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Yamaha press releases on our motor sports racing activities

2016 International Racing Season
Main Yamaha Teams and Rider Profiles

March 1, 2016

Yamaha Motor entered its first race at the 3rd Mt. Fuji Ascent Race, just 10 days after the company was founded on July 1st, 1955. Since then, the history built up by our many challenges in racing arenas around the world has come to represent the very history of the Yamaha Motor group itself, and the Spirit of Challenge born of these racing activities has become an integral part of our corporate culture.

Yamaha Motor's basic policies for racing activities are as follows:
1) Branding: increasing the value of the Yamaha brand
2) Technical Feedback: transferring the technologies gained through motorsports to production models
3) Promotional Activities: growing interest in race participation and spectatorship worldwide

Last year marked Yamaha Motor's 60th anniversary and we conducted our activities based on these basic policies. Our successes included taking the MotoGP Triple Crown of Constructor, Rider and Team titles as well as the MXGP title in the Motocross World Championship. Furthermore, the new YZF-R1, which was developed based on technical feedback from the YZR-M1 MotoGP machine, won the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race along with titles in Japanese, European and American production-based racing championships.

In addition to these achievements, Yamaha took on new challenges, such as continuing our work to create a “step-up” model to nurture young riders from Asia with the goal of bringing them to the world stage. In 2016 as well, Yamaha Motor will continue its global racing activities in line with these three basic policies to taste further victories and to bring Kando* to people all over the world.


*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.

Road Racing

In the MotoGP World Championship, the factory Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team will feature Jorge Lorenzo, who claimed his third MotoGP World Championship title in 2015, and Valentino Rossi, who will enter his 15th season in the premier class. Both will ride the 2016 version of the YZR-M1.

Bradley Smith, who last year finished as top satellite rider with a MotoGP career-best 6th place overall, and Pol Espargaró, who was ranked 9th overall, will make up the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 satellite team, also aboard the 2016 YZR-M1. Yamaha will be aiming to secure a second consecutive Triple Crown.

For the first time since 2011, Yamaha Motor will field a team in the World Superbike Championship: the Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team. Riding for the team will be 2014 World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli and Alex Lowes, entering his third season in the class. They will compete on the YZF-R1, which claimed numerous race wins and titles in its debut season last year, in order to prove that it is the fastest production superbike and secure Yamaha's first championship title in the class since 2009.

In the Endurance World Championship, two European teams will compete for the full 2016 season, while a Yamaha factory team will again take part in the third round, the Suzuka 8 Hours, with the goal of repeating last year's triumph. Yamaha Motor will also field teams in Europe's FIM Superstock 1000 Cup and in the Superbike class of the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship, North America's pinnacle road racing series. All the teams will be striving to win their respective championships this year.

Last year, Yamaha began a tiered “step-up” program in Asia to offer a chance for young riders to grow progressively, creating an environment in the Asia Production 250 (AP250) class of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) where young riders could challenge for results.

This season, Yamaha has formed the new Yamaha Racing Team to contest the championship's premier SuperSports 600 (SS600) class on the YZF-R6 and represent the next level that these AP250 riders should aim for. Riding for the team will be Yuki Ito, who has finished in the top nine for the past four seasons in the class, alongside Muhammad Fitri Ashraf Razali from Malaysia, who will begin his third season in the class. The two will contest the season in hopes of growing as riders and winning the championship.

In the AP250 class, Yamaha will continue to support the riders and teams competing on the YZF-R25 this year.

Motocross/Supercross

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team will compete in the Motocross World Championship's pinnacle MXGP class. Romain Febvre, who last year returned the premier-class title to Yamaha for the first time since 2009, and his teammate Jeremy Van Horebeek, who finished 5th overall last season, will be aiming for a second successive world title on the YZ450FM factory machine.

Besides the factory team, other Yamaha teams will be competing in MXGP and its feeder class, MX2. The young riders in MX2 will be fighting for the championship with their eyes on stepping up to the MXGP class.

In the AMA Supercross Championship, which kicked its season off on January 9th, the Monster Energy/360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing team is contesting the premier 450cc class with two-time Supercross champion Chad Reed aboard the YZ450F. The Autotrader/Monster Energy/Yamaha Team is also in the 450cc class and aiming for top finishes alongside Reed.

AMA Supercross' 250cc class is divided into East and West regional groups, with each being held as a separate championship. Several young Yamaha riders will compete alongside defending 250cc West Champion Cooper Webb. Yamaha's goal this season is to secure both the East and West championship titles.

Main Yamaha Race Teams for 2016

Road Racing

Rider Team Machine
MotoGP World Championship
Jorge Lorenzo Movistar Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1
Valentino Rossi
Bradley Smith Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Pol Espargaró
World Superbike Championship
Sylvain Guintoli Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team YZF-R1
Alex Lowes
FIM Superstock 1000 Cup
Florian Marino Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 Team YZF-R1
Riccardo Russo
Endurance World Championship
David Checa GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team YZF-R1
Niccolò Canepa
Louis Rossi
Max Neukirchner YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
Ivan Silva
Sheridan Morais
Broc Parkes
MotoAmerica Championship: Superbike Class
Josh Hayes Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Road Race Team YZF-R1
Cameron Beaubier
Asia Road Racing Championship: SS600 Class
Yuki Ito Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R6
Muhamad Fitri Ashraf bin Razali
Decha Kraisart Yamaha Thailand Racing Team
Anucha Narkcharoensri
Asia Road Racing Championship: AP250 Class
Reynaldo Chrisantho Ratukore Yamaha Racing Indonesia YZF-R25
Galang Hendra Pratama
Imanuel Putra Pratna Yamaha Tunggal Jaya
Isyam Satrio
Peerapong Luiboonpeng Yamaha Thailand Racing Team
Anupad Sarmoon
Apiwat Wongthananon
Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin Finson Yamaha Racing
Jack Mahaffy
Ahmad Afif Amran Hong Leong Yamaha Racing

Motocross/Supercross

Rider Team Machine
MXGP World Championship
Romain Febvre Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team YZ450FM
Jeremy Van Horebeek
Valentin Guillod Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team YZ450F
MX2 World Championship
Benoit Paturel Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team YZ250F
Brent Van doninck
Aleksandr Tonkov Wilvo Standing Construct Yamaha Official MX2 Team
Julien Lieber
AMA Supercross: 450cc Class
Chad Reed Monster Energy/360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing YZ450F
Justin Barcia Autotrader/Monster Energy/Yamaha Team
Weston Peick
Phillip Nicolette
AMA Supercross: 250cc Class
Cooper Webb Yamalube Star Yamaha Racing Team YZ250F
Jeremy Martin
Aaron Plessinger
Alex Martin
Mitchell Harrison

2016 Rider Profiles

Road Racing

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
2015 MotoGP World Champion

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
2015 2nd 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
2015 6th in MotoGP World Championship

Pol Espargaró

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
2015 9th in MotoGP World Championship

World Superbike Championship

Sylvain Guintoli

Profile
Nationality French
Born June 24, 1982
Racing team Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team
Racing career
2000 Wildcard entry in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2001 14th in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2002 Wildcard entry in MotoGP World Championship
2003 10th in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2004 14th in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2005 10th in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2006 9th in MotoGP World Championship 250cc class
2007 16th in MotoGP World Championship
2008 13th in MotoGP World Championship
2009 33rd in World Superbike Championship
2010 7th in World Superbike Championship
2011 6th in World Superbike Championship
2012 7th in World Superbike Championship
2013 3rd in World Superbike Championship
2014 World Superbike Champion
2015 6th in World Superbike Championship

Alex Lowes

Profile
Nationality British
Born Sep. 14, 1990
Racing team Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team
Racing career
2008 16th in European Superstock 600 Championship
2009 26th in European Superstock 1000 Championship
2010 12th in British Supersport Championship
2011 20th in British Superbike Championship
2012 4th in British Superbike Championship
2013 British Superbike Champion
2014 11th in World Superbike Championship
2015 10th in World Superbike Championship

Asia Road Racing Championship: SuperSports 600 Class

Yuki Ito

Profile
Nationality Japanese
Born Nov. 14, 1991
Racing team Yamaha Racing Team
Racing career
2006 19th in All Japan Road Race Championship 250cc class
2007 12th in All Japan Road Race Championship 250cc class
2008 9th in All Japan Road Race Championship 250cc class
2010 Entry in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class
2011 19th in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class
2012 5th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class
12th in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class
2013 4th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class
8th in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class
2014 2nd in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class
12th in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class
2015 4th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class
16th in All Japan Road Race Championship JSB1000 class

Muhamad Fitri Ashraf bin Razali

Profile
Nationality Malaysian
Born Dec. 12, 1994
Racing team Yamaha Racing Team
Racing career
2014 32nd in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class
2015 25th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class

Motocross
MXGP World Championship

Romain Febvre

Profile
Nationality French
Born Dec. 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
2015 MXGP World Champion

Jeremy Van Horebeek

Profile
Nationality Belgian
Born Nov. 28, 1989
Nov. 28, 1989 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
2015 5th in MXGP World Championship

AMA Supercross Championship: 450cc Class

Chad Reed

Profile
Nationality Australian
Born Mar. 15, 1982
Racing team Monster Energy/360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing
Racing career
2001 2nd in Motocross World Championship 250cc class
2002 AMA Supercross 125cc East Division Champion
3rd in National Motocross Championship 125cc class
2003 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc class
3rd in National Motocross Championship 250cc class
2004 AMA Supercross 250cc class Champion
2nd in National Motocross Championship 250cc class
2005 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc class
8th in National Motocross Championship 250cc class
2006 3rd in AMA Supercross
6th in AMA Motocross
2007 2nd in AMA Supercross
27th in AMA Motocross 450cc class
2008 AMA Supercross Champion
2009 2nd in AMA Supercross
AMA Motocross 450cc class Champion
2010 17th in AMA Supercross
11th in AMA Motocross 450cc class
2011 2nd in AMA Supercross
3rd in AMA Motocross 450cc class
2012 12th in AMA Supercross
2013 5th in AMA Supercross
15th in AMA Motocross 450cc class
2014 14th in AMA Supercross
11th in AMA Motocross 450cc class
2015 22nd in AMA Supercross
22nd in AMA Motocross 450cc class
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