As the new racing season draws closer, Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. has taken a moment between preseason testing activities to gather all of the Official Race Teams together to kick-off the 2017 Road and Off-Road line up. The international racing media were invited to join the Official Race Teams Press Conference on 7th February at the headquarters of the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team in Gerno di Lesmo, Italy.
The Pata Yamaha Official Team WorldSBK were next to showcase their 2017 racing livery, with British rider Alex Lowes returning for his second year with Yamaha alongside new for this season teammate, Dutchman rider Michael van der Mark. The pairing have already enjoyed positive preseason testing alongside the WorldSSP600 team and are keen to arrive in Australia for round one of the 2017 season at Phillip Island to kick off their campaign. WorldSBK siblings the Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 Team return for 2017 ready to do battle with the YZF-R1M in the newly defined European Superstock 1000 Championship. French rider Florian Marino returns for the second year having showed impressive pace from the start of 2016- including pole position in the opening race – before an accident in the second round cut his season short. Intensive training and rehabilitation now complete, Marino is eager to get back to work with his Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 Team and confirm his skill, speed and talent. He is joined by new teammate, Italian rider Roberto Tamburini, the 2015 Superstock 1000 Cup runner up.
There was one more surprise for the gathered media to set the tone for the day, as Yamaha Motor Racing Director Lin Jarvis took to the stage to thank media and partners for their attendance and share insight into the 2017 MotoGP strategy for the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team, the pinnacle of the wider Yamaha commitment to Motorsport.
Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko