d Introducing Yamaha’s Factory and Supported Teams and Riders for 2020
February 7, 2020—Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) is actively engaged in racing efforts all over the world under its three main principles of raising the value of the Yamaha brand, incorporating technologies and feedback from racing into our products, and promoting the healthy spread of motorcycle racing. The results of those efforts in 2019 included Maverick Viñales placing 3rd overall in the MotoGP World Championship while teammate Valentino Rossi placed 7th. Added to this were title wins in the premier classes of the All Japan Road Race Championship and MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, the AMA Supercross Championship’s 250SX West series, and the Asia Road Racing Championship’s SuperSports 600 (SS600) and Underbone 150 (UB150) classes. Each of these wins helped us bring Kando* to people around the world. Further, Yamaha’s work since 2015 to develop riding talent primarily around road racing has borne fruit, with young racers from Southeast Asia and Europe showing growth in key racing series in Europe and beginning to take their next steps upward. This demonstrates that our work in this space is showing steady results. In 2020, we will once again continue to contest and aim for victory in the world’s principal racing series while nurturing the next generation of racers, promoting motorsports culture, and communicating our “Revs your Heart” brand slogan.
*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. YAMAHA MOTOR CO., LTD. Motor Sports Strategy Division Headquarters: 2500 Shingai, Iwata-city, Shizuoka 438-8501, Japan TEL: +81-538-37-4025 FAX: +81-538-32-3186 https://global.yamaha-motor.com/race/
Road Racing
For the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP factory team will feature Maverick Viñales, who took to the podium seven times—including two race wins—last year to finish 3rd overall, and Valentino Rossi, who finished on the podium twice to place 7th for the year. The PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team took the accolade of top Independent Team in 2019 and their rider line-up remains unchanged for 2020 with Fabio Quartararo, who secured Rookie of the Year honours and 5th in the standings with seven podium finishes, and Franco Morbidelli, who finished a personal-best 10th overall last season. With these four riders on the YZR-M1, Yamaha will seek to clinch the MotoGP Triple Crown of Rider, Team and Constructor titles.
The Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team will again compete in the World Superbike Championship with Michael van der Mark, who—including Superpole races—took one win, four 2nd places and three 3rd places for 4th overall. Newly joining him this season is Toprak Razgatlioğlu, who showed strong form in the latter half of 2019 as he took his first-ever win and finished 5th overall. The GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team has an all-new line-up as they are set to field 2019 World Supersport Championship runner-up Federico Caricasulo and series newcomer Garrett Gerloff, who took 3rd last season in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. These four riders will strive to take Yamaha’s first championship victory in the class since 2009 aboard the new-and-improved 2020 YZF-R1 featuring next-generation R-Series design and more.
The YART Yamaha Official EWC Team placed 4th in the 2018–2019 Endurance World Championship (EWC) season and is already contesting the 2019–2020 EWC season aboard the endurance-spec YZF-R1. Riders Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika form the team’s new line-up for this season. Two races were run in 2019 in which the team was forced to retire from the 24-hour Bol d'Or season-opener, but then went on to win the first-ever Sepang 8 Hours that followed. This leaves them in 4th overall with three rounds to go, so they will be looking to come back strong to lift the title.
In the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship, the Monster Energy/Attack Performance/Yamaha Racing team will compete in the premier Superbike class on 2020 YZF-R1s. The team’s line-up retains reigning champion Cameron Beaubier, who clinched his fourth career title last year after wins in 2015, 2016 and 2018, and the California native will be looking to make it a hat-trick of national titles in 2020. He will be joined by 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion and fellow Californian Jake Gagne, who has raced in both the MotoAmerica and World Superbike championships in recent years.
In the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC), the Team title-winning Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN will once again race in the premier Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000) class, using 2020
2 YZF-R1M machinery. Taking three race wins and finishing as the 2019 title runner-up, Broc Parkes will again line up alongside teammate Yuki Ito, who took six podium finishes on his way to 5th overall last year. Teams owned and run by Yamaha group companies will also be competing in the ASB1000, SuperSports 600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone 150 (UB150) classes. Last season Yamaha won titles in the SS600 and UB150 classes, but in order to further boost our presence in Southeast Asia where enthusiasm for motorsports is on the rise, Yamaha will continue providing support to its affiliated teams and aiming for titles in every class.
In cooperation with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Riders Academy, the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp rider development programme has been held since 2016 to train and develop young talent. To date, 41 riders from 15 countries—mainly from Southeast Asia and Europe—have attended the Master Camp. Several Master Camp graduates have made steady steps up to higher categories of racing, including 2019 ARRC SS600 Champion Peerapong Boonlert and fellow Thai rider Keminth Kubo, who is set to race again in the CEV Moto2 European Championship. Indonesian racer Galang Hendra Pratama and Andy Verdoia from France will also be making the jump from competing full-time in World Supersport 300 to the World Supersport Championship as they continue striving to grow as riders. With two Yamaha VR46 Master Camps scheduled to be held in this hallmark fifth year, Yamaha will continue to work closely with its local partners and subsidiaries to discover and develop riders ready and capable of battling at the world level.
For more information on the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp https://race.yamaha-motor.co.jp/sp/vr46ra/
3 Motocross/Supercross
In the Motocross World Championship’s top class of MXGP, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team will aim for the title aboard the 2020 YZ450F. The team will field three riders: last season’s vice champion Jeremy Seewer, 4th ranked Gautier Paulin and 5th ranked Arnaud Tonus. All three will be aiming to clinch Yamaha’s first MXGP title since 2015. In the MX2 class, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team will keep the same roster with Jago Geerts and Ben Watson, who finished last season in 3rd and 10th, respectively. They will be riding the latest 2020 YZ250F machines.
In the AMA Supercross Championship that got underway on January 4, 2020, the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team’s line-up for the premier 450cc class remains unchanged with Justin Barcia, who finished 2019 in 13th, and 16th ranked Aaron Plessinger. Both will be campaigning on the 2020 YZ450F.
The Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing is participating in both the East and West Division championships of 250cc Supercross on the 2020 YZ250F, with reigning champion Dylan Ferrandis and Justin Cooper competing in the West Division and Shane McElrath and Colt Nichols in the East Division.
For the AMA Motocross Championship that begins in May, the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team will compete aboard the 2020 YZ450F in the pinnacle 450cc class with the same rider line-up of Barcia and Plessinger for the outdoors title challenge. In the 250cc class, the Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing will campaign on the 2020 YZ250F with the same rider line-up of Ferrandis, Cooper, McElrath and Nichols, but also joined by Ty Masterpool for a five-rider roster for the outdoors season.
4 Main Yamaha Race Teams for 2020
Road Racing
Rider(s) Team(s) Machine
MotoGP World Championship
#12 Maverick Viñales Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #46 Valentino Rossi YZR-M1 #20 Fabio Quartararo PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team #21 Franco Morbidelli
World Superbike Championship
#60 Michael van der Mark Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team #54 Toprak Razgatlıoğlu YZF-R1 #64 Federico Caricasulo GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team #31 Garrett Gerloff
Endurance World Championship
#7 Niccolò Canepa #7 Karel Hanika YART Yamaha Official EWC Team YZF-R1 #7 Marvin Fritz
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Race Championship
#1 Cameron Beaubier Monster Energy/Attack Performance/Yamaha YZF-R1 #32 Jake Gagne Racing
5
Rider(s) Team(s) Machine
Asia Road Racing Championship: ASB1000 Class
#23 Broc Parkes Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN YZF-R1M #76 Yuki Ito
Asia Road Racing Championship: SS600 Class
#36 M Faerozi YAMAHA Racing Indonesia YZF-R6 #123 Mckinley Kyle Paz TBC
Asia Road Racing Championship: AP250 Class
#96 Anggi Setiawan YAMAHA Racing Indonesia YZF-R25 #89 Wahyu Nugroho
Asia Road Racing Championship: UB150 Class
#570 Aldi Satya Mahendra YAMAHA Racing Indonesia MX KING
#17 Masato Fernando UMA Racing Yamaha Philippines Team Sniper150 #99 Kerwin Chang
6 Motocross/Supercross
Rider(s) Team(s) Machine
MXGP World Championship
#91 Jeremy Seewer #21 Gautier Paulin Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP YZ450F #4 Arnaud Tonus
MX2 World Championship
#193 Jago Geerts Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 YZ250F #919 Ben Watson
AMA Supercross: 450cc Class
#51 Justin Barcia Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team YZ450F #7 Aaron Plessinger
AMA Supercross: 250cc Class
#1 Dylan Ferrandis #32 Justin Cooper Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing YZ250F #12 Shane McElrath #13 Colt Nichols
AMA Motocross: 450cc Class
#51 Justin Barcia Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team YZ450F #7 Aaron Plessinger
AMA Motocross: 250cc Class
#1 Dylan Ferrandis #32 Justin Cooper #12 Shane McElrath Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing YZ250F #13 Colt Nichols #41 Ty Masterpool
7 2020 Rider Profiles
Road Racing
MotoGP World Championship
#12 Maverick Viñales Nationality: Spanish Born: Jan. 12, 1995 Racing team: Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Racing career 2011: 3rd in MotoGP World Championship 125cc class 2012: 3rd in Moto3 World Championship 2013: Moto3 World Champion 2014: 3rd in Moto2 World Championship 2015: 12th in MotoGP World Championship 2016: 4th in MotoGP World Championship 2017: 3rd in MotoGP World Championship 2018: 4th in MotoGP World Championship 2019: 3rd in MotoGP World Championship
#46 Valentino Rossi Nationality: Italian Born: Feb. 16, 1979 Racing team: Monster Energy 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
8 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 2016: 2nd in MotoGP World Championship 2017: 5th in MotoGP World Championship 2018： 3rd in MotoGP World Championship 2019: 7th in MotoGP World Championship
#20 Fabio Quartararo Nationality: French Born: April 20, 1999 Racing team: PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team Racing career 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
#21 Franco Morbidelli Nationality: Italian Born: Dec. 4, 1994 Racing team: PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team Racing career 2014: 11th in Moto2 World Championship 2015: 10th in Moto2 World Championship 2016: 4th in Moto2 World Championship 2017: Moto2 World Champion 2018: 15th in MotoGP World Championship 2019: 10th in MotoGP World Championship
9 World Superbike Championship
#60 Michael van der Mark Nationality: Dutch Born: Oct. 26, 1992 Racing team: Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team Racing career 2010: 30th in European Superstock 600 Championship 2011: 3rd in European Superstock 600 Championship 2012: European Superstock 600 Champion 2013: 4th in World Supersport Championship 2014: World Supersport Champion 2015: 7th in World Superbike Championship 2016: 4th in World Superbike Championship 2017: 6th in World Superbike Championship 2018: 3rd in World Superbike Championship 2019: 4th in World Superbike Championship
#54 Toprak Razgatlıoğlu Nationality: Turkish Born: Oct. 16, 1996 Racing team: Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team Racing career 2014: 13th in European Superstock 600 Championship 2015: European Superstock 600 Champion 2016: 5th in FIM Superstock 1000 Cup 2017: 2nd in FIM Superstock 1000 Cup 2018: 9th in World Superbike Championship 2019: 5th in World Superbike Championship
10 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Race Championship
#1 Cameron Beaubier Nationality: American Born: Dec. 6, 1992 Racing team: Monster Energy/Attack Performance/Yamaha Racing Racing career 2015: MotoAmerica Superbike Champion 2016: MotoAmerica Superbike Champion 2017: 3rd in MotoAmerica Superbike 2018: MotoAmerica Superbike Champion 2019: MotoAmerica Superbike Champion
#32 Jake Gagne Nationality: American Born: Aug. 27, 1993 Racing team: Monster Energy/Attack Performance/Yamaha Racing Racing career 2015: MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion 2016: 10th in MotoAmerica Superbike 2017: 24th in World Superbike Championship 11th in MotoAmerica Superbike 2018: 17th in World Superbike Championship 2019: 8th in MotoAmerica Superbike
11 Asia Road Racing Championship: ASB1000 Class
#23 Broc Parkes Nationality: Australian Born: Dec. 24, 1981 Racing team: Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN Racing career 2001: 16th in World Superbike Championship 2002: 11th in World Superbike Championship 2003: 13th in World Supersport Championship 2004: 2nd in World Supersport Championship 2005: 6th in World Supersport Championship 2006: 4th in World Supersport Championship 2007: 2nd in World Supersport Championship 2008: 4th in World Supersport Championship 2009: 18th in World Superbike Championship 2010: 15th in World Supersport Championship 2011: 4th in World Supersport Championship 2012: 5th in World Supersport Championship 2013: Australian FX Superbike Champion 2014: 23rd in MotoGP World Championship 2015: 10th in Endurance World Championship 2016: 6th in Endurance World Championship 2017: 3rd in Endurance World Championship 2018: 16th in Endurance World Championship 2019: 2nd in Asia Road Racing Championship ASB1000 class 4th in Endurance World Championship
#76 Yuki Ito Nationality: Japanese Born: Nov. 14, 1991 Racing team: Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN 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 10th in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class 2013: 4th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class 11th in All Japan Road Race Championship ST600 class
12 2014: 2nd in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class 8th 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 2016: 13th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class 2017: 4th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class 2018: 9th in Asia Road Racing Championship SS600 class 2019: 5th in Asia Road Racing Championship ASB1000 class
13 Motocross/Supercross
MXGP World Championship
#91 Jeremy Seewer Nationality: Swiss Born: July 18, 1994 Racing team: Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Racing career 2014: 10th in MX2 World Championship 2015: 5th in MX2 World Championship 2016: 2nd in MX2 World Championship 2017: 2nd in MX2 World Championship 2018: 8th in MXGP World Championship 2019: 2nd in MXGP World Championship
#21 Gautier Paulin Nationality: French Born: Mar. 26, 1990 Racing team: Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Racing career 2007： 28th in MX2 World Championship 2008： 21st in MX2 World Championship 2009： 3rd in MX2 World Championship 2010： 10th in MX2 World Championship 2011： 24th in MX1 World Championship 2012: 3rd in MX1 World Championship 2013: 5th in MX1 World Championship 2014: 8th in MXGP World Championship 2015: 2nd in MXGP World Championship 2016: 13th in MXGP World Championship 2017: 3rd in MXGP World Championship 2018: 5th in MXGP World Championship 2019: 4th in MXGP World Championship
14 #4 Arnaud Tonus Nationality: Swiss Born: June 17, 1991 Racing team: Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Racing career 2009： 16th in MX2 World Championship 2010： 7th in MX2 World Championship 2011： 5th in MX2 World Championship 2012: 12rd in MX2 World Championship 2013: 29th in MX2 World Championship 2014: 6th in MX2 World Championship 2016: 32nd in MXGP World Championship 2017: 12th in MXGP World Championship 2019: 5th in MXGP World Championship
15 AMA Supercross/Motocross Championships: 450cc Class
#51 Justin Barcia Nationality: American Born: Mar. 25, 1992 Racing team: Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team Racing career 2009: 5th in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2010: 2nd in AMA Supercross Lites East Division 5th in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2011: AMA Supercross Lites East Division Champion 12th in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2012: AMA Supercross Lites East Division Champion 2nd in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2013: 4th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 3rd in AMA Motocross 450cc class 2014: 5th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 22nd in AMA Motocross 450cc class 2015: 15th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 3rd in AMA Motocross 450cc class 2016: 21st in AMA Supercross 450cc class 4th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 2017: 17th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 13th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 2018: 10th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 4th in AMA Motocross 450cc class 2019: 13th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 7th in AMA Motocross 450cc class
#7 Aaron Plessinger Nationality: American Born: Jan. 25, 1996 Racing team: Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team Racing career 2015: 5th in AMA Supercross 250cc West Division 6th in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2016: 2nd in AMA Supercross 250cc East Division 5th in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2017: 3rd in AMA Supercross 250cc West Division 4th in AMA Motocross 250cc class 2018: AMA Supercross 250cc West Division Champion AMA Motocross 250cc Champion 2019: 16th in AMA Supercross 450cc class 21st in AMA Motocross 450cc class
16