It looks like Yamaha has found a new technology for making their YZR-M1 MotoGP bikes more enduring for the 2016 championship, and it involves strengthening them like blacksmiths do with their swords.
Namely, before they take Jorge Lorenzo's and Valentino Rossi's bikes to the searing heat of the Qatar desert for the final IRTA test ahead of the March 20 season opener, Yamaha and Getty Images made them climb the tallest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc.
The two machines were hauled to Punta Helbronner, 3,466 meters (10,567 ft) above sea level, for a one-of-a-kind photo session with Getty Images' Guido De Bortoli. Yamaha Racing's Massimo Meregalli joined De Bortoli and traveled to the summit with the new SkyWay cable car that links the city of Courmayeur and Punta Hellbronner.
The bikes also took the cable car trip, and seeing them on the Belvedere terrace is simply unnaturally awesome. Cue the narrow spiraling stair and the snow on top of the Mont Blanc, and the entire sight looks even crazier. Nice publicity stunt for Yamaha, especially as the next time these bikes touch the track will be tomorrow (March 2) at the Losail Circuit in the Qatari desert.
Yamaha Motor becomes Official Partner and Motorcycle Supplier to the VR46 Riders Academy
A three-year partnership was agreed upon between Yamaha Motor Co. , Ltd. and Rossi's VR46 Riders Academy, with the Japanese manufacturer thus becoming the Official Partner and also its Official Motorcycle Supplier for the school.
No less than 26 R-series and YZ series motorcycles will be supplied to the VR46 Riders Academy to be used at the MotoRanch and on the nearby Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
This way, Yamaha secures a substantial selection base for the future young talents in both road racing and off-road segments, through tier-based competitions and creating a step-up model to discover and train the best riders.
Yamaha will select a limited number of riders participating in the Asia Road Racing Championship - Asia Production 250 class for training at the VR46 Riders Academy. 2016 will have two one-week workshops with the YZF-R3 and YZ250F machines, and Valentino Rossi will also be present, instructing the selected candidates.
Lin Jarvis - Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing
I am extremely happy that we are able to begin this formal partnership with the VR46 Riders Academy. The Academy started as a natural development of Valentino’s incredible passion for motorcycling and racing when he committed himself to supporting the next generation of riders to develop their talent and skills to become future World Championship racers. Yamaha share the same passion as Valentino and we are engaged around the world with numerous programs to encourage and develop young aspiring riders to follow their dreams and to improve their performances to achieve their full potential. This new program will give a unique opportunity for selected talented riders to train and learn from “the Master” and from the full-time VR46 Riders Academy riders during the 2 one-week dedicated training sessions.
An additional but equally important aspect of the new partnership is for Yamaha to support and engage with the VR46 Riders Academy’s full-time program. Yamaha will contribute with the supply of training bikes as well as getting involved in the education of the riders. Some of these young riders will surely evolve to be the Factory riders of tomorrow. Yamaha will be watching closely as their careers develop and hopefully some of them will become our next generation Factory riders in the future.
Valentino Rossi - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Rider
The partnership between Yamaha and VR46 makes me very happy and incredibly proud. Through the Academy we have been doing very interesting things for young and talented riders and I believe we couldn’t have found a better partner than Yamaha to provide our guys everything they need to grow up quickly and improve their performances on track. I am particularly happy because this agreement involves two things that I love and have put lots of efforts in; Yamaha and my Riders Academy. I really hope that this partnership will result in some great things.
We have been supporting talented riders and I am confident that together we will achieve exciting results. We are planning many activities involving the Academy and its riders. Yamaha is making many of these initiatives possible and I want to thank them for this chance. I am also looking forward to meeting the riders that will attend the training session throughout 2016. I am sure they’ll enjoy the time at the Academy and that we'll have a lot of fun together. Maybe we’ll find new racing talents!
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