AFTER much speculation in recent days, Onexox TKKR have confirmed that they will be withdrawing from the Moto2 World Championship next year.
TKKR boss Bobie Farid Shamsuddin yesterday said they have decided not to continue their partnership with Spanish-based outfit SAG due to difficulty in securing sponsors.
The two entities had competed under the 'Onexox TKKR SAG' banner for the 2019 and 2020 Moto2 seasons.
Question marks were raised when Indonesia's Mandalika Racing Team recently announced that they were entering Moto2 next year with SAG under the name 'Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team'.
With the uncertainty caused by Covid-19, Bobie said it would be better for them to withdraw from Moto2 and focus on the other championships they are currently competing in.
"Initially, we were asked by SAG last year (2019) to help sponsor them after their previous sponsor withdrew," said Bobie.
"We continued with them (SAG) this year and brought in Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin.
"We were hoping to secure sponsors, but unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic affected our plans.
"It has been very hard for us to secure sponsorship, and I believe any effort to secure funding will be the same (in the near future).
"Mandalika are only in the early stages of negotiations with SAG and nothing is confirmed yet between them.
"However, news such as this hampers our efforts to continue.
"Mandalika have made a lucrative offer to SAG and they have even said that they are going to bring Pak Jokowi (Indonesian president Joko Widodo) to meet with SAG. We can't compete with that.
"After much consideration, we have decided that it would be best to withdraw from Moto2 next year.
"We have not done anything wrong, but we have to be realistic (about the situation).
"In the current situation, it is better for us to regroup and focus on our teams, competing in the Malaysian Cub Prix Championship and the Asia Road Racing Championship next year.
"We could also compete in the FIM CEV championship next year, though there are no confirmed plans for that at the moment.
"If we have the means, we might rejoin the World Championship in the future.
"Developing Malaysian riders and mechanics is our main objective."
Bobie added that it was, ultimately, up to SAG to decide if Kasma, who signed a three-year deal (2020-2022), would be retained in Moto2 next year.
Mandalika had initially stated that they were going to field Indonesian Dimas Ekky Pratama in the team alongside Switzerland's Tom Luthi.
"Kasma signed the agreement with SAG, so it is up to them to decide whether he will continue with them or not," added Bobie.
"But if you look at Mandalika's announcement yesterday (Sunday), they have named Luthi and Kasma as their riders so he might continue.
"We (TKKR) have discussed matters with Kasma's side, and they are OK.
"They understand the situation we are facing."
Both Luthi, who replaces Remy Gardner in the team, and Kasma have been named in the official Moto2 roster for next season's World Championships.