Yamaha telah pun menandatangani kontrak lanjutan baharu yang menyaksikan pasukan factory itu akan kekal di MotoGP hingga 2026.
Tatkala status Yamaha di MotoGP telah pun disahkan, perkara sama tidak boleh diperkatakan mengenai pasukan satelit, Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.
Ini kerana kontrak Petronas-Yamaha akan berakhir hujung musim ini.
“Kerjasama tiga tahun bersama Petronas akan luput pada hujung tahun ini.
“Jadi tahun ini adalah tempoh kami berbincang semula dengan pasukan satelit.
“Mengikut situasi semasa, Petronas Yamaha SRT telah melakar pencapaian terbaik. Tahun lalu, mereka menang enam perlumbaan dan pelumba mereka (Franco Morbidelli) menamatkan aksi di tempat kedua kejuaraan dunia.
“Jadi kemampuan mereka tidak boleh dipersoalkan,” jelas Pengarah Urusan Yamaha Racing, Lin Jarvis.
Meskipun meneruskan kerjasama adalah satu pilihan paling jelas bagi kedua-dua pihak namun Jarvis, melihat VR46 juga antara calon sekiranya pasukan itu merancang beraksi di kelas premier pada 2022.
“Adakah VR46 akan sertai MotoGP? Menurut fahaman saya, mereka serius pertimbangkan perkara itu.
“Jadi kami akan berbincang dengan calon yang ada termasuk Petronas SRT dan VR46.
“Perbincangan akan bermula pada April atau Mei ini,” tambah Jarvis.
Pengarah Akademi VR46 dan Sky Racing Team VR46, Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci, mendedahkan bahawa Valentino Rossi akan membuat keputusan mengenai masa depannya musim ini.
Menurut Salucci, Rossi memerlukan antara 6-7 perlumbaan bagi menentukan sama akan meneruskan kariernya di MotoGP.
Ini kerana pelumba berusia 41 tahun itu hanya menandatangani kontrak setahun bersama pasukan satelit Yamaha, Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT).
Pada masa sama, Rossi juga perlu membuat keputusan sama ada pasukan VR46 akan bertanding di kelas premier MotoGP pada 2022 tatkala pelumba, Luca Marini, akan beraksi bersama Avintia Ducati dengan kerjasama VR46 musim ini.
Marini merupakan pelumba akademi VR46 ketiga beraksi di MotoGP selepas Franco Morbidelli dan Peco Bagnaia.
Pelumba Moto2, Marco Bezzechi dan Celestino Vietti dijangka akan diangkat ke kelas premier pada 2022.
Ever wondered what riders feel like when going around the circuit built within the VR46 Motor Ranch? Well, its owner which happens to be Valentino Rossi, showcases what it’s like to go around this flat-track-inspired dirt track and why it has been good for a lot of VR46 riders in the championship. (more…)
Aprilia dilaporkan telah menawarkan slot ke MotoGP untuk pelumba Moto2, Marco Bezzecchi musim depan.
Bagaimanapun, Bezzecchi mengakui telah menolak tawaran terbabit tanpa mendedahkan sebab disebalik keputusan itu.
Namun, pengendali VR46, Pablo Nieto, mendedahkan pasukan itu mahu Bezzecchi kekal di Moto2.
“Masa depan Bezzecchi adalah bersama kami. Dia akan berlumba dengan kami untuk 2021.
“Mereka telah cuba untuk mendapatkan tandatangan Marco (Bezzecchi) dan dia merupakan calon utama Aprilia.
“Tetapi bagi kami, Marco (Bezzecchi) adalah peneraju utama VR46 bagi projek Moto2 muism depan.
“Saya juga berasakan dia mahu kekal di Moto2 dan merebut kejuaraan musim depan,” jelas Neito kepada DAZN.
Dalam perkembangan lain, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Aprilia, Massimo Rivola mendedahkan pelumba uji, Bradley Smith, dilihat sebagai calon relevan untuk menggantikan Andrea Iannone bagi musim 2021.
Iannone berdepan penggantungan empat tahun dari sukan permotoran selepas Mahkamah Timbang Tara Sukan (CAS) melanjutkan penggantungan 18 bulan yang dikenakan FIM sebelum ini.
Pelumba Itali itu gagal ujian doping sewaktu ujian rawak di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC) pada November 2019.
Valentino Rossi will go to Formula 1 while Lewis Hamilton will take his MotoGP seat.
Rossi will drive Hamilton’s Mercedes AMG PETRONAS car.
Hamilton will ride Rossi’s Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.
Valentino Rossi will go to Formula 1 while Lewis Hamilton will take his MotoGP seat.
The swap will happen at Valencia circuit on 9th December. Rossi will drive Hamilton’s Mercedes AMG PETRONAS car. Hamilton on the other hand, will ride Rossi’s Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1. The deal was probably pushed through by both men’s sponsor Monster Energy.
Hamilton had expressed his wish to ride a MotoGP bike earlier in the year, but it was Repsol Honda who responded with the message “Bring it on, Bro” in a tweet. But it didn’t happen, as expected, as the Repsol riders are sponsored by Monster Energy’s biggest rival Red Bull.
It won’t be the first time Hamilton rides a motorcycle, although it’s his first time on a MotoGP bike. He had ridden the GYTR Yamaha YZF-R1M with PATA Yamaha WorldSBK riders Michael van Der Mark and Alex Lowes at Jerez. He tweeted “Valentino Rossi I need to come to the ranch ASAP.”
As for Rossi, it’s not the first time he’s behind the steering wheel of a four-wheeler, either. He competes in the Monza Rally annually and has won it seven times up to last year. He had also tested in Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari Formula 1 car many years ago. He impressed the multiple champion so much that Schumacher offered him a spot as a driver.
The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp enters its 8thedition in the important step to build future champions.
Students include 16-year-old Yamaha Motor Malaysia’s Muhammad Alif Ashraf Bin Tahiruddin.
They were taught by champions from the very first day.
The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp enters its 8th edition in the important step to build future champions.
Students include Yamaha Motor Malaysia’s Muhammad Alif Ashraf Bin Tahiruddin (16); among Yamaha Motor Thailands’s Sawapol Nilapong (16) and Suttipat Patchareetorn (18); Yamaha Motor Philippines’ McKinley Kyle Paz (18) and Yamaha Motor Canada’s Jake LeClair (18).
The first day held a special surprise for the students with PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team rider Franco Morbidelli, fitness trainer Carlo Casabianca, VR46 Academy Moto3 rider Andrea Migno, and multiple flat track champion Marco Belli helping them to ride faster.
The participants were elated to find Morbidelli and Migno waiting for them at the Fisio Gym. The riders showed the students the proper work out regime of professional racers including stretching, spinning, Pilates and trying out the race simulator.
“In the morning the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp riders and I did some stretching, which is what we usually do at the VR46 Riders Academy. It’s important to do this, so you feel better with your body. Being supple is always important,” said Morbidelli afterwards.
“At the end, we did some Pilates, which is again something that will make your body more flexible. It’s important to keep this up, because it helps prevent injuries.”
The riders went to the Bar, Ristorante e Pizzeria da Rossi in Tavullia and spent time in Valentino Rossi’s hometown. They visited the Official Fan Club Valentino Rossi Tavullia and were handed presents by the Vice President, Flavio Fratesi, and shopped at the VR46 Store.
It was back to training afterwards at the VR46 Mtor Ranch. Marco Belli is the three-time English Flat Track, two-time American and European Flat Track Champion. He taught the students on correct riding position and bike control for their first flat track session aboard the YZ250F dirt bikes.
“The first day is always used to teach the guys about the correct body position and how to control the throttle. We got some very good feedback from them. There were no crashes, nobody got hurt, we saw a lot of speed, and – most importantly – they listened to the advice they’ve been given and put it into practice, which makes all the difference. They all have a good starting level. Therefore, starting from the next flat track training session, we will be riding on the oval and the full track – so we’re really happy!”
Cristiano Ronaldo just completed a big money move to Italian giants Juventus from Real Madrid.
The demand for Juventus apparel will soon spike as soon as Ronaldo’s new jersey hits the shops.
Valentino Rossi’s popular merchandising company, the VR46 Racing Apparel company, is the official supplier of all Juventus related merchandise, and other big name racers and companies.
It seems odd that Valentino Rossi will stand to profit from Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent move to Italian football club, Juventus. But that is exactly what is set to happen.
According to reports, the VR46 Racing Apparel company which belongs to Rossi, and one that specializes in the production of merchandise for popular athletes and companies, is in fact producing all merchandise for Juventus as well.
The VR46 Racing Apparel company produces all merchandise for some top MotoGP riders including Marc Marquez, but that ended in 2016. The company still produces merchandise for Daniel Pedrosa, Cal Crutchlow, Kevin Schwantz and others.
As for companies, the company produces merchandise for the Juventus football club, Yamaha, Monster Energy, KTM, Dainese, AGV, Oakley, GoPro and even Lamborghini.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 100 million Euro transfer to Juventus is expected to lead to a spike in demand for Juventus apparel, which would inadvertently result in more business for the VR46 Racing Apparel company.
The VR46 Racing Apparel is rumored to have closed the 2017 fiscal year with a profit of 30 million Euros.
And that is how Valentino Rossi will make money from Ronaldo’s transfer.
Current Moto2 rider Francesco Bagnaia has signed a two-year deal with the Pramac Ducati MotoGP team.
The 21-year-old Italian will realise his MotoGP dream in 2019 and 2020 onboard Ducati machinery.
The announcement was made by Bagnaia and the SkyVR46 Racing team on Twitter.
It looks like the 2019 MotoGP ‘silly season’ has started super early with the signing of Francesco Bagnaia to move up to the premier class with Pramac Ducati. The news of the young Italian signing a two-year MotoGP deal was announced by himself and the SkyVR46 racing team on Twitter. (more…)
Sebuah motosikal ‘flat tracker’ Yamaha XJR1300 buatan khas istimewa telah dihasilkan buat penunggang pasukan Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, Valentino Rossi.
Diberikan nama gelaran “Mya”, motosikal ‘flat tracker’ buatan khas ini telah dibina dan direka oleh VR46 Riders Academy bersama dengan pembina pakar, Rodolfo Frascoli.
Motosikal XJR1300 buatan khas ini dilengkapi dengan lampu hadapan R1, suspensi Ohlins, ekzos berkembar Akrapovic, dan sepasang roda berjejari 19 inci.
A special custom Yamaha XJR1300 flat tracker was made for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider, Valentino Rossi.
Nicknamed “Mya”, the custom Yamaha flat tracker was built and designed by the folks from the VR46 Riders Academy together with master designer, Rodolfo Frascoli.
The custom XJR1300 comes with R1 headlights, Ohlins suspension, Akrapovic double-barrel exhaust and a set of 19-inch spoke wheels.
What would be the perfect gift for a nine-time MotoGP world champion with a legion of fans around the globe? It’s a pretty daunting task for anyone brave enough to try but the boys and girls over at VR46 Riders Academy pulled off something quite magnificent for their one and only big boss, Valentino Rossi. (more…)
