Since the tests that Randy de Puniet did this winter in Spain with the Moto Ain team, the name of the third rider of Pierre Chapuis' team was an open secret, but today, it is done: The ex- Grand Prix driver and current Canal+ consultant for MotoGP has been made official alongside Roberto Rolfo and Robin Mulhauser!
This is excellent news because Randy de Puniet told us that he only wanted to sign if all the technical elements were in place to fight at the forefront, and in no case wanted to make up the numbers (By the way, he also placed Johann Zarco on the podium in Qatar, see here). For a first year in the EWC category after two titles in the FIM Superstock World Cup, it is therefore an ambitious challenge but also a strong message that the small team from Bourg en Bresse sends to all its opponents...
The news was made official today on the site FIMEWC.fr.
RANDY DE PUNIET AT MOTO AIN
To mark its entry into the EWC category, Moto Ain is striking hard by recruiting Randy de Puniet. Alongside Roberto Rolfo and Robin Mulhauser, the former MotoGP rider will be an asset to play in the EWC leading pack.
Double winner of the FIM Superstock World Cup, Moto Ain asserts his ambitions from his first season in Formula EWC.
Randy de Puniet joins Pierre Chapuis' team. Coming from MotoGP, the French rider already has serious experience in Endurance. After a 2e place at the Suzuka 8 Hours 2014 with Yoshimura Suzuki, Randy de Puniet completes his first Bol d'Or in 2016 with the official Kawasaki team and finishes 2e. He returned to the podium at Suzuka in 2017 with FCC TSR Honda France. The French driver then joined two other official teams, Honda Endurance Racing and ERC Endurance Ducati, with several podiums to his name.
This season, Randy de Puniet puts his experience at the service of Moto Ain which is moving up to the premier category. Objective: Make an entry into the Top5 in the 2021 FIM EWC World Championship.
Pierre Chapuis, Moto Ain team manager
“Randy’s arrival is a chance. It will allow us to progress more quickly. But it also puts pressure on us because he is a very fast driver. We are entering a new category and we risk making some missteps. Randy helped us a lot in moving from Superstock to EWC and putting together a good bike at a lower cost. I think Randy appreciated the seriousness of our work but also the closer atmosphere in the team. »
Randy de Puniet
« I have known Pierre for 20 years. He first asked me for advice on switching to EWC, what to do on the bike, suspensions, brakes… Then he asked me to ride with them. We did some testing this winter and it went well. Then the team changed tire brands and we did other successful tests at Le Mans at the beginning of March. So, I said OK for the season. I also go there because they are serious and there is a good technical team. They are just limited by a lack of resources. But it’s a challenge that interests me and I always want to run. The Yamaha is a good bike, it is properly prepared, we have good tires and there is a good atmosphere in the team. Now all that's left to do is. It will be difficult to beat the officials but if everything goes well, we can play for a podium. »
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