RNF to reveal new MotoGP title sponsor, Cyberpunk style ‘shock’ livery?
Previous sponsor WithU suddenly dropped out in the closing stages of RNF’s sole campaign with Yamaha, prompting a one-off livery to welcome the arrival of CryptoDATA at last November’s Valencia finale (pictured).
But Razali made clear, CryptoDATA’s investment was as a majority shareholder in RNF. The position of team title sponsor thus remained available, but has now been filled.
“There is a misconception: CryptoDATA is our shareholder [not title sponsor],” Razali told Crash.net on Tuesday at the Sepang Shakedown test.
“So the announcement we made in Valencia was about them coming in as shareholders.
"But because we had a problem with our former title sponsor, we also gave them that [special livery] exposure at Valencia to say ‘CryptoDATA is here’
“They [CryptoDATA] invested in us as a team, as a company. Then, like in any racing business model, we look for sponsors.”
And is the deal with the new title sponsor done?
“Yes, it's more or less done. Of course, we can’t reveal who it is until our launch, on the 16th of March. In Estoril.”
Another Cyberpunk style ‘shock’ livery?
The bright day-glow colours used for the special CryptoDATA livery at Valencia certainly made an impression and Razali expects the team’s 2023 MotoGP colours for Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez to be just as 'different' and eye-catching.
“That's the intention,” he said.
“We are all so used to what a bike livery looks like, you know? So when we were first presented with their concept of what they call ‘Cyberpunk’ for Valencia, on the computer screen, we were like ‘Oh my God!’
"But when it was actually painted in real life, it looked superb and very different.
"Now the same process is being applied for this year's livery. So we saw it [for the first time] and we were like, ‘Oh! OK...’. It was something that we are not used to, but one set was already produced in Italy and it looks really nice.
"So we look forward to it. It’s going to be different!”