The 2022 MotoGP rider market has exploded over the summer time, with Maverick Vinales’ shock decision to quit his factory Yamaha contract at the end of the season forcing quite a lot of strikes.
Although he admits his future is at the moment “at a standstill”, it’s thought Vinales will be part of Aprilia subsequent season.
Present SRT rider Franco Morbidelli is the logical option to associate former team-mate Fabio Quartararo on the manufacturing facility Yamaha squad in 2022 rather than Vinales.
However this leaves SRT with probably two slots to fill, as Valentino Rossi is anticipated to depart the crew on the finish of the season.
Dorna Sports activities introduced on Thursday morning that an distinctive press convention has been scheduled for 4pm native time in Austria for Rossi, during which he’ll announce his future plans.
At current, it’s unclear what Rossi’s announcement will probably be, with the Italian both set to verify his retirement from MotoGP or announce he’ll race on in 2022 along with his personal VR46 crew.
The latter is a risk which gained traction over the summer time when, following preliminary stories by Autosport earlier this yr, it became clear the title sponsorship between Saudi oil giant Aramco and VR46 doesn’t exist.
Bezzecchi, who races for VR46 in Moto2, was supplied an Aprilia trip for 2021 however turned this down, with it thought the Italian can be becoming a member of Luca Marini on the VR46 Ducati squad subsequent season.
Nevertheless, Autosport understands Bezzecchi has reached an settlement with SRT to take over one of many bikes subsequent season – although it’s unclear if will probably be the manufacturing facility Yamaha Rossi at the moment rides or the older ‘A-spec’ bike of Morbidelli’s.
SRT’s first alternative to affix its squad subsequent yr was Moto2 title contender Raul Fernandez, who has made waves in his rookie marketing campaign within the intermediate class with Ajo KTM.
Nevertheless, Fernandez relented to strain from KTM and can step as much as MotoGP in 2022 with Tech3 – as first reported by Autosport throughout June’s Dutch TT.