Although there was some rumors that pointed that PATA Yamaha wanted to change things for next World Superbike season, all the rumors are now part of the past because the official Yamaha team has issued a statement where it says that their rider line-up will remain unchanged.
So, this means Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, both race winners already this season with Yamaha, will continue racing with the R1. That’ll be the fourth season for Lowes and the third season for Van der Mark with the Japanese machines.
Eric de Seynes, Yamaha Europe director, is really happy to retain both riders, but he is now aiming higher than ever before and asks for the title. The PATA Yamaha team has official support from Yamaha Racing, and the YZF-R1 bikes are rated as some of the best in the field, and have been improving every season since their introduction a few years back, to the point they are now winning races instead of just fighting for podium positions.
Yamaha managers want to step up in terms of results, and for the next season the objective is clear, to regain the World Superbike title that Yamaha secured in 2009 for the first time in history in this championship, by the hands of Ben Spies.