Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Starts 10th Edition Next Week

01-05-2022

Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Starts 10th Edition Next Week

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and the VR46 Riders Academy are excited to start the 10th Yamaha VR46 Master Camp, held from 4-8 May 2022. The five new recruits are all participants in Yamaha Motor Europe‘s 2022 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup.

The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp is back for the tenth edition of its training programme staged at Valentino Rossi‘s VR46 Motor Ranch and other VR46 Rider Academy training locations from 4 - 8 May 2022.

The five selected talented riders are all currently competing in Yamaha Motor Europe‘s 2022 Yamaha R3bLU cRU European Cup.

The new Master Camp students include Jurand Kusmierczyk (aged 17, from Poland), Devis Bergamini (aged 19, from Italy), Yeray Ruiz (aged 18, from Spain), Enzo Valentim Garcia (aged 17, from Brazil), and Kevin Fontainha (aged 15, also from Brazil), all Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup riders.

Much like the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup, a competition that takes place over six rounds (two races per round), the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp training programme is especially intended to nurture talent. The Master Camp is designed by racing and fitness professionals with the aim to give young Yamaha stars a boost by enhancing their riding skills and professionalism.

The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team competing in the Moto2 World Championship is a natural progression of this training programme, functioning as a platform for further skills improvement and career progression. Current riders are Keminth Kubo, a former Master Camp attendee, and Manuel Gonzalez, a Yamaha bLU cRU rider.

To improve the bLU cRU riders' skills, they will have a chance to ride at the VR46 Motor Ranch‘s Flat Track on YZ250Fs and on its MX track to receive soft cross training on YZ125s. Furthermore, the youngsters will be riding at the Circuito di Pomposa on YZF-R3s (made possible by Yamalube, Akrapovič, and Pirelli), and at the Mini Supermoto Jeepers Park on MiniGP YZ85 bikes. The up-and-coming riders will be joined by their VR46 Academy seniors at every session for some personal coaching.

Besides riding, the protégées will also work out at the Fisio gym and receive MotoGP eSport lessons from Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Lorenzo Daretti aka Trastevere73 (made possible by MSI Gaming Italy).

Moreover, the tenth-edition riders will be provided with new Yamaha VR46 Master Camp outfits for on and off-track wear (made possible by Oakley, Alpinestars, and VR46).

William Favero

Marketing & Communications Manager, Yamaha Motor Racing

We are thrilled that we are already starting the tenth edition of the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp. It‘s a milestone, and also a testament to the great work Yamaha and VR46 have been doing with this programme since its start in 2016. After the difficult pandemic years, we are slowly going back to a ’normal‘ situation: this year we will stage two Master Camps again, like we used to do from 2016–2019. This training camp has proved to be rewarding. It gives young talent an extra boost in their professional racing careers and an opportunity to learn from the best in the business. Places at the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp are therefore much sought after – we have many Yamaha markets from all over the world enquiring for places for their young talents. So far we have welcomed 42 Master Camp riders from 15 countries, soon to be 47 riders from 16 countries, with Poland being added to the list. This year we have taken the next step in helping young talent. The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team was a natural evolution, though it was carefully set up with a lot of effort put in by VR46 and Yamaha. This year the team made the step up from the FIM CEV Moto2 Championship to the Moto2 World Championship, putting its riders, both young Yamaha talents, in the best learning environment possible. I would like to take this moment to thank the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp sponsors – Monster Energy, Yamalube, Akrapovič, Oakley, Alpinestars, Pirelli, and MSI Gaming – for making this event possible. We can‘t thank our sponsors and partners enough for their support, because investing in young riders is vital for the motorsports sector.

Alessio 'Uccio' Salucci

VR46 Riders Academy Director

We are starting the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp again with a new group of riders. It‘s our ’anniversary‘, so of course there are some nice events planned again! Like in the ninth edition, the new guys are all Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Challenge riders, so we know they can handle a bit of a challenge and some healthy competition on the track. The goal is as always: the riders will have to work hard, absorb as much information as possible, and most of all have fun. Helping young talent is a goal close to our heart. The VR46 Riders Academy, the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Moto2 Team, and the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp training week are all examples of this. Finally, I would like to thank the VR46 Academy riders, whose contribution to the success of the Master Camp is crucial.

JURAND KUSMIERCZYK
01/10/2004 (17), Polish

Jurand started road racing in 2019 on pit bikes before stepping up to bigger machinery in 2020. Prior to that, the Polish youngster raced in motocross. In 2020, he won the Sport250 Polish Cup, and in 2021 he finished second in the Alpe Adria Cup while also winning the Czech and Slovakian Championships. The 17-year-old took part in two wildcard rounds of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup that same year, racing at Magny-Cours and Barcelona. Jurand is now taking part in the full European Cup season, where he‘s taken a best finish of fourth in the first Assen race.

DEVIS BERGAMINI
01/03/2003 (19), Italian

Devis brings plenty of experience on Supersport machinery to his debut Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup campaign. The Italian raced in his national PreMoto3 for three seasons between 2016 and 2018, then joined the Italian R3 Cup championship in 2019. The 19-year-old did three years there, stepping up to the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup for 2021. Devis won on his first weekend in the championship at Aragón and currently sits third in the overall standings.

YERAY RUIZ
15/08/2003 (18), Spanish

Yeray had an impressive junior career, winning the 2016 Spanish Moto5 Championship. In 2019, he raced in the Brazilian R3 Cup before joining the Spanish Superbike Junior category in 2021. The 18-year-old finished runner-up while he also made several appearances in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship, scoring a best result of seventh on his maiden weekend at Magny-Cours. The Spanish youngster then participated in the Yamaha bLU cRU Masterclass, where he was selected for a supported season in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup in 2022. Yeray took pole position and victory in Aragón and currently sits fourth in the standings.

ENZO VALENTIM GARCIA
29/05/2004 (17), Brazilian

In 2017, Enzo began racing in the Supersport 300 championships in Brazil. He won three regional titles that year, before stepping up to the national series in 2018, where he was third on the Yamaha R3. After more national success, the 17-year-old competed at the Portuguese FIM Supersport 300 World Championship round in 2020. In 2022, with the support of AD78 Team Brasil, Enzo has enjoyed a superb start to the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. Winning both races from pole position at the Assen round to lead the championship.

KEVIN FONTAINHA
26/07/2006 (15), Brazilian

Having raced in 150cc and 250cc categories, Kevin stepped up to the Yamaha R3 Cup Brazil in 2017. He placed in the top five during 2019 and 2020, before claiming second in the championship in 2021. The Brazilian youngster has already taken three podiums, finishing P2 in the second Aragón and Assen races, and currently sits second in the standings. At 15 years old, he is the youngster rider inside the top five.