Following Maverick Viñales’ recent departure from Yamaha, the Japanese team has decided to accelerate its restructuring plans at both their official team and their satellite formation: the Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT). 

The main protagonist of these new developments has been, without a doubt, Andrea Dovizioso.  The Italian pilot, who left MotoGP at the end of 2019 when he was unable to reach a financial agreement with his then team, Ducati, will now return to the Premier Class World Championship with Petronas SRT. And he is doing so imminently. In order to do this, the world MotoGP runner-up of 2017-19 will abandon his current duties as a luxury test pilot for Aprilia. 

At the Malaysian team, Dovizioso will be competing alongside his compatriot and former rival Valentino Rossi, for the remainder of the current season and the next. Specifically, he will re-join the competition at the San Marino GP, which is taking place from September 17 to 19 at the Marco Simoncelli Circuit in Misano-Adriatico in Italy. 

‘Dovi’ & Morbydo to race for their new teams in Misano

The news was confirmed by Yamaha’s managing director Lin Jarvis. The manager confirmed that an accord was reached last weekend during the British GP at the Silverstone Circuit. He clarified, however, that this was just a verbal agreement that had to be finalised on paper:

“It’s not signed off yet, but I believe Andrea will return this year at Misano and then run a full season next year for SRT” –Said the boss of the Japanese team-. 

Jarvis has also revealed that current SRT rider, Franco Morbidelli‘s planned promotion to the Yamaha factory team in 2022 is to be brought forward to replace Viñales. Most likely the move will also take place at the Misano appointment at the same time as ‘Dovi’ takes over the controls of his SRT M1. The Italo-Brazilian pilot, by the way, is still recovering from an operation on his left knee at the end of June. 

To allow enough time for him to recover, it was decided that he will not resume competing in the next round of the calendar, the Aragon GP, on September 17-19, but a week later on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. If it wasn’t for this, Morbidelly wouldn’t have missed the Spanish appointment at the Motorland circuit in Spain:

“The intention is for Franky (Morbidelli) to become an official rider midway through this season and continue during the next. We could attempt to get him to race in Aragon, but we don’t need to take more risks than necessary, so the most logical thing would be to see him again in Misano ”.   

Jake Dixon, to ride again for SRT in Aragon

Jarvis has also finished explaining the reshuffling within both Yamaha and its satellite team by making reference to Morbidelli’s replacement at SRT in Aragon.  The team’s executive has pointed out to English Moto2 pilot, Jake Dixon, who could feature in Aragon after his MotoGP debut at home in Silverstone. He has also, however, made reference to Darryn Binder as a possible replacement for Morbidelli in Spain:

“Jake (Dixon) completed a good weekend and we will probably see him again on the Yamaha this season. Darryn Binder is another option, as everyone knows. And there are others too” – Jarvis concluded-. 

Images of Andrea Dovizioso: MotoGP.