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Yamaha press releases on our motor sports racing activities

Yamaha's Major Racing Team Structure in 2015

February 6, 2015

SEPANG, MALAYSIA and IWATA, JAPAN, February 5, 2015 – Yamaha Motor announced today that its factory teams will compete in the MotoGP World Championship, MXGP World Championship with the aim to clinch championship titles.
In the MotoGP World Championship, Valentino Rossi (ranked 2nd last year) and Jorge Lorenzo (ranked 3rd last year) will ride for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, Yamaha Motor's factory team. Pol Espargaró (ranked 6th last year) and Bradley Smith (ranked 8th last year) will ride for Yamaha Motor's satellite team Monster Yamaha Tech3. Both teams will race Yamaha Motor's 2015 version of the YZR-M1, which has clinched 6 world championships so far. The aim of this season is the triple crown of rider, team, and constructor titles.
In the MXGP World Championship, YAMAHA FACTORY RACING YAMALUBE will participate in the elite MXGP class with the YZ450FM and riders Jeremy Van Horebeek, ranked 2nd last year, and Romain Febvre, who is stepping up from MX2 class and joining our team from this season.

2015 marks the 60th year since the founding of Yamaha Motor in July 1955, as well as the company's involvement in motorsport since its participation in the third Mt. Fuji Ascent Race in 1955. Yamaha Motor's basic racing direction is as follows:
1) Branding - increasing the value of the Yamaha brand;
2) Technical Feedback - transferring the technologies gained through motorsports to production models; and
3) Promotional Activities - growing interest in race participation and spectatorship worldwide. In addition to racing activities in world championships, Yamaha Motor will also launch its racing campaign including our factory team in the All Japan Championships as well as our participation in the Asia Road Racing Championship. In order to share Kando* with the world based on the direction outlined above, Yamaha Motor will continue to roll out its racing activities strategically.


*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that we experience when we encounter something of exceptional value.

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Major Yamaha Teams, 2015

Road Racing Category

Rider Team Machine
World Championships MotoGP
Valentino Rossi Movistar Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1
Jorge Lorenzo
Pol Espargaro Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Bradley Smith

Motocross Category

Rider Team Machine
World Championships MXGP
Jeremy Van Horebeek YAMAHA FACTORY RACING YAMALUBE YZ450FM
Romain Febvre

Racer Profile

International Team Road Racing Category

Valentino Rossi

Profile
Nationality Italian
Born Feb. 16, 1979
Racing team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
Racing career
1996 9th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
1997 MotoGP World Champion, 125cc class
1998 2nd in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
1999 MotoGP World Champion, 250cc class
2000 2nd in MotoGP World Championship 500cc class
2001 MotoGP World Champion, 500cc class
2002 MotoGP World Champion
2003 MotoGP World Champion
2004 MotoGP World Champion
2005 MotoGP World Champion
2006 2nd in MotoGP World Championship
2007 3rd in MotoGP World Championship
2008 MotoGP World Champion
2009 MotoGP World Champion
2010 3rd in MotoGP World Championship
2011 7th in MotoGP World Championship
2012 6th in MotoGP World Championship
2013 4th in MotoGP World Championship
2014 2nd in MotoGP World Championship

Jorge Lorenzo

Profile
Nationality Spanish
Born May 4, 1987
Racing team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
Racing career
2002 21st in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2003 12th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2004 4th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2005 5th in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2006 MotoGP World Champion, 250cc class
2007 MotoGP World Champion, 250cc class
2008 4th in MotoGP World Championship
2009 2nd in MotoGP World Championship
2010 MotoGP World Champion
2011 2nd in MotoGP World Championship
2012 MotoGP World Champion
2013 2nd in MotoGP World Championship
2014 3rd in MotoGP World Championship

Pol Espargaro

Profile
Nationality Spanish
Born June 10, 1991
Racing team Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Racing career
2006 20th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2007 9th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2008 9th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2009 4th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2010 3rd in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2011 13th in Moto2 World Championship
2012 2nd in Moto2 World Championship
2013 Moto2 World Champion
2014 6th in MotoGP World Championship

Bradley Smith

Profile
Nationality British
Born Nov. 28, 1990
Racing team Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Racing career
2006 19th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2007 10th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2008 6th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2009 2nd in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2010 4th in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class
2011 7th in Moto2 World Championship
2012 9th in Moto2 World Championship
2013 10th in MotoGP World Championship
2014 8th in MotoGP World Championship

International Team Motocross Category

Jeremy Van Horebeek

Profile
Nationality Belgian
Born Nov. 28, 1989
Racing team Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
Racing career
2007 16th in MX2 World Championship
2008 8th in MX2 World Championship
2009 11th in MX2 World Championship
2010 9th in MX2 World Championship
2011 17th in MX2 World Championship
2012 3rd in MX2 World Championship
2013 7th in MX1 World Championship
2014 2nd in MXGP World Championship

Romain Febvre

Profile
Nationality French
Born December 31, 1991
Racing team Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team
Racing career
2012 13th in MX2 World Championship
2013 12th in MX2 World Championship
2014 3rd in MX2 World Championship
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