Domino effect leaves Moto2’s new star without a seat in MotoGP

In just under a month, Garcia has gone from being the object of desire of Pramac and Trackhouse, who pressured the Spaniard’s agents not to lift a finger without letting them know first, to starting to digest the fact that he will have to continue racing in Moto2 for another season, regardless of whether he is crowned champion.

The trajectory and inertia of the Borriana rider, who is only 21 years old, make him the most promising rider in the middle category. Having just passed the halfway point of the championship, Garcia leads the general standings with an 18-point advantage over Ai Ogura, his closest pursuer, after a heroic performance last Sunday at Silverstone, which catapulted him from 20th at the end of the first lap to fourth at the checkered flag.

However, none of this seems to be enough to earn him a promotion to MotoGP next year. A slap that hurts even more when you consider that Ogura is one step away from becoming Raul Fernandez’s teammate at Trackhouse and that Somkiat Chantra is finalizing his move to Honda LCR, replacing Takaaki Nakagami. Both the Japanese and the Thai have underperformed the Spaniard, which is a less decisive factor than others.

Up until the German Grand Prix, the event that marked the summer break, Garcia was wanted at least by Trackhouse and Pramac. According to Motorsport.com, Yamaha’s commitment and resources for its new satellite team have prompted the American team’s management to look for an alternative. The answer was Ogura, whose announcement is only pending the final details of the contract.

With this equation already resolved, everything seemed ready for Garcia to join Paolo Campinoti’s team, who also maintained contact with Tony Arbolino, in case the path of the Castellón-born rider did not materialize. “Sergio is a hard worker, I like his way of riding, he is an excellent rider. He has had a career similar to mine. With Pons it didn’t go very well, but with SpeedUp he is going very strong. I told Yamaha. It’s not my decision, but it’s good that they listen to the riders”, said Fabio Quartararo, the spearhead of the Yamaha project, at the Sachsenring, before going on holiday.

The Frenchman then expressed his support for Arbolino on his return to Britain. “He’s ready to make the step up to MotoGP. I know what he’s training for and what he can give. It’s true that he’s my friend, but that’s not why I’m betting on him,” he said of his Italian colleague.

Speaking of Pramac, those who had not yet finalized their lineup moved in parallel. In practice VR46, Gresini and LCR. Fabio Di Gianantonio’s permanence in Valentino Rossi’s team was never in doubt, especially after the Roman agreed his future directly with Ducati. In this sense, it was logical to think of Fermin Aldeguer as Diggia’s teammate. This scenario was the most suitable for the Borgo Panigale house, which signed the Spaniard in January with the promise of a place in MotoGP in 2025.

The Rescue of Australian Jack Miller

Aldeguer’s move to VR46 would have left open the possibility of Jack Miller, who KTM had supported until the end of his project, joining Gresini. Despite not yet turning 30, Miller is one of the most experienced members of the grid, having raced for three different brands (Honda, Ducati and KTM), and remains one of the most charismatic riders, not only in Australia, where he is the only representative in MotoGP.

Jack Miller, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Photo by: KTM Images

Motorsport.com has learned that the Linfox Group, one of Australia’s largest transport companies and owner of the Phillip Island circuit, recently held several discussions with Gresini’s owner, Nadia Padovani, who was approached about buying the team. In the end, the widow of founder Fausto Gresini decided not to sell. If the deal had gone through, Miller would most likely have returned to a Ducati, in this case the Faenza-based team.

Padovani’s refusal, however, did not invalidate Aldeguer’s hypothetical arrival. Valentino Rossi’s close relationship with Franco Morbidelli did. Pramac’s change of supplier, which will interrupt its relationship with Ducati to compete with Yamaha prototypes, closed any possibility of Morbidelli’s permanence, given his previous relationship with the Iwata manufacturer. The “Doctor” has come to the rescue of his protégé, who will welcome him into VR46, filling the place that Ducati considered ideal for Aldeguer. The commitment acquired by the Bologna manufacturer with the Spaniard will lead him to become Marc Marquez’s replacement in Gresini when the #93 wears red.

With the previous unknowns resolved, the only bike that still does not have an owner is Pramac’s second M1, which already closed days ago to Miguel Oliveira. A priori, Garcia was the ideal candidate for that second Yamaha, because he fulfilled many of the requirements that the managers of the tuning fork brand were looking for. He is young and talented and his strength would merge perfectly with Oliveira’s proven experience.

The problem is that he finds himself competing with Miller, who has already left excellent ties in Pramac and who, moreover, has the championship’s top brass on his side, who are very focused on the commercial aspect, as is logical, and who will do everything to prevent the departure of the only Australian rider on the grid. Proof of this is the meeting held last weekend at Silverstone, in the Pramac truck, between Miller himself and Aki Ajo, his representative, and the Campinoti team’s managers, at which Dan Rossomondo, commercial director of the World Championship, was also present.