Former MotoGP team owner, CryptoData, is preparing to take legal action against championship promoter, Dorna, and the International Race Teams Association (IRTA), alleging that the two organizations have violated their contractual obligations and engaged in anti-competitive practices. This comes after the decision to remove the team’s grid spots at the end of 2023.
In 2022, the Romanian cybersecurity company entered the MotoGP paddock as the official sponsor of the Austrian Grand Prix. In 2023, they expanded their presence by sponsoring not only Razlan Razali’s team, RNF Racing, but also becoming co-owners of the Malaysia-based team following the collapse of the previous sponsor, WithU.
CryptoData worked closely with the team during their transition from Yamaha to Aprilia and continued to be the official race sponsor for the 2023 race at the Red Bull Ring. However, their partnership came to an unexpected end at the final round of the championship in Valencia, when Dorna and IRTA announced that Cryptodata RNF would lose their starting positions for 2024.
The MotoGP Selection Committee, composed of members from FIM, IRTA, and Dorna Sports, made the decision based on repeated violations and breaches of the Participation Agreement that affected the public image of MotoGP. They stated that they would be reviewing applications for a new Independent Team to join the MotoGP class grid in 2024, using Aprilia machines.
Shortly after, RNF was replaced by Trackhouse, a new American team, which retained most of the former RNF team. It was speculated that Dorna, IRTA, and CryptoData had reached a financial agreement regarding CryptoData’s exit from MotoGP.
However, a document seen by [publication name] reveals that CryptoData alleges that Dorna and IRTA consistently failed to fulfill their financial commitments and took actions that constitute abuse of power and violation of competition law. The document states that CryptoData has gathered substantial evidence of these actions and intends to bring the matter to the attention of competition authorities and seek legal redress and compensation.
CryptoData emphasizes that their legal action is not only to defend their interests but also to highlight the importance of fair competition and integrity in sports and business communities. They believe that no entity should be above the law and principles of fair play and are determined to fight against practices that harm the competitive landscape.
Dorna declined to comment on the matter when approached by [publication name].
