Friday, August 5 2011
Only a day after one of its best weekends of the season, Yamaha has dropped a bombshell by announcing its departure from the World Superbike Championship at the end of 2011
It had been rumoured for a while, in fairness, although the timing could arguably have been better, as just a day after Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri twice finished second and third respectively at Silverstone, Yamaha has announced that it is to withdraw from the World Superbike Championship come season’s end.
Yamaha’s commitment to WSBK has been the topic of speculation inside the paddock for a good many months, but ironically, whilst many had tipped the company to pull the plug at the end of the 2010 campaign – with Cal Crutchlow its best-placed rider in fifth in the final rankings, and just fourth spot in the manufacturers’ standings – 2011 has been distinctly more competitive, with Melandri and Laverty sitting third and fourth in the points table at present, and Yamaha second only to Ducati.
What’s more, only recently, the Italian strongly suggested that he would be staying put at the Yamaha World Superbike Team next year whilst the Ulsterman is on a two-year deal.
Nonetheless, as of 2012, there will be no ‘works’ Yamaha representation in the World Superbike Championship – with ‘severe’ market conditions bearing the brunt of the blame.
‘Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. (YME) has decided to withdraw their official Yamaha World Superbike Team at the end of the current season from the FIM Superbike World Championship’, reads a statement. ‘This announcement follows a full strategic review of the marketing operations within Europe, including all motorsport activities, and takes into account the continuing severe and rapidly-changing Powered Two-Wheeler market conditions throughout the region.
‘Due to this decision, more resource and focus will now be used for direct ‘customer’ activities to ultimately add more value to Yamaha ownership and increased customer satisfaction.
‘YME would like to express their sincere thanks and appreciation for the total commitment, support and passion shown by the extremely professional and dedicated riders and team members both past and present throughout the many years of participation in the FIM Superbike World Championship.
‘YME would also like to thank all the highly-valued business partners and suppliers who have in-turn supported the team, and in addition would like to thank Infront Motorsports, the FIM Superbike World Championship promoters. YME has chosen this timing of announcement to ensure that all existing obligations are correctly met, and to not limit any opportunities or future planning for all personnel involved.
‘Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty are currently respectively third and fourth in the overall 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship standings for riders with four rounds to go. YME and the team will continue to give its maximum efforts until the end of the existing season to try and regain the World Superbike title which Yamaha also won in 2009.
Eugene Laverty has said he is saddened by the announcement that Yamaha is to withdraw its factory team from the World Superbike Championship at the end of the current season.
Despite a strong showing for both Laverty and team-mate Marco Melandri at Silverstone over the weekend, Yamaha confirmed yesterday that it will leave the series at the end of 2011 – meaning there will be no ‘works’ representation for the Japanese brand on the grid next year.
Having been given the chance to step into WSBK this season on the back of two seasons running at the front in World Supersport, Laverty now finds himself without a ride for next year despite having signed a two-year contract and he admitted he was surprised by the announcement that Yamaha is to call it a day.
“Today’s news of Yamaha pulling out of WSB came as a shock to me as well,” he revealed to his followers on Twitter. “Really disappointing for the entire team – a great bunch of guys.”
Melandri, who had recently suggested that he could be closing in a deal to re-sign with the factory team for another season, also used Twitter to reveal his own sadness with the announcement once it was made public.
“Long day, feel tired and sad, need a big sleep,” he wrote. “Tomorrow is another day…”
‘Yamaha will continue the availability of road racing kit parts, known as YEC Racing kit parts, for its R1 and R6 production models for private teams entering at all racing levels.’
Now World Supersport Championship leaders ParkinGO Racing would consider graduating to the World Superbike Championship as a Yamaha representative next season, albeit only if it could secure a viable deal with the manufacturer.
The shock announcement that Yamaha is withdrawing its official WSBK entry at the end of the 2011 season threatens to leave a significant void in the series, in much the same way that Ducati did when it confirmed its decision to leave twelve months ago.
However, while Ducati retains a semi-official presence with Althea Racing, a level of commitment that currently sees it atop the WSBK standings, Yamaha has not had a full-time satellite presence since the Yamaha France Ipone team withdrew at the end of the 2008 season.
Nonetheless, WSBK organisers will be keen to ensure Yamaha, champions with Ben Spies less than two years ago, has some involvement next year, potentially opening the way for another team to take up the reins, most notably BE1 Racing.
BE1 Racing, which competes under the ParkinGO banner and is helmed by former racer Giuliano Rovelli, has established itself as WSS title contenders in 2011 after switching from Triumph to Yamaha machinery, with Welshman Chaz Davies currently well ahead of his rivals with just four races remaining.
Already keen to make the move into Superbikes, Rovelli told GPOne.com that Yamaha could be an option, but only if it can come to some sort of agreement on machinery and parts.
“After what we did in the Supersport, we would like to repeat those achievements in a higher category. But we are interested in collaborating. It is important there is availability of the Yamaha, so we to seek a solution for this to happen. ”
Should ParkinGO venture to Superbikes, Rovelli revealed he will likely do so with Davies before considering any other rider, potentially Marco Melandri.
