty for a new team named Vision Track Honda to compete in the Moto3 World Championship with two British riders. ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Sepang International Circuit Sepang International Circuit ( Malay : Litar Antarabangsa Sepang ) (known as Petronas Sepang International Circuit for commercial reasons)
494-525: The middleweight class using a Caterham bike and with backing from Malaysian airline Air Asia . Finishing sixth in the championship with Johann Zarco and Josh Herrin , the team then morphed into the Sepang International Circuit Team for the following season. The team signed Malaysian rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin for their debut season in the lightweight class, joined by Czech racer Jakub Kornfeil . Kornfeil took two podium finishes for
520-425: The season in 20th and 21st, with Norrodin taking a best finish of fifth. Khairuddin was replaced on the team's Moto2 squad after five rounds by Finnish racer Niki Tuuli , who finished the year in 32nd with a best finish of 15th. In July 2018 it was announced that Sepang Racing Team would make the step up to the premier class for the 2019 MotoGP season, with Yamaha providing leased Yamaha YZR-M1 motorcycles for
546-540: The second lap of the MotoGP Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix , the Italian motorcycle racer Marco Simoncelli died following a crash in turn 11 on Lap 2, resulting in an abandonment of the race. The track was completely resurfaced in 2016 with the support of italian designers Dromo, with several corners reprofiled to emphasize mechanical, rather than aerodynamic grip. Notably, the final corner
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#1732872089801572-584: The team and finished 12th in the championship, while Khairuddin took a best finish of fifth at the Japanese Grand Prix . Kornfeil remained with the team for 2016 , finishing the season in eighth and taking a podium finish at the team's home race in Malaysia. Adam Norrodin , signed to replace Khairuddin, ended the year 28th with a pair of 11th-place finishes his best results. Retaining Norrodin and replacing Kornfeil with Japanese racer Ayumu Sasaki for 2017 ,
598-407: The team ended the season 17th and 20th respectively. In October, they also announced a return to the Moto2 class for 2018, with Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin joining the squad. Releasing Syahrin early from his contract to take over Jonas Folger's Tech 3 Yamaha seat in MotoGP, Khairuddin returned to the team for the start of the season. Retaining Sasaki and Norrodin for 2018 , the pair finished
624-573: The team would use Aprilia bikes starting with the 2023 season. In November 2022, it was announced that Romanian blockchain company CryptoDATA Tech had purchased a majority stake in the team which would be named CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team for 2023. Riders Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernández joined from the KTM stable. On 27 November 2023, the MotoGP Selection Committee announced that CryptoDATA RNF would not be permitted participation in
650-414: Was officially inaugurated by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad on 7 March 1999 at 20:30 MST ( UTC+08:00 ). He subsequently went on to inaugurate the first Moto GP Malaysian Grand Prix on 20 April 1999 (see 1999 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix ) and the first Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix on 17 October 1999 (see 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix ). On 23 October 2011, on
676-597: Was raised by approximately 1 meter, which officials claimed would force drivers to take a later apex and explore different racing lines through the hairpin. In October 2016 it was rumored that the Sepang circuit may be dropped from the Formula One calendar due to dwindling ticket sales, and held its nineteenth and last World Championship Grand Prix in 2017. The race's contract was due to expire in 2018, but its future had been under threat due to rising hosting fees and declining ticket sales. The main circuit, normally raced in
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