Regardless of Miguel Oliveira’s choice, Remy Gardner definitely won’t be competing for GasGas in MotoGP for 2023.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer said as the Austrian company awaited Oliveira’s decision on his most recent contract offer.
This comes as the four-time MotoGP race winner made a surprise bid to join Tech3 for the 2023 MotoGP season at the Red Bull Ring during the debut of GasGas Factory Racing.
Oliveira had turned down the idea of returning to Tech3 where he moved up to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2021. This was in order to create a place for the arrival of Jack Miller who will be leaving Ducati at the end of the season.
KTM believes that his opinion will change as a result of the satellite team’s renaming as the factory squad of one of its sister outfits, which will be making its debut in the premier class.
In Austria, Gardner acknowledged that it doesn’t appear like he will be back in the MotoGP paddock for the upcoming season. Augusto Fernandez, a Moto2 title challenger for KTM Ajo, is also a candidate for the vacant Tech3/GasGas seat.
KTM’s boss was even less ambiguous in his interview with German publication Speedweek.com. When asked who would take the seat next to Pol Espargaro, Pierer remarked, “Certainly not Gardner.” This is much understandable considering Gardner’s doubts about his prospects in MotoGP.
It is also not all that surprising given the tumultuous relationship between Paco Sanchez, the management of the 2021 Moto2 champion, and KTM.
Prior to Pit Beirer’s shocking revelation at the Red Bull Ring, Oliveira was widely believed to be riding an Aprilia for RNF Racing next season. Despite the allure of a three-year contract, the Austrian marque still believes that to be the most likely course of action, according to Pierer.
“I don’t think that Miguel will race with us in 2023 because he signed a letter of intent at Aprilia,” Pierer remarked. “We offered him a new three-year contract so that he would have stability and build the GasGas project together with Pol… the ball is in his hands.”
Hubert Trunkenpolz, a KTM board member, stated to Speedweek.com in the same interview that they will get an answer before the end of the week, which is consistent with Oliveira’s own post-race comments in Austria.
As a result, when the San Marino Grand Prix takes place at Misano next weekend (September 2-4), information regarding the second GasGas ride is likely to be released.
Brad Binder and Miller at Red Bull KTM are already set, while Espargaro, a former rider for that team who spent two years with Repsol Honda, has joined the group at GasGas.
