KTM has exercised an option to retain Tech 3 rider Miguel Oliveira for the 2020 MotoGP season.
Last year’s Moto2 runner-up Oliveira has scored points twice in the opening three races of his premier class career, scoring 11th place at Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina before finishing 14th last time out at the Circuit of the Americas.
It means the Portuguese rider lies 16th in the standings on seven points – two more than factory KTM rider Johann Zarco.
KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer indicated to German publication Speedweek that the Austrian manufacturer has moved to exercise its option on Oliveira’s services for 2020, and a team spokesperson has confirmed to Autosport this is the case.
Both of KTM’s factory riders, Zarco and Pol Espargaro, are on two-year deals expiring next year, but Tech 3’s other rider Hafizh Syahrin is out of contract after 2019.
Syahrin has endured a harder start to the year than Oliveira, having failed to score points in the first three rounds.
A 16th-place finish in Argentina is his best finish of 2019 so far.
With Oliveira’s ride now safe for 2020, any potential change in the Tech 3 line-up would come at Syahrin’s expense.
Brad Binder, who finished third in Moto2 last year, has remained with the KTM Ajo team in the same category and could be an option should the team wish to promote to its MotoGP outfit from within.