The 2007 FIM Motocross World Championship sees Yamaha once again retain a strong and potent line-up of teams, riders and, importantly, equipment to tackle the MX1 and MX2 classes over the sixth month, fifteen round series. Top priority of course will be to maintain the riders and manufacturers titles won and practically owned by the Rinaldi Team in the premier category since 2001. From 500cc to MXGP and then the last three years in MX1, Yamaha has toasted championship success every season this century.
Thanks to Team Yamaha De Carli the company also has one of the most talented riders in the MX2 competition, Antonio Cairoli, pushing for a second title in three years this coming term. The YZ450FM and the YZ250F have set benchmarks in their respective circles since 2003 and now carry the current Yamaha fleet - outlined below - as the FIM World Championship celebrates 50 years of existence when the paddock reconvenes on April 1st.
Yamaha Motocross TeamThe Yamaha Motocross Team may have an all-new rider line-up for 2007 but their pedigree and immense record of results is well-known and feared in the paddock.
The Rinaldi brothers (Michele and Carlo) have moulded a highly professional crew from their Italian base since first embracing Yamaha’s four-stroke technology in 1999 with Andrea Bartolini claiming the 500cc World Championship. The small but technically proficient group have won a further seven titles in the last eight seasons thanks to a prosperous alliance with now-retired-Stefan Everts and their expertise with the factory’s innovations in motocross machinery. 2006 was something of a zenith as the team scored 14 from 15 MX1 Grand Prix wins on the latest aluminium-framed version of the YZ450FM. This year they will assist double World Championship runner-up and widely touted favourite for the ’07 crown Josh Coppins. The 30 year old is one of only six riders to have won an MX1 Grand Prix since the inception of the category in 2004 (and one of only two currently still in the series). Famed for his work ethic and dedication, Coppins has already adapted well to his new ‘steed’ with pre-season victories at meetings in Italy and France.
‘The whole bike is a step above what I had been using so it was a really positive experience from day one,’ the New Zealander commented on his initial tests with the YZ. ‘I felt comfortable right away and as I have been working with it more and more over the last couple of months I have found the strong points, the chassis among them.’ ‘I feel like I have adapted to a new bike very fast and I have a decent speed already; the team have helped so much in this respect and could not do any more for me,’ he added. ‘Regarding 2007 and beyond I will never be a Stefan Everts and win multiple world titles but I’ll do everything to win the title too with Yamaha; that’s my goal and I have some work to do.’
Coppins will be backed-up in his plight by MX1 debutant Marc de Reuver. The 24 year old has won two Grand Prix in the MX2 category but his tall frame and determined character means that this colourful Dutchman should be a valid threat in his maiden campaign on the YZ450FM. ‘I have some more to learn but it is coming along,’ he assessed. ‘Riding a 450 is very different. It hurts your body more. With an MX2 bike you are working hard with the cardio-vascular but the bigger bike makes your arms and legs ache! The Yamaha is really an awesome machine, powerful yet predictable and very strong at starts.’ ‘The Rinaldis are very passionate and take a lot of interest,’ he continued on his new team. ‘They want to know what you are up to and they go with you riding and testing. When you get off the bike they immediately want to know what is good, what is wrong, they want feedback and have meetings. It is very productive and professional.’
Of course Carlo Rinaldi will be marshalling his unit of six personnel for the two riders and is clear about his goals for 2007. ‘I believe that Josh can win and I am confident in him but it will be difficult and we must keep our feet on the ground a little bit,’ he said. ‘There are many people saying Josh is the title favourite and this is perhaps the first time he has ridden under this kind of pressure; in my experience pressure can affect riders in different ways. We have every confidence in him though.’
‘With Marc he has the potential to be one of the top guys and has shown that he is as fast if not faster than the others at different circuits,’ he states. ‘He needs to work on his consistency though and still be able to find a result even on a bad day. I have seen him mature since he has been working with us and I am confident that this will have a positive effect on the track.’
Concerning the evolution of the YZ450FM: ‘We have improved the bike quite a bit again which I did not really think would be that possible especially because it was already so good last year. We have two new riders now though and we have found some settings and we have made some significant changes to the engine to match the riders’ requirements. That has left us very satisfied with the package we have.’
YZ450FM Specifications:Engine:Engine type: Single cylinder liquid-cooled 4-stroke, DOHC 5-valve Displacement: 449cc
Carburation: Single Keihin FCR 39mm carburettor
Ignition: YRRD
Lubrication system: Semi-pressurized wet sump
Maximum power: 60ps
Exhaust: Full Titanium
TransmissionType: 5-speed
Primary drive: Gear
Clutch: Wet with 9 plates: Hydraulic operated
Final drive: Chain
Chassis And Running Gear:Frame type: Aluminium semi-double cradle
Rear frame: Carbon fibre
Triple Clamps: CNC machined from billet, made by Ergal
Front suspension: Factory fully adjustable 50mm upside down Kayaba forks
Rear suspension: Monocross with factory Kayaba gas shock absorber with titanium spring
Front/rear wheels: 20/21 inch front, 19 inch rear
Front brake: Ø270mm single disc, - radial calliper
Rear Brake: Ø245mm single disc
Weight: 101 kg
Fuel capacity: Carbon fibre, 8 litres capacity
Technical partners:Acerbis; Afam; Arrow; Braking; Brembo; Champion; Domino; DT 1; Pirelli-Metzeler; Regina; Technical Touch; Tommaselli; Yamalube
Personal Profile - Josh Coppins - #6:Date of Birth: 11/03/1977
Place of Birth: Motueka, New Zealand
Nationality: Kiwi
Residence: Motueka, New Zealand and Balen Hulsen, Belgium
Height: 177cm
Weight: 73kg
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Watersports, BMX, Trials
Career Highlights:2006: 7th, Motocross MX1 World Championship (injured)
2005: 2nd, Motocross MX1 World Championship + British Champion
2004: 3rd, Motocross MX1 World Championship + British Champion
2003: 12th, MXGP Motocross World Championship (injured)
2002: 2nd, 250cc Motocross World Championship
2001: 6th, 250cc Motocross World Championship
2000: 4th, 250cc Motocross World Championship
1999: 7th, 250cc Motocross World Championship
1998: 13th, 250cc Motocross World Championship
1997: 17th, 250cc Motocross World Championship
1996: 23rd 250cc Motocross World Championship
Personal Profile - Marc de Reuver - #14:Date of Birth: 21/02/1983
Place of Birth: Amstelveen, The Netherlands
Nationality: Dutch
Residence: Lommel, Belgium
Height: 191cm
Weight: 75kg
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Surfing on internet
Career Highlights:2006: 5th, Motocross MX2 World Championship
2005: 20th, Motocross MX2 World Championship
2004: 14th, Motocross MX2 World Championship
2003: 7th, Motocross 125 World Championship
2002: 9th, Motocross 125cc World Championship, 125cc Dutch Champion
2001: 8th, Motocross 125cc World Championship, 125cc Dutch Champion
1988: Started racing
Members Yamaha Motocross Team:Michele Rinaldi (ITA) Team owner
Carlo Rinaldi (ITA) Team Manager
Massimo Raspanti (ITA) Technical coordinator
Gerald Wever (GER) De Reuver's mechanic
Fabio Santoni (ITA) Coppins' mechanic
Andrea Zirri (ITA) Engine mechanic
Manuel Volpato (ITA) Assistant mechanic
Giovanni Pelizza (ITA) Logistics coordinator
Team Yamaha De Carli:Yamaha’s MX2 arm with the YZ250F is led by Team Yamaha De Carli. The Italian outfit has become one of the leading squads in the category since 2004 thanks to the achievements and eye-catching style of Antonio Cairoli. ‘Tony’ has won 26 motos from 96 and 10 Grand Prix from 48 in the last three years, as well as giving the 250 four stroke its first crown in 2005. The 21 year old Sicilian has finished third, first and second in the last three seasons of MX2 competition and adopts the race number ‘222’ for 2007; the digits with which he debuted on the international stage in 2004.
‘The YZ250F in 2007 has improved again and my team have done some excellent development work,’ Cairoli said, who leads the Italian Championship after three rounds. ‘It has been difficult to train in Belgium in the last few years because of the weather so we have committed to the first four rounds of the Italian Championship. They say there is no better training than racing but then there is also the risk of competition and giving 100% for the win! Obviously my objective is to regain the world title this season. I want to avoid the mistakes I committed in 2006 and I am hopeful.’
Cairoli is backed up by fellow 21 year old Matteo Bonini, who is hoping to shake off his bad luck with injury that blighted his first season with the team in 2006, and new highly rated teenager Alessandro Lupino (16 years old) who has already posted some very encouraging top ten results in Italy.
‘I am satisfied with our development and speed at the moment; we have reached a base that I believe is very good,’ said Team Principal Claudio De Carli. ‘The Italian Championship started well for us and is continuing to be positive. Tony is in good condition even if not still 100% and also Bonini has recovered and we expect some good results from him in the World Championship. We will also be running young Alessandro Lupino this year and we want him to mature and get some experience. He is only sixteen years old but has a lot of promise. He has made some good finishes in the Italian Championship and we hope this will carry on.’
Yamaha Van Beers Racing Team:The Netherlands based Yamaha Van Beers Racing Team came to prominence during the 2006 MX1 World Championship when rider Manuel Priem finished a lofty eight in the final classification and they also celebrated two Dutch championships thanks to the efforts of Priem and Aigar Leok. The Dutch squad now offer Yamaha potentially excellent options in MX1 and MX2. 21 year old Estonian Leok graduates to steer the YZ450F while promising 19 year old Dennis Verbruggen is Belgium’s next star-in-the-making and attempts his first full MX2 campaign after winning the Under18 World Championship in 2005 and the European MX2 title in 2006 aboard his Yamaha. Leok and Verbruggen will start this season with renewed YRRD kits for both their bikes.
Yamaha Team Ricci:The second of three heavyweight Yamaha teams in the MX2 class is Yamaha Ricci who field Grand Prix winner Kenneth Gundersen, GP moto victor Davide Guarneri and Nicolas Aubin who surprised many at the Bulgarian and British Grand Prix last year with his speed on a privateer entry. All three riders can now benefit from the improved 2007 YRRD kits available for the YZ250F. The Italian set-up completed test sessions throughout February and Guarneri in particular seemed to be placing an injury-perturbed 2006 season behind him with some impressive podium finishes in the three rounds of the Italian Championship run to-date (that in itself is becoming a Yamaha ‘mini-series’ with De Carli and Ricci team members disputing the leading positions).
Bike it Yamaha UK Dixon Racing:Yamaha’s intent to regain number one status in the MX2 class extends to the calibre of Britain’s Bike it Yamaha UK Dixon Racing Team who have provided the YRRD kitted YZ250F with further victories and at least one triumph every season since 2004. Double British MX2 Champ Carl Nunn returns to the fold where he debuted in great style by winning the French 125cc GP seven years ago. Now 27, Nunn was Britain’s top ranked rider in all categories last year with a decent sixth position in the MX2 standings. The Brit will be partnered by another new Dixon signing Carlos Campano. Spain’s most recognised MX2 participant means that Yamaha’s cosmopolitan line-up in the World Championship includes representation from the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Britain, Norway and Belgium.
Laurens Klein Koerkamp – Department Manager Racing Division Yamaha Motor Europe NV:'After winning 6 world titles in the last 6 years, for 2007 there a new challenge in MX1 with two new Yamaha riders. Josh has lots of experience, has shown a strong pre-GP season performance and used it to get to know the YZ450FM in each and every detail. We expect him to fight for race wins from the beginning and fight for the championship.
Marc is extremely talented, has gelled into the team perfectly and with the Rinaldi experience and focussed rider-approach on and off the track we believe he can be a top MX1 rider.
In MX2 Cairoli is fully determined to get back his world title. We expect Guarneri to come through as a next top MX2 rider with improved consistence. Kenneth Gundersen and Carl Nunn have the experience already and should be up there from the beginning. Interesting will is what the young guys will be doing : with Dennis Verbruggen, Nicolas Aubin, Bonini and Lupino Yamaha is investing in the future. They all get good support in professional teams and have the chance to show their skills and gain experience.
Race Calendar:01 Apr 2007 – GP of Benelux, Valkenswaard
15 Apr 2007 - GP of Spain, Bellpuig
22 Apr 2007 - GP of Portugal, Agueda
06 May 2007 - GP of Italy, Mantova
13 May 2007 - GP of Germany, Teutschenthal
27 May 2007 - GP of Japan, Sugo
10 Jun 2007 - GP of France, St Jean d'Angely
17 Jun 2007 - GP of Bulgaria, Sevlievo
01 Jul 2007 - GP of Sweden, Uddevalla
15 Jul 2007 - GP of Republic of South Africa, Sun City
29 Jul 2007 - GP of Czech Republic, Loket
05 Aug 2007 - GP of Belgium, Namur
19 Aug 2007 - GP of Northern Ireland, TBA
26 Aug 2007 - GP of Great Britain, Donington Park
02 Sep 2007 - GP of Netherlands, Lierop
Related Linkswww.yamaha-racing.com
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