News & Topics

As Yamaha Motor Europe (YME) stands for excellence to our customers, we take pride in the expertise of our technicians, which we ensure is always at its best shape! For this, Yamaha Motor Academy – our skills-based education institution for all our retail partners across Europe – plays a fundamental role in giving them a competitive advantage in the market and enabling them to provide the best Customer Experience in our industry.

The peak of YME’s Technician Education Programme happens every two years, with the European Technician Grand Prix (ETGP), an exciting competition in which our dealers’ two-wheel technicians prove their skills, knowledge and expertise. This year, the event took place on the 11^th and 12^th of March, at YME’s head office in the Netherlands, with the 16 technicians who qualified in the National Technician Grand Prix (NTGP) – the starting point of this journey, organised by our YME Distributors, where the top technicians compete to qualify for the ETGP.

The ETGP was nail-biting! During two intense days, these top-performers faced six practical tasks and a theoretical test, which assessed their skills and knowledge across a range of technologies used in our vehicles. Each test lasted only for 45 minutes, increasing the pressure over our contestants, but right to the end they didn't give up and they didn't let the time trial get to them.

From a deep understanding of complex issues to providing precise solutions through repairs, competitors showcased their ability to “Fix it right the first time” while maintaining detailed service documentation for customer clarity. Their performance and competencies were evaluated by a diverse jury based on skill, efficiency, and adherence to Yamaha procedures.
Winner technicians from 2 years ago and YME colleagues were also present, enthusiastic about the spirit of camaraderie that characterises this competition so well. Additionally, some invited journalists attended the event and were compelled by the experiences shared by the technicians.

Liam Coffey (United Kingdom), Gökhan Ersoy (Turkey), and Johan Pereira (Spain) achieved, respectively, the top 3 and secured a spot in the final stage of the competition: the rigorous and prestigious World Technician Grand Prix in Japan later in November 2025, where they will face off against Yamaha’s best technicians from around the world. Beyond the competition, technicians will also have the opportunity to engage in cultural activities to discover Yamaha’s birthplace.
Furthermore, the winners were also awarded a Destination Yamaha Experience in Italy!

This contest is a long-standing tradition that reflects our core philosophy and mission of proving Kando, a boundless excitement and deep fulfilment that enrich people’s lives. Through this, we endue technical perfection in delivering an exceptional customer experience. Moreover, it is undoubtedly the one team spirit that makes this event successful, thanks to everyone’s collaboration and participation.

A big thank you to everyone involved from the National to the European competitions. We are very proud of our technicians and we look forward to seeing them representing YME at the ultimate challenge in Japan! Let the best of them win!

You can read more about this competition at: https://www.yamaha-motor.eu/share?link=/about-us/the-yamaha-motor-academy/european-technician-grand-prix/

Georgiana Moc, Yamaha Motor Europe (YME)