To celebrate the legendary MotoGP career of the biggest star to grace the sport, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Motor Europe has produced a special R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute, designed with unique specs, to give to the nine-time world champion for the many successful years spent at the pinnacle of motorcycle road racing with Yamaha.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
Having made his debut 26 years ago, Rossi rose to become the most prominent figure in MotoGP history, producing some of the most mesmerising and memorable performances that influenced and inspired an entirely new generation of motorcycle racing stars.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
To commemorate his illustrious achievements, which included nine world championship titles across the MotoGP, 250cc and 125cc classes, 115 wins, and 235 podiums over 425 race starts, Yamaha have built this unique R1, donning a special livery produced by Aldo Drudi, Rossi’s long-time helmet designer and friend.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
The R1 GYTR VR46 sports upcoming 2022 GYTR spec’ parts and unique features that are all a direct result of Yamaha’s WorldSBK development, which helped Yamaha achieve the 2021 WorldSBK Triple Crown, culminating in the highest spec R1 GYTR ever produced for track day usage. A special gift that the Tavullia legend will have the opportunity to enjoy at the Misano circuit soon.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
A new carbon-fibre fairing kit and full carbon rear sub-frame have been produced, with the tank capacity increased to 22 L, all designed with weight saving in mind.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
The Brembo brakes have been developed for incredible stopping power, while the high performance ECU REX 140 Marelli produces world class power delivery.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
The full list of the special parts coming from WorldSBK Championship winning experience is listed below, and are additional to the GYTR parts such as the Ohlins suspension and GYTR front and rear sprockets.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
The R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute was given to Valentino Rossi for the One More Lap event at the EICMA 2021, which the Italian star attended for the first time, as Yamaha pay tribute to VR46 and his historic legacy.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
The R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute was built with carefully selected parts which, among others, include the following.
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
From the 2022 GYTR catalogue
GYTR Electronic throttle
GYTR Slipper Clutch
GYTR Head Gasket
GYTR Radiator Kit
GYTR Air Funnel Set
GYTR Handlebar Set
GYTR Handlebar Switches
GYTR Front Brake Protector
GYTR Adjustable Rear Set
GYTR Akrapovic Factory Line System
GYTR Marchesini Wheel Set
Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute
Special parts from WorldSBK development
22 L Factory Fuel Tank
Full Carbon Rear Subframe
Underslung Swingarm Assy
Adjustable Triple Clamp Kit (Offset adjustable 22.5mm x 27mm)
Yamaha Motor Europe has announced the formation of the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club, which was launched officially during the 2021 EICMA show in Milan this week.
Designed to protect and share with younger generations Yamaha’s racing history, the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club (YRHC) will bring together selected collectors from around the world who count some of the iconic racing machines from Yamaha’s storied racing history amongst their collection.
Craig Dack – 1988 YZ250
The YHRC will be open to owners of bikes from every discipline. From Grand Prix racing the club will admit machines raced between 1955 and the end of the two-stroke era in 2003, while registrations from World Superbike and the Endurance World Championships will be open to machines raced in any of the production classes from 1987 until 2009. From the off-road world the YRHC will be open to motocross bikes raced before 1998 and Paris Dakar machines that raced in Africa prior to 2007.
Wayne Rainey – Yamaha YZR500 – Pictured here at the Australian GP in 1992 – Image by Phil Aynsley
Collectors will be able to register their historic Yamaha machinery with the YRHC, gaining access to technical information and support from the engineers who were involved in either the development or maintenance of these bikes when they were racing, or who currently work within Yamaha’s racing infrastructure.
Classic Dirt 2016 – Craig Dack’s Championship winning Yamaha YZ250 – Image by Greg Smith
YRHC members will also enjoy discounted access to genuine Yamaha parts, and assistance with identifying suitable replacements when genuine Yamaha parts are no longer available due to the age of machinery.
But the YRHC is about much more than just the machinery, it will also bring together those riders that wrote Yamaha’s name large in the history books, reuniting them with the machines on which they achieved their greatest successes.
Biaggi clocked an impressive 318kph on a 99 YAMAHA YZR500 0WK1
The collectors and riders will be ambassadors of Yamaha’s Racing Heritage, guardians of the racing history that started at the Mount Fuji Ascent Race just 10 days after the company was established by Genichi Kawakami on July 1st 1955, and which remains an essential part of Yamaha Motor’s corporate culture.
The YRHC will also involve Yamaha’s current crop of racers from all disciplines, providing an opportunity for both them and their army of fans to experience Yamaha’s racing history and the people who made it first-hand, rather than through the pages of a book.
Rossi‘s yellow bike was in good company at the Yamaha exhibition in 2015; other iconic show bikes on display were Phil Read‘s 1965 RD56, Giacomo Agostini‘s 1975 YZR500 OW23 and Kenny Roberts‘s 1978 YZR750 OW31.
Through a number of exclusive events held throughout the year, the YRHC will bring together collectors and riders, both past and present, to showcase Yamaha’s storied racing history and to share the passion and determination that established Yamaha at the forefront of racing across all disciplines.
For collectors looking for more information on registering for the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club, please email [email protected].
Yamaha YZR500 0W35
Paolo Pavesio: Director, Marketing and Motorsport, Yamaha Motor Europe
“We have founded the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club not just to commemorate Yamaha’s rich and storied racing history, but also to safeguard it and to bring it alive for future generations to enjoy in person. We want these bikes to be seen and heard once again, not just to sit idle in a collection, which is why supporting collectors to restore and maintain their bikes is one of the primary objectives of the YHRC. Another objective is to relate the human side of Yamaha’s racing heritage, telling the stories of the riders who raced these iconic machines and the people who both developed and worked on them. We want to share our racing heritage with as wide an audience as possible, which is why the YRHC will attend a number of events each year to showcase these historic bikes, bringing them together with riders both past and present to keep our heritage alive.”
Many owners have invested efforts in personalizing their Ténéré 700, and their shared stories have inspired a new generation of explorers to push their limits and discover what is beyond the next horizon.
2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Raid Prototype
This growing movement has motivated Yamaha to study how to take the Ténéré 700 to the next level, and to re-visit the legendary African desert scapes where the original Ténéré was born over 40 years ago.
2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Raid Prototype
Today Yamaha has started writing a new chapter in the Ténéré story with the unveiling of the Ténéré 700 Raid Prototype, which has been built with extensive usage of GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) performance parts.
2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Raid Prototype
This high-specification Raid bike has been developed in Europe by Yamaha leveraging the experience of off-road riders Alessandro Botturi and Pol Tarrés, with the aim of exploiting the full Raid potential of the Ténéré 700, extensively validated by the two Yamaha ambassadors in the Moroccan desert.
Yamaha have introduced a new race ready YZF-R6 for 2022 and you can have it any colour you like, as long as it’s black… But they will only be coming Down Under in very small numbers, and only in the more base spec’ of the two offerings that have been released overseas.
2022 Yamaha YZF-R6 Race
Some markets will have two options, a full GYTR race kitted version straight from the dealer, or as in our case, a more standard version that is essentially a regular YZF-R6, but in race fairings with no road gear on it.
2022 Yamaha YZF-R6 Race
And this is now the only way you can buy an R6 as they are no longer being sold for registered road use via the Australian Yamaha dealership network.
2022 Yamaha YZF-R6 Race
Yamaha have dominated World Supersport competition in recent years but next season the World Supersport Championship will have its biggest shake-up since its inception. No doubt the new YZF-R6 Race GYTR model is aimed at helping to stave off the looming onslaught from Ducati and others as the series opens up to larger twin-cylinder motorcycles in 2022. Organisers will use various methods to try and artificially achieve parity, including torque mapping the engines to reduce outputs at various RPM to try and level the playing field somewhat, but it will be very interesting to see how season 2022 pans out…
Yamaha has had an astonishing year in the FIM Superbike World Championship in 2021, with Toprak Razgatlıoğlu leading the manufacturer to a Superbike victory which came right down to the line in Indonesia, with just 13-points separating Toprak and Rea. But it didn’t stop there, with Yamaha also wrapping up every other title in the WorldSBK and Supersport World Championships.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
On Sunday morning at the Mandalika International Street Circuit, Razgatlıoğlu crossed the line in second place in Race 1, ensuring he was crowned the 2021 WorldSBK champion, the first for a Turkish rider and Yamaha’s first since Ben Spies won in 2009.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
The 25-year-old ended the season with 13 victories, 29 podiums and three pole positions, following a history-making title battle with Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea.
Razgatlıoğlu and rookie teammate Andrea Locatelli’s sensational performances saw the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team crowned teams’ champions, while Yamaha claimed the manufactures’ title for the first time since 2007 thanks to the efforts of all the riders and teams.
Andrea Locatelli – Image by 2snap
The GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team were the top Independent Team, courtesy of Independent Riders’ champion Garrett Gerloff and teammate Kohta Nozane, who scored a best result of seventh at the Indonesian finale to cap off his maiden season.
Garrett Gerloff
Rookie of the Year was awarded to Locatelli, who took four podium finishes on his way to fourth overall in the riders’ championship, which marks Yamaha’s highest finishing rookie since 2011.
Dominique Aegerter had already claimed the WorldSSP riders’ title at the penultimate round in Argentina, becoming the ninth Yamaha rider to be crowned champion, winning 10 races and finishing on the podium 16 times.
Dominique Aegerter – Image by 2snap
Yamaha had sealed their fifth consecutive WorldSSP manufacturers’ championship at Jerez, while the battle for the teams’ title went down to the wire, with the Ten Kate Yamaha WorldSSP Supported Team coming out on top.
Evan Bros Yamaha WorldSSP Supported Team’s Steven Odendaal and ParkinGO Yamaha’s Manuel Gonzalez finished second and third in the championship, while Kevin Manfredi was the WorldSSP Challenge winner.
Steven Odendaal
Andrea Dosoli – Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager
“It has been an amazing season, a word that doesn’t justify how good this year has been. The Triple Crown in the FIM Superbike World Championship is something that means a lot. I believe it’s been the best-ever season in WorldSBK history. I don’t remember a season where three riders and three manufacturers are fighting every single lap, every single race for the podium.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
“The level of competition has been so high, so I must congratulate Toprak and the team for a fantastic job. Toprak didn’t make any mistakes and he has been very well supported by a strong team. After a difficult season in 2020, even though it’s been tough to get here, we’ve been able to better understand what the riders need to be on the podium.
Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea
“We established a very efficient way of working, so thanks to the engineers, Yamaha in Japan, Toprak and the team. It has been 12 years since we won the riders’ title, but since coming back we’ve been able to improve step-by-step and what makes this year so special is that the level of competition is like never seen before. It means a lot to all of us.
Garrett Gerloff
“I would like to congratulate Garrett and the GRT Yamaha team on the Independent Riders’ and Teams’ titles. It has not been an easy season, but this is a great achievement that I’m sure they will build on for next year. What a year also for Andrea, who was fourth in the overall standings in his first season, while he was also named top rookie. This shows Yamaha’s step-up program is really working well and we’re excited for the future.
Andrea Locatelli – Image by 2snap
“Also, at the national level we have been very successful, winning BSB, MotoAmerica, JSB, and others, which shows how good the Yamaha R1 package is. It has not only been a fantastic year for Yamaha in WorldSBK, but also in WorldSSP where we won the title as a manufacturer, rider and team, so another Triple Crown for us there. Congratulations to Dominique, Ten Kate Yamaha, and of course all the Yamaha teams who did such an excellent job.”
Odendaal, Aegerter, Gonzalez
Not only did Yamaha clean up in World Superbike and World Supersport, but they also won the 2021 British Superbike Championship (Tarran Mackenzie), the MotoAmerica Championship (Jake Gagne), along with the biggest prize of them all, the MotoGP World Championship with Fabio Quartararo.
Then off-road we had the Motocross Championships – Dylan Ferrandis winning the 450 AMA Motocross Championship, and the World MX2 Title was bagged by Maxime Renaux. In the 250SX West Yamaha’s Justin Cooper also followed up his 2020 win with another title in 2021, while Colt Nichols took out the 2021 250SX East, also on a YZ250F. Curiously three of those biggest titles were won by Frenchmen, Quartararo in MotoGP, Ferrandis in AMA MX and Renaux in MX2.. So not only a good year for Yamaha, but a good year for the French too!
A little over five years ago Yamaha introduced one of the most soul-stirring motorcycles introduced in recent times in the MT-10.I have always been a huge fan of the cross-plane crankshaft YZF-R1 engine. It’s soulful gravelly voice is more sonorous than Stevie Nicks and the wheelies on the MT-10, oh my god, the wheelies.. It’s like it was designed for them.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
The looks, well, they are certainly polarising, and not all that tasty to my palate, but hey, you don’t look at the mantlepiece when you’re stoking the fire, and the MT-10 has plenty of fire.While stoking that fire though there are some visible changes from the cockpit that now includes a new 4.2-inch colour TFT.
New full-colour display derived from the R1
Externally, the look of the MT-10 is tweaked for 2022 but they are lighting and minor detail changes, there is still no mistaking that it is nothing else but an MT-10.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
For 2022 Yamaha has significantly updated the MT-10, the impetus is of course looming Euro 5 legislation but that’s no bad thing as generally the more precise design and tuning needed to meet those standards also produces more power and torque. And that’s the story in the case of the MT-10 too.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
Exact official figures are hard to come by but it seems the increase amounts to around six ponies, bringing the stable up to 164 hp along with a modest increase in torque. Yamaha also claims that mid-range torque is boosted between 4,000 and 8,000 rpm. Yay, more wheelies…
2022 Yamaha MT-10
The sound is a big part of the MT-10 experience and here Yamaha are also claiming improvements via a new air-box with three different intake ducts with different lengths and cross-sections to give the harmony more dynamic range.Yamaha have even fitted new Acoustic Amplifier Grilles that are positioned on the front left and front right of the 17-litre fuel tank. These amplifiers transmit the tuned induction sound directly to the rider, and the vibration of the grilles themselves also contributes to the ensemble, according to Yamaha.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
A new titanium exhaust is used on the MT-10, and this lightweight system features a newly designed titanium downpipes and muffler. Like the new tuned intake, the exhaust has been designed to emit a deep and distinctive sound that emphasises the bike’s uneven 270-180-90-180 firing sequence at lower rpm before the intake roar takes over as the revs rise.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
Yamaha claim improvements in comfort from both ergonomics and seat padding.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
A new Brembo radial master-cylinder is claimed to improve braking performance and tactility while the once optional quick-shifter now becomes standard equipment.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
A six-axis IMU enables the suite of electronic aids to perform at a much higher level. Lean sensitive traction and ABS are augmented with more advanced engine braking management and wheelie control. The menu system allows the parameters to be changed across all these systems independently. You can also set a speed limiter pegged to what ever rate of knots you desire.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
43mm fully adjustable KYB front forks offer 120mm travel and can be set up to match personal riding preferences. At the rear a fully adjustable KYB rear shock can be easily adjusted to handle varying loads and riding styles.
What would have been really nice to see would have been a larger fuel tank. When playing silly buggers the 17-litre tank of the MT-10 is lucky to last 200 kilometres, and for runs in the Aussie countryside a little more range would be welcome.
2022 Yamaha MT-10
Yamaha Australia will not know exactly what colour schemes will be coming to our shores until later this month, and the same goes for pricing. Watch this space…
Yamaha’s affordable triple-cylinder retro bike, the XSR900, has undergone its first major work-over since its inception five years ago.
Christian Sarron sat on the XSR900 with his late-eighties two-stroke Grand Prix machine in the background
Now it is even more back to the future with a new Deltabox-style frame that brings up images of the FZR models from the 1980s. If it was finished in silver it would be even more pukka, but the all-new-old frame on the 2022 XSR900 is finished in black and has no visible welds.That’s because this frame is die-cast using Yamaha’s latest Controlled Filling (CF) technology that accurately controls a number of factors including mould vacuum, temperature and injection speed.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The frame utilises sections of different thicknesses so that the rigidity level is designed to match the varying loads experienced at any specific area. Wall thickness varies from 1.7 mm at its thinnest to 3.5 mm at its thickest, and this ‘tuned rigidity’ is claimed to offer excellent feel and feedback to the rider, giving the XSR900 a sporty and responsive handling character.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The headstock is 30 mm lower and the swing-arm is both straighter and 50 mm longer while overall torsional rigidity is significantly increased.While the previous model used a swingarm that pivots on the outside of the frame, the new bike uses a swingarm pivot that is held between the outer chassis members – an improved design that is slimmer and more rigid than before.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The sub-frame is also new and the new 80s inspired 15-litre fuel tank is a lot more 80s-90s in its shape and has air intakes at the front to not only help efficiency but also give the rider more intake roar, something the triple has never been short of in the first place.The XSR900’s new exhaust features unequal length headers and dual-sided outlets
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The rider’s bum appears to be positioned a little lower and more rearward. Yamaha claim a 14 per cent reduction in inertia around the steering axis.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The new XSR900 also inherits the latest iteration of Yamaha’s fizzing CP3 powerplant and coming with that is an increase in capacity from 847 cc to 889 cc.Compared to the previous engine the new unit features a 3 mm longer stroke to provide that extra 43cc, and virtually all of the major internal components have been redesigned and lightened.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
These changes give a four horsepower increase in power which is now up to 117 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. More significantly the torque produced by this engine – already renowned for its strong and linear output – increases significantly to 93 Nm. This represents an increase of 6% per cent in torque, and it is achieved by 7,000 rpm – 1,500 rpm lower than the previous model.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The clutch has a slipper function and has different friction plates to better handle the increased torque but effort at the lever is actually reduced as the clutch is of the slip-assist type. The six-speed gearbox has slightly higher gear ratios – with 1st gear going from 2.666->2.571, and 2nd gear going from 2.000->1.947. These changes are designed to complement the increased moment of inertia of the crankshaft and the revised characteristics of the fuel injection system. A two-way quick-shifter is also fitted.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
A new Brembo radial front master-cylinder pumps pressure through to the dual 298 mm front discs. A forged brake pedal controls the 245 mm rear disc.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
Full-adjustable KYB USD front forks control the bumps up front and finished in gold. The link-type rear suspension features a forward inclined adjustable KYB shock pretty much hidden from view.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
An endearing characteristic of the original XSR900, the round headlight, has been continued but now has full LED functionality. As well as providing a strong beam of light with a wide horizontal pattern for cornering vision at night, the new LED unit allows the use of a much shorter housing located by brushed aluminium headlight stays.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The XSR900 also comes fitted with a partially LED tail-light located beneath the seat hump which sharpens the rear silhouette of the bike and mimics the tail-lights seen on 80s and 90s endurance racers.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The cockpit is enhanced with a machined top triple clamp, drilled fork caps and an aluminium XSR logo. Other features include an embossed aluminium rear under-plate, black brake reservoirs and bar end mirrors.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
At the heart of XSR900’s new systems is a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that uses two sensors to measure three-axis velocity and three-axis acceleration. This new unit is 50 per centsmaller and 40 per cent lighter than the original 2015 YZF-R1 design, and it sends data to the ECU that inform the three rider aids: Lean Sensitive Traction Control System, Slide Control System (SCS) and the front Wheel Lift Control System (LIF).
The degree of intervention of the Traction Control System is calculated by the IMU relative to the degree of lean, and the rider can select one of three intervention modes or turn the system off completely.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The Slide Control System (SCS) is a valuable asset. When a sideways rear wheel slide is predicted by the IMU, power is adjusted in order to maintain traction. As with TCS there are three intervention levels, as well as an off switch.
LIF is an anti-wheelie system that helps to smooth out machine behaviour when pulling away or accelerating hard, LIF is designed to work in harmony with the other electronic control systems.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The XSR900’s Brake Control system independently controls and moderates the front and rear brake pressure to prevent accidental wheel lock ups. BC1 is a standard type of ABS mode that activates in upright emergency stopping situations, while BC2 is designed to maintain control if emergency braking is applied when the XSR900 is leaning in mid corner.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
The new XSR900 features four D-Mode engine power modes, compared to three on the previous model. Mode 1 is the most aggressive full-power mode, while modes 2, 3 and 4 deliver progressively softer degrees of response to suit riding conditions.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
While the previous XSR900 was fitted with a Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) the new model takes the technology one step further with the addition of an R1-type Acceleration Position Sensor Grip (APSG). This is a full “ride by wire” system with a sensor in the twist grip that replicates the traditional feeling of the throttle spring, and eliminates the need for any cables.
While the overall aesthetic is distinctly retro there are no 80s style clocks adorning the cockpit of the XSR900.Replacing the previous model’s circular LED is a 3.5-inch full colour TFT.
2022 Yamaha XSR900
Cruise control is also fitted to the XSR900 for the first time.
Australian stocks are not expected to arrive until at least the end of the first quarter of 2022 and Yamaha are expected to confirm local pricing later this month. The current XSR900 sells for $15,449 Ride Away.
Due to a manufacturing issue with the engine crankcase, oil may leak onto the road and come in contact with the rear tyre. This could result in a loss of control of the vehicle.
What are the hazards?
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of an accident, which may cause injury or death to rider and/or passenger or other road users.
What should consumers do?
Owners of affected motorcycles can contact their local Yamaha Dealer to make an appointment to have their model inspected and fixed free of charge.
Fabio Quartararo is the 2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion! After a dramatic decider at the Gran Premio Nolan del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia Romagna, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider sliced from 15th on the grid to fourth as sole rival for the crown Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crashed out from the lead. Quartararo is the first French premier class World Champion in history and the first Yamaha rider to lift the crown since 2015.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
Quartararo was four years old when his father Étienne – a former French 125cc Champion – gave him a Yamaha PW50. It’s a familiar story for future MotoGP riders, and although Quartararo’s rise would prove stratospheric, there were definitely a few challenges and difficult seasons along the way.
After getting that first bike, he began riding at different mini circuits around his home Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region to master the basics before then going racing in Italy and Spain. And the success began early: the 50cc, 70cc and 80cc titles in the Catalan Championship and the pre-Moto3 title in the Mediterranean Championship showed promise, but once the young Frenchman arrived in the FIM CEV Repsol, or the Spanish Moto3 Championship as it was then, that promise exploded into something a lot bigger.
Jorge Navarro in first, and Fabio Quartararo 2nd, Remy Gardner 3rd back when the young trio were in the CEV ranks in 2014
Winning the series that has now become the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship is one of the biggest achievements for a young rider. So becoming the youngest to do it in 2013 and then defending the crown the year after even more so. That allowed Quartararo the opportunity to move into Moto3 earlier than previously allowed and when he did, remaining in Estrella Galicia 0,0 colours, the momentum for the young Frenchman rolled on.
Fabio Quartararo claimed his maiden Moto3 pole position in a two-way battle with Danny Kent during Qualifying at the Circuito de Jerez in 2015. Miguel Oliveira was third.
Quartararo debuted in Moto3 with 7th in Qatar in 2015, and it took him only one more race to get on the podium as he took second in Texas. Two more top sixes followed, he was on pole at Jerez, and he was back on the podium at the TT Circuit Assen too. The whispers of “the new Marquez” grew into assured articles, ramping up the pressure on a rider who was already, despite the moniker from some corners, instead very much the first Quartararo.
Later that season however, the first key challenge of his Grand Prix career saw El Diablo break his ankle at Misano. That meant he missed most of the final races of the year, only returning at Valencia but not scoring. So he ended the year in 10th, making a solid impression but not displaying the domination expected after his searing path to the World Championship.
Fabio Quartararo in Moto3 (2015)
So, for 2016 there was a change as Quartararo moved to Leopard Racing alongside Joan Mir and Andrea Locatelli. However, the team fielded KTMs and that proved an extra challenge to adapt to as the Frenchman arrived from a rookie season contested on a Honda. And the points finishes kept coming, but only six top tens – and no podiums – saw the excitement of his early success give way to a tougher patch as ‘El Diablo’ looked to move forward.
At that point, under pressure to perform, a bigger change of direction was needed. Enter Éric Mahé, who came on board a Quartararo’s new manager, and a crucial decision that started to build the foundations of the future premier class crown: for 2017, Quartararo would move to Moto2, taking on a new challenge on a bigger bike to press the reset button.
Fabio Quartararo – Catalunya 2018 – Image AJRN
It started well, with a seventh place finish on his intermediate class debut in Qatar – the same result that, in Moto3, had prefaced a first podium soon after. But this time around there was no rostrum around the corner and 2017 swiftly became his toughest season yet, culminating in the Pons team and Quartararo parting ways for 2018.
Fabio Quartararo – Assen 2018 – Image AJRN
Enter another key figure in the rise of El Diablo: Luca Boscoscuro. El Diablo moved to the Speed Up team with Boscoscuro at the helm for 2018, and on Moto2 take two it actually started worse: a 20th in Qatar and 22nd in Argentina. But then it started to come together: a 15th at COTA, a 10th at Jerez, an 8th at Le Mans… 11th at Mugello interrupted the pattern, but it was another solid result as Quartararo started to get back in the groove.
2018 Catalunya Moto2 front row (L-R): Alex Marquez, Fabio Quartararo, Marcel Schrötter
At Catalunya, the stars aligned. Saturday saw the Frenchman take his first Moto2 pole and on Sunday, he unleashed the first truly dominant performance of his Grand Prix career, fastest lap included. No one had an answer for the number 20, and he took his first Grand Prix win by nearly two and a half seconds. Next time out at Assen, it was another podium too. The return to the rostrum and that first victory had seemed a long time coming, but the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Fabio Quartararo – Moto2 2018 (HDR – Speed Up Racing)
By the time Quartararo took that win, there appeared to be a split between those who’d been waiting for the success they saw as inevitable and those who’d written the Frenchman off. The new Petronas Yamaha SRT outfit, and Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis, were definitely not the latter and at Silverstone it became official: Quartararo would join MotoGP in 2019. So he finished the 2018 Moto2 season with a solid run of form and then left the intermediate class to saddle up in MotoGP… and the rest is history in the best possible way.
Fabio Quartararo – Moto2 2018 Motegi – Image AJRN
On the pace from the off, Quartararo’s stunning debut season silenced the doubters. Fast and consistently so, and somehow making it look easy, it wasn’t long until the number 20 was an established, expected presence at the front. Jerez saw him become the youngest polesitter in the premier class, and he took five more that season. He also came up against then seven-time World Champion Marc Marquez in some incredible last lap duels – not quite defeating the number 93, but making life impressively difficult. Seven podiums saw Quartararo end the year fifth overall, take Rookie of the Year and the overall top Independent Team rider title. Fabio Quartararo had arrived.
Fabio Quartararo hit the ground running when he joined MotoGP in 2019
In 2020, it started with a dream double win at Jerez and the Yamaha rider seemed the man to beat. But after some twists and turns, it wasn’t until Barcelona that El Diablo got back on top. Some more struggles later, the crown was instead nabbed by Joan Mir at Valencia and Quartararo went into winter pushing to reset and reload, vowing to iron out the kinks and fight for the crown again.
Fabio Quartararo – The win at the opening race of season 2020 was also his eighth podium so far in MotoGP, not a bad hit rate for a new rider only 20 races into his premier class career
That he did, and he did it in Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP colours as he took on a new chapter with the factory Yamaha outfit. Off the podium in Qatar to start the season, he hit back in Doha to take his first victory of the year. At Portimão he was in a league of his own for another win, but then a speed bump appeared at Jerez as the Frenchman suffered with serious arm pump, taking only a handful of points. Surgery ahead of his home Grand Prix wasn’t the best run up to the event, but still El Diablo took a podium at Le Mans and then another win at Mugello.
2021 Mugello MotoGP podium 1 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 41:16.344 2 Miguel Oliveira – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – +2.592 3 Joan Mir – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +3.000
Barcelona saw a little drama unzipped, but a solid 10 points and another rostrum in Germany prefaced victory at Assen, sending the number 20 flying high into the summer break. He was a man on a mission, although next up was Styria – Ducati and KTM territory. But still, one podium and then a salvage job of seventh in a crazy Austrian GP later, Quartararo remained firmly holding the cards as the paddock returned to Silverstone.
Fabio Quartararo – Silverstone 2021
It had been a while since MotoGP had raced the British behemoth and not the best event for Quartararo when they did, but 2021 was a different story: one of domination. Another 25 points in the bag saw him increase his lead again, and after a tougher Aragon, the Frenchman took a little more risk to push key rival Bagnaia at Misano but ultimately settled for second as crunch time approached. Second in Texas, behind Marquez but ahead of Bagnaia, turned crunch time into match point at the Emilia-Romagna GP.
After passing through Q1 for the first time since the Valencia GP in 2020, Championship leader Fabio Quartararo qualified 15th at Misano II, his worst qualifying since he stepped up to MotoGP in 2019. This was also the first time he had failed to join Q2 in MotoGP.
With a 52-point advantage, starting 15th and seeing Bagnaia on pole wasn’t ideal, but El Diablo kept calm and carried on, slicing back through the pack to fourth.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
It wouldn’t have been enough had Bagnaia not crashed, but the Ducati rider’s final stand was ultimately just over the limit – guaranteeing Quartararo the crown with two races spare.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
With five victories, ten podiums and a sublime season of speed, Fabio Quartararo is the history-making 2021 MotoGP World Champion!
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo – The Stats
Quartararo is the sixth-youngest rider to clinch a premier class world title, aged 22 years and 187 days old, behind John Surtees (22 years and 182 days old) and ahead of Valentino Rossi (22 years and 240 days old).
In the MotoGP era, Quartararo is the third-youngest Champion behind Marc Marquez (20 years and 266 days old) and Casey Stoner (21 years and 342 days old).
In addition, Quartararo became the youngest Yamaha rider to clinch the premier class world title, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, who was 23 years and 159 days old when he took the title in Malaysia back in 2010.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
Quartararo became the first French rider to clinch a premier class world title and the seventh overall in GP racing along with Johann Zarco (two titles), Mike Di Meglio (1), Arnaud Vincent (1), Olivier Jacque (1), Christian Sarron (1) and Jean-Louis Tournadre (1). Thanks to Quartararo, France became the seventh different nation to win a premier class Championship.
Quartararo became the first European rider to clinch the premier class world title without having previously taken a title in one of the smaller GP classes since Franco Uncini in 1982. Overall, Quartararo is the 17th rider to do so along with Les Graham (first Championship season in 1949), Umberto Masetti, Libero Liberati, Barry Sheene, Kenny Roberts, Marco Lucchinelli, Franco Uncini, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Gardner, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, Mick Doohan, Kenny Roberts Jr., Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner.
In the MotoGP era, Quartararo is the third rider to clinch the title without having previously taken a title in one of the smaller classes along with Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
By taking the crown, Quartararo brought to an end a sequence of nine premier class titles from Spanish riders: six with Marc Marquez, two with Jorge Lorenzo and one with Joan Mir (the longest sequence for a country in the class).
Quartararo became the first Yamaha rider to take the premier class crown since Jorge Lorenzo in 2015 and the seventh overall along with Giacomo Agostini (one premier class title), Kenny Roberts (3), Eddie Lawson (3), Wayne Rainey (3), Valentino Rossi (4) and Jorge Lorenzo (3). This is the 18th title for a Yamaha rider in the premier class.
Quartararo is tied in sixth place with Max Biaggi and Maverick Viñales on the list of Yamaha riders with most premier class wins, just behind Kenny Roberts (22 wins). Valentino Rossi leads the way with 56 premier class wins with Yamaha.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
With 20 premier class podiums so far, Quartararo is the French rider with most podiums in the class ahead of Christian Sarron (18 podiums).
With eight premier class wins so far, since his maiden premier class wins at the 2020 Spanish GP, Quartararo has almost tripled the number of French victories before him (one for Régis Laconi, plus Christian Sarron and Pierre Monneret).
This season Quartararo has stood on the MotoGP podium more than any other rider (10 times), including five wins. This is this first time that a Yamaha rider has taken five (or more) premier class wins since Jorge Lorenzo in 2015 (seven). The last Yamaha riders with more than 10 podiums in a single season were Valentino Rossi (15 podiums) and Jorge Lorenzo (12) in 2015.
For the seventh successive year, the rider who clinched the premier class world title failed to win the opening race of the season. The last to do so was Marc Marquez in 2014.
The first ever French premier class World Champion!
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo
“I already don’t have my normal voice just a few hours after, I’ve cried a lot an screamed a lot! It feels amazing. When I crossed the finish line I thought about all the tough moments I had, and to be World Champion in MotoGP is something I never expected when I was in bad situations only a few years ago. So right now I feel like I’m in a dream and I don’t realise what’s happening to me right now!
“Of course I had extra nerves, I never started further back than P11 in MotoGP, and I’m starting P15 in one of the most important races of my career! We chose the safe, let’s say, tyres but for us the hard would have been better and I think the podium was there with the hard. I didn’t have stability when I was with the group, I couldn’t overtake. But I’m really happy with my race, even if I hadn’t won the Championship it’s great to finish P4. Super happy about the race and of course with the Championship it’s something extra.
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
“Just before starting the race I was with Tom in the office and I was nervous, feeling stressed and he said, ‘just think about the last three races you had last year’. They were a total disaster and I just wanted to finish the Championship whatever the position was. And today I started the race that made me World Champion. I think everything that happened last year helped me a lot to win the title today. Thanks to the people for supporting me in these tough moments, I think I learned a lot during these years in MotoGP and still have a lot to learn to achieve more results like that.
“To be honest, last year we fought to have the factory bike but with Covid and everything, the 2019 bike was better. But with the 2021 bike I felt much better, the feeling with the front is what has made me win this year, I think. The feeling I had. We know the power is something we have to work on, but the feeling on the braking to overtake – not this race but in general – has been much higher than 2019 and 2020. Yamaha has worked a lot, we still have a lot to improve for next year because we know that power is something important, but right now with the bike I was feeling like on, I’m enjoying riding. Also today I had a lot of struggles with the front but I still enjoyed it a lot, and that was the most important thing of the day.”
“First of all, I want to congratulate Fabio whole-heartedly. We already knew he was an exceptional talent who understands how to get the best out of the YZR-M1 and shares Yamaha‘s ability to think and dream big – and now he has made his dream come true through hard work, passion, and exciting yet clean racing.
“We are thrilled that we have achieved this shared goal together. Grand Prix racing makes up a large part of Yamaha‘s heritage. Yamaha Motor Company was born from ’racing DNA‘, and this racing DNA is also present in our consumer products. Yamaha had a clear objective for this year: we strived to be back at the pinnacle of Grand Prix Motorcycle racing. With Fabio we‘ve secured five Grands Prix victories and ten podiums, and after a six-year period we have won the MotoGP World Championship again – a superb achievement. Moreover, to do it in such a competitive field is an achievement we can be proud of.
“On behalf of Yamaha, I would like to sincerely thank all our sponsors and partners, without whom none of this would have been possible. They have cheered on Yamaha through these last two difficult pandemic-affected MotoGP seasons, and this championship victory is therefore also very much theirs.
“The last two years have further underlined what a source of joy MotoGP and motorsports are in general to a vast audience. To many people the GPs were highlights during an otherwise dark period. I would therefore also like to take a moment to thank the fans around the world for their unwavering support, and also the Yamaha staff who this year again made significant sacrifices to adhere to Covid regulations – which meant often being away from home for weeks on end – and who unfailingly worked with 100% dedication towards the goal of becoming World Champion.
“Since its founding, Yamaha has always been striving to bring every Yamaha rider the feeling of ‘Kando’; a Japanese word for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that we experience when we encounter something of exceptional value. This championship win is truly one of those moments: it‘s a milestone that will bring joy to many, as Fabio‘s fan base, like Yamaha‘s, is growing.”
2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo
Lin Jarvis – Managing Director – Yamaha Motor Racing
“I‘m extremely happy to congratulate Fabio on securing the Championship Title already in Misano. We asked Fabio to join the Factory team in 2021 because we knew full-well the extent of his talent. However, he managed not only to meet our expectations but even exceeded them.
“Fabio had obviously always dreamt of becoming a Factory rider and was very excited about what the future would hold, but the change of garage required some adjustment. He had to get used to a new team whilst simultaneously handle the added media pressure of being a Factory Team rider. Fabio had no trouble gelling with the team and finding speed on the Factory YZR-M1, and soon he secured his first two wins in Doha and Portimao. Right then we knew this year could be something special, but disaster struck in Jerez. Fabio had to cope with arm pump problems and a surgery quite early on in the season, a crucial time for a serious championship contender. This could have been a severe mental blow, but yet again this didn‘t faze him. He underwent it heroically and managed to show up at the very next GP ready to fight for the podium again.
“His mental fortitude really impressed us, and it resulted in him finishing no lower than eighth on ’bad‘ race weekends, except for when he had arm pump in Jerez, and even then he took 13th. He didn’t finish outside the points once so far this season.
“These statistics speak for themselves. They show that Fabio doesn’t leave a stone unturned yet manages to not let the pressure of a possible championship title get to him. He fights and beats the opposition fairly, purely on talent and race craft. And last but not least, he walks the tight line between relentless dedication to winning and improving while also having fun on the bike, a quality that our team has witnessed before with Yamaha‘s most successful premier class rider Valentino Rossi.
“This Rider Title is special because it has been achieved through great synergy between Fabio, the team, and Yamaha. I would like to thank and congratulate the members of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team working directly with Fabio as well as the engineers of Yamaha‘s Motorsports Development Division in Japan and Yamaha Motor Racing‘s European based staff. All of Fabio‘s great achievements are a testament to their hard work. The big question that now remains is whether we can also win the Team and Constructor titles… With just two rounds to go we will surely give it our 100% for a thrilling climax to another incredibly competitive MotoGP season.”
Sepang Racing Team is rebranded RNF MotoGP Team, with former CEO of Sepang International Circuit and Team Principal Razlan Razali remaining at the helm.
The team has signed a five-year deal with IRTA that sees the remodelled set-up continue participating as an Independent Team in the premier class of the FIM MotoGP World Championship until 2026.
The signed agreement between Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and RNF Racing Ltd. foresees the satellite team leasing Yamaha YZR-M1 motorcycles for 2022, with the option to extend the partnership for the 2023 and 2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship seasons.
Darryn Binder will be joining Andrea Dovizioso in the rebranded RNF MotoGP Team. The South African will race for Yamaha‘s satellite team in 2022 with an option to stay on for the 2023 MotoGP season.
Following two years of riding in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, the South African started his full-time Moto3 class career in 2015. That year Binder became a well-known name thanks to his brother (Brad Binder) who went on to become the 2016 Moto3 Champion. However, Darryn has since long proven that he is an exceptional racing talent in his own right. Known for his hard racing and making use of any and every available gap during a race, the 23-year-old has ridden to six Moto3 podiums so far, including a win at the 2020 Catalan GP.
Furthermore, Darryn Binder‘s eagerness, feistiness, and seven Moto3 seasons of experience make him a perfect teammate for the vastly experienced Andrea Dovizioso, as the rebranded RNF MotoGP Team start their new and exciting chapter.
Lin Jarvis – Managing Director Yamaha Motor Racing
“I want to give a warm welcome to Darryn. We are delighted that he is joining the Yamaha line-up next year. We‘ve had many conversations about who would be a good match for the new RNF MotoGP Team set-up. It‘s a fresh start for the Yamaha satellite team and that makes it all the more fitting to have a young and eager rider like Darryn join them, as Fabio and Franky did before him.
“For Yamaha the primary mission of the satellite team is developing future MotoGP talents. Darryn has already shown on numerous occasions what he‘s made of in the Moto3 class. We know he is a fast and determined rider who has got what it takes to battle at the front of the pack. Obviously, the step up to MotoGP is significant and will take some adjusting, but we feel that he‘s ready, and Yamaha and the RNF MotoGP Team will fully support him for this new and exciting challenge.”
Darryn Binder
“I‘m extremely grateful for this opportunity, as it has been a lifelong dream to race in the MotoGP category. I definitely didn‘t expect to make the jump straight from Moto3 to the highest class, but I do believe I‘m up for the challenge, and I‘m ready to put in all the hard work for 2022. My target at the beginning will be just to find my feet in the big class and learn as much as possible to get stronger and stronger throughout my rookie season. I would like to say a really big ’Thank you‘ to Yamaha and the RNF MotoGP Team for everything they have done to make this possible as well as everyone who has been involved in getting me to this point. I‘m now just looking forward to riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 for the first time at the end of this season.”
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing Moto3 2021)
