RideFast Nov 2019

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Oliveira left “Disappointed”
after Binder KTM deal.
Miguel Oliveira couldn’t hide his
disappointment at KTM’s decision to
give rookie Brad Binder the vacant 2020
factory MotoGP seat.
Oliveira, doing an impressive job at
the satellite Tech3 squad during his
own debut premier-class season, was
the obvious initial choice to take over
following Johann Zarco’s early exit
from the official team.
KTM then seemed to be leaning
towards handing the role to test rider
Mika Kallio, who is finishing this season
in place of Zarco.
But in a surprise twist, Binder - due to be
Oliveira’s Tech3 team-mate - will now
go straight to the factory MotoGP team
alongside Pol Espargaro next year.
It’s a decision that has left Oliveira
clearly disgruntled.
The Portuguese had been prepared to
remain at Tech3 for a further season if
the factory wanted the vast experience
of Mika Kallio, but can’t understand why
Binder is a better choice than him.
“KTM approached me during the Misano
GP and, they weren’t really asking me
anything or giving me the option, they
just said that there was this seat that
was available in the factory team and
they were thinking about putting Mika
there,” Oliveira explained on Thursday at
Phillip Island.
“And I said, well if it’s Mika [getting the
ride] I think it’s completely fine for me,
because I had built a good relationship
with the [Tech3] team and I think it
doesn’t make sense to make the switch.
“In any case, you know we were
supposed to have a factory bike this
year that didn’t happen until recently
and who knows about next year?
This is the thing I want to look at, the
KTM relationship in the long term
and having chosen a rookie and a guy
[Binder] who is the same age as me
makes me feel a bit like I’m not worthy
enough to be there.
“But it’s their decision and I respect it.
And it doesn’t change any single thing
on my mind of being here and doing
the maximum.”
Oliveira, who found out KTM’s plans
last Friday at Motegi, explained
that being in the official team not
only means getting the latest-spec
machinery but having a guiding hand in
development of the RC16.
“The thing is, when you are offered
the factory seat there are many other
things at stake, like first of all you are
guaranteed that you have a factory bike,”
said Oliveira.
“Secondly, you are more involved in the
development of the parts and you get to
try many things, which for me as a oneyear
experience MotoGP rider made
more sense to be there [than Binder].
“But it doesn’t make sense to them and
this is the thing where we disagree. But
again I respect that. There’s nothing I
can do.”
Another area where Oliveira and KTM
seem to disagree is over the decision
to put another rookie, Iker Lecuona, in
place of Binder as Oliveira’s new Tech3
team-mate.
“I think it was a rush move. Basically
he’s for sure a fast rider in Moto2, he
has shown it a couple of times. But you
know it was something that I think was
forced,” Oliveira said.
“It was never the ideal plan for KTM
and for the whole project. But it’s
something that was made to do and
maybe it will be a positive surprise next
year and he can maybe also be fast on
a KTM. We’ll see.”
Oliveira is 16th in the world
championship, as the second-best KTM
rider after Espargaro, with a best race
finish of eighth place.
World SBK news:
Camier to Barni
Ducati while GRT
Yamaha get two
new riders.
The Barni Racing Team has announced Leon
Camier will join the outfit for the 2020 FIM Motul
Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).
Camier will ride the Ducati Panigale V4 R, making
it his sixth different manufacturer during his
WorldSBK career, while he’ll experience his first
taste of the bike during the upcoming 13-14
November tests at MotorLand Aragon.
“I am very much looking forward to the new
challenge in the next season,” Camier. “I will use all
my riding and development skills to achieve toplevel
results together with Marco and his team.
“They have a close relation to the factory, are a
very passionate, engineering-driven group with
focus on results and I believe we will work well
together. Having said that, my focus now is first
to finish the season as strong as possible in Qatar
with my current team.”
The British ace departs Moriwaki Althea Honda,
the squad’s future uncertain after the Honda
Racing Corporation confirmed it will enter an inhouse
factory team to be spearheaded by Alvaro
Bautista. Who the 2nd rider in that factory team
will be is still undecided.
GRT Yamaha signs Caricasulo
and Gerloff for 2020 WorldSBK
GRT Yamaha has signed Italian Federico
Caricasulo and American Garrett Gerloff for the
2020 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship
(WorldSBK).
Caricasulo is already familiar with the GRT
Yamaha squad, having contested the WorldSSP
category with them in 2017 and 2018, while he’s
currently ranked second in the championship
standings with one round remaining aboard the
YZF-R6.
24-year-old Gerloff was the MotoAmerica
Supersport champion in 2016 and 2017 before
joining the Yamaha Factory Superbike Team in
2018 and 2019, most recently finishing third in the
championship standings.
Current GRT Yamaha rider Marco Melandri will
retire at the conclusion of the season, while
Sandro Cortese’s future remains uncertain.
16 RIDEFAST MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2019