Introducing Yamaha’s Factory and Supported Teams and Riders for 2025

February 10, 2025

February 10, 2024 –This year Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. celebrates the 70th anniversary of our July 1, 1955, founding, which also marks the 70th anniversary of our motorsports activities that began only 10 days later at the 3rd Mount Fuji Ascent Race. Since that time, we have continued our racing efforts, taking on new challenges and using our spirit of challenge as the driving force to pave the way into the future.

In 2025, just as we did in 1955, we will not lose sight of that spirit of challenge as we uphold our basic policy of enhancing the value of the Yamaha brand, developing advanced technologies to feed back to our production machines, and promoting the healthy growth of motorcycle racing.

Last year, as part of making a transformation, we continued to develop our YZR-M1 MotoGP machine by recruiting a diverse range of personnel from both in and outside Japan, and by revising our development structure, systems and overall organization. In 2025, we will continue this transformation as we build a closer cooperative relationship between Yamaha Motor and Yamaha Racing, while through our partnership with Pramac Racing, we will shift to a “double factory” effort. In addition to the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP factory team, the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team, who won last year’s MotoGP title, will function as a second factory team, creating a two-team, four-bike lineup for the first time since 2022. Competing with two teams will boost both the speed and quality of development as Yamaha takes aim at the world’s premier motorcycle racing title.

In addition to MotoGP, we will also be placing emphasis on our BLU CRU program, which will be a pillar in our efforts toward promoting the healthy growth of motorcycle racing and personnel development. In 2025, we will work to strengthen our road racing efforts. As with the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU Asia-Pacific Championship established in 2024, Yamaha and other group companies will use the YZF-R3 as a platform to develop young riders and promote road racing. Riders with strong potential from several countries and regions will be able to participate in the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU FIM World Cup, which is held in conjunction with the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). The eventual champion will earn the chance to step up to the Supersport 300 World Championship (WorldSSP300).

For 2025, a new seat has been put in place for rider development in the Supersport World Championship (WorldSSP) to serve as the next step after WorldSSP300, and its first rider will be 2024 WorldSSP300 champion Aldi Satya Mahendra. Along with Mahendra, another WorldSSP rider to keep an eye on is Yuki Okamoto, who won the title in Japan’s premier JSB1000 road racing class and steps up to the world stage for 2025.

Also, the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 team was established as the BLU CRU’s pinnacle team competing in the Moto2 World Championship. The new team has clarified the path for young Yamaha riders from around the world to follow as they strive to reach the highest level of motorcycle racing competition.

Road Racing

In MotoGP, the world’s premier class of road racing, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team riders Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins will compete alongside Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team riders Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira.

In addition to these four, Augusto Fernandez, Cal Crutchlow, and Andrea Dovizioso will form the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team and will work closely with the race team toward winning the MotoGP title.

All four of the 2025 YZR-M1 machines will feature a new look with an emphasis on blue, clearly illustrating the connection between Yamaha’s two factory teams. It will serve as a visual symbol of the cooperation among Yamaha, the team and staff and the riders.

In the Moto2 World Championship, riders Tony Arbolino and Izan Guevara will form the new BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 team lineup. As the pinnacle of the BLU CRU program, the team is sure to catch the eyes of hopeful young riders around the world. Their goal is to win their first Moto2 title while developing up-and-coming MotoGP riders.

In WorldSBK, Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli will ride for the Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team, while for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner will compete on the newly winglet-equipped 2025 YZF-R1 as they attempt to bring the title back to Yamaha for the first time since 2021.

Contesting WorldSSP will be three teams featuring six riders in total, all of whom will ride the new YZF-R9 that was first announced in 2024. Two rookies to watch will be WorldSSP300 world champion Aldi Satya Mahendra and All Japan JSB1000 champion Yuki Okamoto.

The Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team, who took their first ever podium at the Suzuka 8 Hours on their way to finishing second overall last season will contest the Endurance World Championship (EWC) on the YZF-R1. Following the retirement of Niccolò Canepa, the team’s lineup will include new addition Jason O'Halloran alongside Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika.

In the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship, riders Jake Gagne and newcomer Bobby Fong will compete for the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team. The two will ride 2025 YZF-R1 machines with the goal of winning the title in North America’s premier road racing class.

Motocross/Supercross

In the Motocross World Championship’s premier MXGP class, Maxime Renaux, Jago Geerts and Calvin Vlaanderen from the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team will compete on the factory YZ450FM.

In addition, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team lineup will consist of Karlis Reisulis, Thibault Benistant and Rick Elzinga on the YZ250FM, with each working toward lifting this season’s MX2 title.

As of this January, the 2025 AMA Supercross season has already kicked off, and the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team/250 Team has already been in action. In the 450SX class, Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb and Justin Cooper are contesting on YZ450F machinery, while in 250SX East and West, Haiden Deegan and eight other riders are competing on YZ250Fs. Each rider is aiming to win the title in their respective classes.

The AMA Motocross season gets underway at the end of May, and in it the same Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team/250 Team that competes in AMA Supercross will field its lineup of riders with the goal of lifting the outdoor title for 2025.