Introducing Yamaha’s Factory and Supported Teams and Riders for 2026
Yamaha press releases on our motor sports racing activities
February 10, 2026

February 10, 2026 –Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. will continue our motorsports efforts in 2026 with the same spirit of challenge we have carried since 1955, as we make various efforts under 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.
For this season, we have made an organizational change by establishing the new MS Value Creation Department to handle motorsports planning and management. It will focus on creating value for stakeholders through our motorsports efforts.
Our primary focus remains on our efforts in the MotoGP World Championship. In 2024, we put together a new organizational structure as part of making a transformation aimed at global talent recruitment and updating development systems and processes. For 2025, our efforts centered around a dual factory team structure with the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP and Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP teams. We saw last year as a season of “realization,” in which we took on the challenge of developing both the inline-four and V4 engines for the YZR-M1 simultaneously. Particularly with the latter, we explored and verified the potential it held through tests and wildcard entries. In November last year, we made the decision to exclusively use the V4 engine configuration for the YZR-M1 starting in 2026.
Coming into 2026, our challenge continues as we approach the season with the same dual-factory structure as before. Four riders will be developing our current V4-powered machines toward taking victory while we also work in the background on developing our prototype for the 2027 MotoGP regulations. As we make efforts across various aspects of development, we are aiming to create new value in several domains. We are doing so by strengthening our organization, developing talent, advancing technologies like engines, chassis, electronics and aerodynamics, and developing manufacturing and production techniques that allow us to deliver these with high quality. Going forward, we aim to feed the knowledge gained from these efforts back into our products and manufacturing processes, transforming experience into value for our customers and stakeholders.
In addition to MotoGP, the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 team, who compete in the Moto2 World Championship, enters its second year in 2026. The team serves as an objective for up-and-coming riders who are aiming to reach the pinnacle of road racing. Through the season, the team’s riders will work to develop the mental, technical and physical skills they need to step up to MotoGP. This year, the team will field two young riders whom Yamaha and Pramac will support and develop toward becoming the kind of talent capable of taking on challenges alongside our company.
In production racing, Yamaha competes in the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), Endurance World Championship (EWC), Motocross World Championship (MXGP/MX2), AMA Supercross/Motocross, and the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship (MotoAmerica). Teams are run by Yamaha’s European and North American group companies, who campaign YZF-R and YZ series machines ridden by world-class riders aiming to win their respective championship titles.

Main Yamaha Race Teams for 2026 *As of February 10, 2026.
Road Racing
| Rider(s) | Team(s) | Machine |
|---|---|---|
| MotoGP World Championship | ||
| #20 Fabio Quartararo | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | YZR-M1 |
| #42 Álex Rins | #43 Jack Miller | Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP |
| #7 Toprak Razgatlioğlu | ||
| Moto 2 World Championship | ||
| #28 Izan Guevara | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 | Boscoscuro |
| #54 Alberto Ferrández | ||
| Superbike World Championship | ||
| #55 Andrea Locatelli | Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team | YZF-R1 |
| #97 Xavi Vierge | ||
| #87 Remy Gardner | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | |
| #62 Stefano Manzi | ||
| #13 Mattia Rato | Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team | |
| #54 Bahattin Sofuoğlu | ||
| Endurance World Championship | ||
| #1 Marvin Fritz | Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team | YZF-R1 |
| #1 Karel Hanika | ||
| #1 Leandro Mercado | ||
| #99 Florian Marino | Elf Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 | |
| #99 Randy de Puniet | ||
| #99 Alessandro Delbianco | ||
| #99 Bo Bendsneyder | ||
| MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship | ||
| #50 Bobby Fong | Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing | YZF-R1 |
| #95 JD Beach | ||
Motocross/Supercross
| Rider(s) | Team(s) | Machine |
|---|---|---|
| MXGP World Championship | ||
| #959 Maxime Renaux | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team | YZ450FM |
| #243 Tim Gajser | ||
| #517 Isak Gifting | JK Racing Yamaha | YZ450F |
| MX2 World Championship | ||
| #47 Karlis Reisulis | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team | YZ250FM |
| #772 Janis Reisulis | ||
| AMA Supercross: 450cc Class | ||
| #1 Cooper Webb | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team | YZ450F |
| #32 Justin Cooper | ||
| AMA Supercross: 250cc Class *Haiden Deegan competes in the AMA Supercross 250cc West class, riding for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team. |
||
| #1 Haiden Deegan | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team | YZ250F |
| #23 Michael Mosiman | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team | |
| #25 Nate Thrasher | ||
| #37 Cole Davies | ||
| #61 Max Anstie | ||
| #163 Pierce Brown | ||
| AMA Motocross: 450cc Class | ||
| #2 Cooper Webb | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team | YZ450F |
| #32 Justin Cooper | ||
| #38 Haiden Deegan | ||
| AMA Motocross: 250cc Class | ||
| #23 Michael Mosimann | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team | YZ250F |
| #25 Nate Thrasher | ||
| #37 Cole Davies | ||
| #61 Max Anstie | ||
| #163 Pierce Browng | ||
BLU CRU: Promoting Motorsports and Developing Talent
Yamaha Motor, including all our group companies worldwide, are fully behind the BLU CRU efforts we make toward promoting motorcycles and motorsports around the globe. Our motorsports division specifically aims to discover talented young Yamaha riders in both on- and off-road disciplines and develop them into riders capable of taking on challenges with us in the future, in both racing and other areas.
In recent years, we have strengthened these BLU CRU efforts. One example of this is the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU FIM World Cup (R3 FIM World Cup), which was launched by group company Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. In it, YZF-R3 machines race as part of a support class for the Superbike World Championship. In response, the Asia-Pacific region now hosts the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU Asia-Pacific Championship, while South America hosts Yamalube R3 BLU CRU América Latina, both of which are YZF-R3 spec racing series. Yamaha has built a unified global tiered step-up structure across the entire group, and as part of this, riders who excel in these regional championships have the chance to be sent to Europe to progress further.
Riders who win the R3 FIM World Cup will progress into the FIM Sportbike World Championship (WorldSPB). If successful there, the next step is a rider development seat in WorldSSP. By this point, the path to the top of the sport is clear, with further progress represented by a full-on WorldSBK seat, or by a seat in the pinnacle of the BLU CRU program: the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 team.
Our BLU CRU efforts extend beyond racing itself, as they also encompass machine and rider talent development. We aim to cultivate the talent needed to promote and expand motorsports while creating new value.
Yamaha Supported Race Teams for 2026 *As of February 10, 2026.
Road Racing
| Rider(s) | Team(s) | Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Supersport World Championship | ||
| #61 Can Öncü | Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing WorldSSP Supported Team | YZF-R9 |
| #31 Yuki Okamoto | ||
| #75 Albert Arenas | AS BLU CRU Racing Team | |
| #57 Aldi Satya Mahendra | ||
| #94 Lucas Mahias | GMT94 Yamaha WorldSSP Supported Team | |
| #37 Roberto Garcia | ||
2026 Rider Profiles
Road Racing
MotoGP World Championship

#20 Fabio Quartararo
| Nationality | French |
|---|---|
| Born | April 20, 1999 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP |
| 2015 | 10th in Moto3 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 13th in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2017 | 13th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2018 | 10th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2019 | 5th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2020 | 8th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2021 | MotoGP World Champion |
| 2022 | 2nd in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2023 | 10th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2024 | 13th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2025 | 9th in MotoGP World Championship |

#42 Álex Rins
| Nationality | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Born | Dec. 8, 1995 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP |
| 2012 | 5th in Moto3 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 2nd in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2014 | 3rd in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2015 | 2nd in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2016 | 3rd in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2017 | 16th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2018 | 5th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2019 | 4th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2020 | 3rd in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2021 | 13th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2022 | 7th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2023 | 19th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2024 | 18th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2025 | 19th in MotoGP World Championship |

#43 Jack Miller
| Nationality | Australian |
|---|---|
| Born | Jan. 18, 1995 |
| Racing team | Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP |
| 2011 | Contested 125cc World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 23rd in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2013 | 7th in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2014 | 2nd in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2015 | 19th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2016 | 18th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2017 | 11th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2018 | 13th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2019 | 8th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2020 | 7th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2021 | 5th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2022 | 5th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2023 | 11th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2024 | 14th in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2025 | 17th in MotoGP World Championship |

#7 Toprak Razgatlioğlu
| Nationality | Turkish |
|---|---|
| Born | Oct. 19, 1996 |
| Racing team | Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP |
| 2015 | European Superstock 600 Champion |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5th in FIM Superstock 1000 Cup |
| 2017 | 2nd in European Superstock 1000 Championship |
| 2018 | 9th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2019 | 5th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2020 | 4th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2021 | Superbike World Champion |
| 2022 | 2nd in Superbike World Championship |
| 2023 | 2nd in Superbike World Championship |
| 2024 | Superbike World Champion |
| 2025 | Superbike World Champion |
Moto2 World Championship

#28 Izan Guevara
| Nationality | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Born | June 28, 2004 |
| Racing team | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 |
| 2021 | 8th in Moto3 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Moto3 World Champion |
| 2023 | 22nd in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2024 | 17th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2025 | 11th in Moto2 World Championship |

#54 Alberto Ferrández
| Nationality | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Born | Sep. 2, 2007 |
| Racing team | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 |
| 2023 | 19th in JuniorGP Moto2 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 4th in JuniorGP Moto2 World Championship |
| 2025 | 4th in JuniorGP Moto2 World Championship |
Superbike World Championship

#55 Andrea Locatelli
| Nationality | Italian |
|---|---|
| Born | Oct. 16, 1996 |
| Racing team | Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team |
| 2014 | Contested Moto3 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 20th in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2016 | 9th in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2017 | 28th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2018 | 15th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2019 | 18th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2020 | Supersport World Champion |
| 2021 | 4th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2022 | 5th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2023 | 4th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2024 | 7th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2025 | 4th in Superbike World Championship |

#97 Xavi Vierge
| Nationality | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Born | April 30, 1997 |
| Racing team | Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team |
| 2015 | Contested Moto2 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 20th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2017 | 11th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2018 | 11th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2019 | 13th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2020 | 10th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2021 | 11th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2022 | 10th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2023 | 10th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2024 | 11th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2025 | 7th in Superbike World Championship |

#87 Remy Gardner
| Nationality | Australian |
|---|---|
| Born | Feb. 24, 1998 |
| Racing team | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team |
| 2014 | 32nd in Moto3 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 30th in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2016 | 26th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2017 | 21st in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2018 | 19th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2019 | 15th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2020 | 6th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2021 | Moto2 World Champion |
| 2022 | 23rd in MotoGP World Championship |
| 2023 | 9th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2024 | 10th in Superbike World Championship |
| 2025 | 11th in Superbike World Championship |

#62 Stefano Manzi
| Nationality | Italian |
|---|---|
| Born | Mar. 20, 1999 |
| Racing team | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team |
| 2015 | 27th in Moto3 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 29th in Moto3 World Championship |
| 2017 | 25th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2018 | 24th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2019 | 19th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2020 | 22nd in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2021 | 19th in Moto2 World Championship |
| 2022 | 6th in Supersport World Championship |
| 2023 | 2nd in Supersport World Championship |
| 2024 | 2nd in Supersport World Championship |
| 2025 | Supersport World Champion |
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship

#50 Bobby Fong
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Oct. 25, 1991 |
| Racing team | Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing |
| 2015 | 6th in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3rd in MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Championship |
| 2017 | 3rd in MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Championship |
| 2018 | 11th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2019 | MotoAmerica Supersport Champion |
| 2020 | 3rd in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2021 | 5th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2022 | 5th in MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship |
| 2023 | 12th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2024 | 3rd in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2025 | 3rd in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |

#95 JD Beach
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Oct. 12, 1991 |
| Racing team | Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing |
| 2015 | MotoAmerica Supersport Champion |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2nd in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship |
| 2017 | 2nd in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship |
| 2018 | MotoAmerica Supersport Champion |
| 2019 | 4th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2020 | 20th in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship |
| 2021 | 23rd in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2022 | 4th in American Flat Track |
| 2023 | 11th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2024 | 8th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
| 2025 | 7th in MotoAmerica Superbike Championship |
Motocross/Supercross
MXGP World Championship

#959 Maxime Renaux
| Nationality | French |
|---|---|
| Born | May 17, 2000 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team |
| 2019 | 7th in MX2 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3rd in MX2 World Championship |
| 2021 | MX2 World Champion |
| 2022 | 4th in MXGP World Championship |
| 2023 | 10th in MXGP World Championship |
| 2024 | 17th in MXGP World Championship |
| 2025 | 7th in MXGP World Championship |

#243 Tim Gajser
| Nationality | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Born | Sep. 8, 1996 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team |
| 2014 | 5th in MX2 World Championship |
|---|---|
| 2015 | MX2 World Champion |
| 2016 | MXGP World Champion |
| 2017 | 5th in MX2 World Championship |
| 2018 | 4th in MX2 World Championship |
| 2019 | MXGP World Champion |
| 2020 | MXGP World Champion |
| 2021 | 3rd in MXGP World Championship |
| 2022 | MXGP World Champion |
| 2023 | 11th in MXGP World Championship |
| 2024 | 2nd in MXGP World Championship |
| 2025 | 9th in MXGP World Championship |
AMA Supercross/Motocross Championships: 450cc Class

#1 Cooper Webb
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Nov. 10, 1995 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team |
| 2013 | 9th in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 5th in AMA Supercross 250cc West Division 3rd in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2015 | AMA Supercross 250cc West Division Champion 11th in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2016 | AMA Supercross 250cc West Division Champion AMA Motocross 250cc Champion |
| 2017 | 13th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 8th in AMA Motocross 450cc class |
| 2018 | 9th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 9th in AMA Motocross 450cc class |
| 2019 | AMA Supercross 450cc class Champion 6th in AMA Motocross 450cc class |
| 2020 | 2nd in AMA Supercross 450cc class 27th in AMA Motocross 450cc class |
| 2021 | AMA Supercross 450cc class Champion 4th in AMA Motocross 450cc class |
| 2022 | 7th in AMA Supercross 450cc class |
| 2023 | 3rd in AMA Supercross 450cc class 12th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 4th in SuperMotocross World Championship 450cc class |
| 2024 | 2nd in AMA Supercross 450cc class 35th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 5th in SuperMotocross World Championship 450cc class |
| 2025 | AMA Supercross 450cc class Champion 13th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 6th in SuperMotocross World Championship 450cc class |

#32 Justin Cooper
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Aug. 31, 1997 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team |
| 2017 | 21st in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 3rd in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2019 | 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc East Division 3rd in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2020 | 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc West Division 5th in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2021 | AMA Supercross 250cc West Division Champion 2nd in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2022 | 4th in AMA Motocross 250cc class |
| 2023 | 22nd in AMA Supercross 450cc class 2nd in AMA Motocross 250cc class 6th in SuperMotocross World Championship 250cc class |
| 2024 | 6th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 4th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 8th in SuperMotocross World Championship 450cc class |
| 2025 | 3rd in AMA Supercross 450cc class 4th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 5th in SuperMotocross World Championship 450cc class |

#38 Haiden Deegan
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Jan. 10, 2006 |
| Racing team | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team |
| 2023 | 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc East Division 4th in AMA Motocross 250cc class SuperMotocross World Championship 250cc class Champion |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc East Division AMA Motocross 250cc class Champion SuperMotocross World Championship 250cc class Champion |
| 2025 | AMA Supercross 250cc West Division Champion AMA Motocross 250cc Champion 5th in SuperMotocross World Championship 250cc class |