Syahrin 'a little bit concerned' about 2020

Hafizh Syahrin is starting to get 'a little concerned' about his 2020 racing plans.

The Malaysian has known since the summer break his Tech3 KTM MotoGP seat will go to Brad Binder next season and, with few premier-class alternatives, has been talking of a return to the Moto2 class.

But many of the leading Moto2 seats have now been filled, including at his local Petronas team.

"Still, not yet!" Syahrin replied, when asked if knew any more about next year.

"This is difficult to say because I am also a little bit concerned, I don’t know where I'll go.

"I'll probably still be in this championship, but we will see how the meetings go this weekend.

"One more meeting and then I can know something."

Johann Zarco's decision to quit KTM at the end of this season means there is a still an RC16 theoretically available for 2020.

However, Syahrin said there had been no talks yet about staying at Tech3 even if team-mate Miguel Oliveira is promoted to the factory KTM team.

"Probably, we speak for Moto2 [for next year].

"But I don’t know what might happen with Miguel and our team… We didn't speak about that. I just need to keep calm."

Asked about his future at Misano on Thursday, Oliveira said: "My situation is still the same. My efforts are still here in Tech3. I have no idea... I know [KTM test rider] Mika Kallio has a Tech3 leather suit! That's the only thing I know!

"My [KTM] contract is to be here in Tech3. For sure with the new [Zarco] situation, there will have to be some moves, but I'm not sure. I hope they can find a solution but it doesn't make my life harder."

One ride Syahrin has already been signed-up for is alongside Franco Morbidelli and Michael van der Mark in the Sepang team's home squad for December's 8 Hour endurance race.

"I'm with Frankie and Michael van der Mark, who has four Suzuka wins, so for sure I'll try to learn from his experience with the Yamaha superbike. I think we'll be a strong team and we'll try to be ready for the home race," said Syahrin, who hopes to have a test on the R1 before the race weekend.

Syahrin has some prior endurance experience from the 2017 Suzuka 8 Hours, on a Kagayama Suzuki.

"When I did the 8 Hours at Suzuka I was really surprised. It was a really tough race," he said. "At that time I was in Moto2 and my physical condition was not bad but in Suzuka I had to do more riding than my team-mates. It was a hard job and I knew [EWC] wasn't a playground!

"You have to be physically and mentally ready and stay really fit, otherwise it's easy to crash. I've only done it one time because it was complicated to do the 8 Hours and MotoGP. But now my home [EWC] race is after the MotoGP season."

As if EWC wasn't enough, Syahrin will also be taking part in the touring car event held on the same weekend.

"It's probably a little bit crazy, but for me it's a special weekend because it's the first time Sepang has hosted the touring car and EWC race," he said. "Razlan [Razali, Sepang CEO] asked me if I wanted to drive the car and I said 'why not?' I was interested to try both. Let's see what I can do.

"It will be tough because after the 8 Hours on the Saturday for sure the body will be destroyed because of the humidity. Then we have three sprint races in the car on the Sunday. So it will be hard!"