Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales, two prominent figures in the world of MotoGP, recently expressed their opinions on the situation at RNF, where Miguel Oliveira is currently racing. Both riders seem perplexed by the dynamics and decisions made within the team.
Espargaró, in a recent interview, mentioned: “I’ve been observing the developments at RNF, especially with Miguel Oliveira’s performance. It’s a bit perplexing to see the choices they’re making and the direction they’re taking.” He further added that, although each team has its internal strategies and decisions, the moves at RNF seem a bit out of the ordinary.
“The thing is, [the bikes] are the same. Their bike is from 2022 and ours from 2023, but they are practically identical. I don’t want to speak ill of RNF and its riders, but I don’t quite understand what’s going on there. You can’t get a clear picture of what they’re doing in their box. There hasn’t been a race where they’ve been competitive; they’re two good riders, two good bikes, but I don’t quite get it. I don’t know.”
Maverick Viñales echoed similar sentiments, stating: “Miguel is a talented rider, and seeing the current scenario at RNF is a bit surprising. I’m not aware of their internal discussions, but from an external perspective, it’s hard to understand their game plan.”
“Personally, I like to work alone. Honestly, I try to make my own way, I don’t focus much on what Raúl or Miguel are doing. They have a slightly different bike. It’s factory-made, but it’s not the same, and often the data can be confusing. I try to focus on mine and do my job, knowing that at each circuit we will be better next year because I found this or that.”
“For me, as a rider, it’s not important [whether or not there’s a satellite team]. For Aprilia, it might be as a brand. It would be good if everyone had the same bike, so we would have more information. For me, it hasn’t served any purpose. Also, because there’s no teamwork, everyone goes their own way, and it hasn’t been a help. They also want to win, of course, that’s the competition.”
Miguel Oliveira, a rising star on the MotoGP circuit, has been the focus of many discussions due to his potential and the expectations surrounding him. The decisions and strategies of RNF, where he races, are naturally under scrutiny given his caliber.
While it’s not uncommon for teams and their strategies to be discussed in the racing community, the recent comments from Espargaró and Viñales highlight a growing curiosity about RNF’s plans for the future and how they intend to leverage Oliveira’s skills.
It remains to be seen how RNF will respond to these observations and whether any change in strategy or direction will be evident in the upcoming races.