Points for Rabat as 2020 rumours grow
Competitive race for Tito Rabat in Germany, but is it too late to save his Avintia seat for 2020?
Tito Rabat claimed his second-best finish of the season with eleventh place in the German MotoGP at Sachsenring.
But it may already be too late to keep his seat at the Reale Avintia team, which openly admits to seeking a 'young kid' from Moto2 to push the team forwards in 2020.
"We’ve got a wish, as a team, we’d like to have a young kid pushing that bike in a top situation," Reale Avintia Sporting Director Ruben Xaus told the official MotoGP website during practice in Germany.
"Unfortunately today, Tito is not at the high level that we’d wished and thought. We expected and hoped that he’d come back to show everyone that he deserved the place, but the team needs to work together on a strong situation for next year because the sponsors are pushing hard now we have good bikes,
"Karel Abraham has a two-year contract, so the only place we've not got secured today is Tito's side. So let's see. We are talking to young kids and things look really hopeful."
While Rabat's MotoGP future is in doubt, he is said to be high on the shopping list as a potential team-mate for Jonathan Rea at the official Kawasaki World Superbike team next season.
The former Moto2 world champion, who suffered horrific leg injuries at Silverstone last year, gave a reminder of what he can do by fighting from 22nd and last on the grid at Sachsenring.
"I am happy with the set-up of the bike since we found support from the rear wheel, something I have been missing," Rabat said.
"I've had a good time on the bike, I’ve been catching and overtaking riders and the truth is that you do not get tired because you’re enjoying it.
"We will take advantage of these three weeks to continue working and come back stronger. I hope to continue with this performance in the following races.”
Team-mate Abraham scored the final point with 15th place.
"I am very happy because after two unfortunate races I was able to get a point," said the Czech rider. "It has been a hard race, from which I believe we can draw positive and negative aspects.
"The positive is that we have made good lap times and the negative is that I think I could have ended up with Tito but I have to be stronger and have less fear on the track. Unfortunately, at the start of the race I had a moment in turn 11, just before the waterfall and that made me lose a lot of time but I was able to recover some of it."
Rabat is 19th in the world championship with 14 points. Abraham - who also races last year's Ducati GP18 - is 24th in the standings with three points.
Aside from Rabat, Miller, Nakagami and Syahrin are the only riders out of contract at the end of this season.
