HOT: Yamaha unveils 2020 Racing plans!
Yamaha has long had a passionate relationship with Italy. In terms of timing and location, the Italian GP in Imola was therefore perfect to unveil the brand's motocross plans. And did they have big news at the brand with the crossed tuning forks today?
It had already trickled down left and right that Rinaldi Motorsport, the group around former world champions Michael Rinaldi would say goodbye as a factory team. Rinaldi has run the official 1992cc and 125cc GP teams for Yamaha since 250 after starting his managerial career with Suzuki. In his long and successful collaboration with the 'blues', Rinaldi won no fewer than 12 world titles.
Wilvo becomes factory team
The Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP team will replace the Rinaldi structure as the Yamaha factory team in the MXGP in 2020. A nice reward for the efforts of Louis Fosters and his men. Although Wilvo only entered the premier class in 2017, Vosters had already worked at a high level in the Motocross World Championship in various guises (sponsor, co-owner, co-team manager).
The lack of full factory status, and the associated technical and budgetary support, did not prevent the formation from Bergeijk from scoring GP victories and a long list of MXGP podiums. The Monster Energy Factory MXGP team is calling on it again for next year Arnaud Tonus en Gautier Paulin. These two will be joined by a third pilot, the current Yamaha factory rider Jeremy Seewer. This means that Yamaha has the numbers 2020, 2 and 3 of the current MXGP championship under contract in 4!
“New position” for Michele Rinaldi
Michele Rinaldi has been acting as a motocross consultant and technical supplier for Yamaha Racing for some time. Rinaldi will continue this role with his YRRD group (Yamaha Rinaldi Research and Development). The technical development for both the MXGP and MX2 will therefore continue to be managed from Langhirano, Italy. In the quarter-liter class (formerly the 125cc), this is a role that YRRD has fulfilled for a very long time and at Rinaldi they know better than anyone how to communicate with the engineers in Japan.
KEMEA also finally a full factory!
Hans Corvers sees all his blood, sweat and tears rewarded next year. Are Scold, which started as an amateur team in the VLM federation, will officially be a full factory in 2020. This does mean that the “brand”, which the name KEMEA had become in the motocross world, will disappear from the team name. Just as this will be the case with the MXGP team where we will see 'Wilvo' disappear from the team name.
We'll talk about it from next season onwards Monster Energy Yamaha MX2 team. Stay for this team Iago Geerts en Ben watson Hatch. Both have the capabilities to compete for the world title and with this, in addition to a solid team in the MXGP, Yamaha also has a strong line-up in MX2 for next season.
Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori provides a surprise!
In addition to these two strong teams, the blue boys also have a surprise from the chef ready! Henry Jacobi, one of the trendsetters in the MX2 class every week, must move up to the MXGP class next season due to the age limit. The German will do this on a factory motorcycle used by SM Action-Yamaha-Mc Migliori Racing team. This Italian team will also Max Renaux in the MX2 class and Andrew Adam in the EMX250 class under the tent.
Hutten Metaal officially becomes EMX250 team
This season left Hutten Metal Yamaha Racing notice themselves in a positive sense. The team already active on Yamaha always showed up in great shape. In addition, the team was in the shadow of the great MXGP violence Micha-Boy de Waal en Sven van der Mierden experience one of the better years of their motocross career. This did not go unnoticed by Yamaha Europe, who for various reasons were looking for a new structure to house their EMX250 team. In short, a replacement for it SDM Corse Racing team.
In their strategic plan, Yamaha pays a lot of attention to a structured foundation to develop talent and introduce young riders to Yamaha motorcycles as early as possible. This approach will be further developed. Previously, the agreement with MJC Yamaha, the official EMX125 team, was also extended until 2021.
Photos: Gino Maes
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